Canon 50mm Prime Lens

[outnumbered]

I've got a 50/f1.8 and when it works, you can get some really nice results with it. However, the auto-focus is pretty slow and somewhat hit&miss (I've tried using my 70D's lens focus adjustment feature on it, to little effect). The focus inaccuracy is especially noticeable as you often want to use it quite wide open for portraits. I certainly get a lot less keepers with that lens than with any other...

[HorneyMX5]

outnumbered said:

I've got a 50/f1.8 and when it works, you can get some really nice results with it. However, the auto-focus is pretty slow and somewhat hit&miss (I've tried using my 70D's lens focus adjustment feature on it, to little effect). The focus inaccuracy is especially noticeable as you often want to use it quite wide open for portraits. I certainly get a lot less keepers with that lens than with any other...

Second this on my 60D.

[Seight_Returns]

HorneyMX5 said:

Second this on my 60D.

And third this on my 7D and 400D.

The Canon 35 f2 is my choice for a cheap 50mm-ish equivalent prime. People critcise it becuase it's an old lens and the autofocus is pre-USM and a bit noisy, which it is, but it's much more accurate and consistent than my 50/1.8 .

Wasn't aware that there was a Yongnuo copy before I read this thread - whilst the Canon 35/2 isn't an expensive lens - a optically equivalent cheaper copy would be interesting.

[mojitomax]

Fourth this on my 7d.

I'm using the canon 28mm. Beautiful images. Feels like a solid lens. Good value

[Seight_Returns]

mojitomax said:

I'm using the canon 28mm.

That's a nice lens. More money than my 35f/2 but substantially better build quality.

If you're committed enough to make the effort to use primes regularly - the 28f/1.8, 50f/1.4 and 85f/1.8 would make a nice trio - all similar in IQ, look, feel and build quality.

[Zod]

The 50mm f1.4 is a good compromise between the 1.2L and the 1.8. It's a very good lens for the price, with great low light performance. I use it on full frame bodies (5D and 5D Mk II).

[koosh]

although not canon i purchased the 50mm 1.8 for my nikon and it is an amazing bit of kit!
you can normally judge a bit of kit by its resale value and second hand you struggle to get the 50mm 1.8 for anything more than £30 cheaper than brand new! i use it on a full frame D600 and the crispness of the lens is unparalleled!
i dont think there is the need to go for the 1.4 version as its double the price and some and personally dont think that expendature is worth it for a couple stops.

i was hoping to get a 35mm full frame lens but the 50mm is perfect for what i want!

[tenohfive]

How do people feel about the Canon 35mm f2 vs. 40mm pancake?

[Seight_Returns]

40f/2.8

+ IQ
+ Faster, Silent focusing
+ Price
+ Size

- 35mm is marginally too long for a general walkaround lens, 40mm definately too long
- f/2.8 isn't particularly fast - the low light/smallow dof benefits of a prime become less compelling

35f/2

+ Better walk around focal length
+ a stop faster

- slow, noisy (but still accurate AF)

[Mr Will]

tenohfive said:

How do people feel about the Canon 35mm f2 vs. 40mm pancake?

If you're on a crop-sensor body then the new 24mm pancake looks like a pretty compelling choice. All the advantages of the 40mm, plus a more versatile length than either of them. The only thing you give up over the 35mm is a single stop of aperture, but I'd pick a 50mm 1.8 anyway if blurred backgrounds are your goal.

[tenohfive]

I've got a 50mm 1.8 already and - whilst some of the criticism of it is well deserved - I've still got some brilliant portrait shots with it and I think it's a great bit of kit. But for indoor use I could do with something a touch wider, and if the AF is slightly faster that'd be a bonus too.

[m1dg3]

I've got the 1.8 and the 1.4 50mm. I only bought the 1.4 to use for video as it has a proper focus ring to mount follow focus gears on. I wouldn't say it is worth the extra over the 1.8 and feels very flimsy - it's the only lens I've got that I worry about breaking just putting it in my bag.

My absolute favourite walkabout is my Nikon 24mm f2.8 AIS from the early eighties. Fully manual and makes L series lenses feel poorly built, it goes on my 5D with an adapter and gives very distinctive images. Not technically great images by today's standards but it's good fun to use. I probably love it because I could never use it for client work - to use a car analogy it's a weekend classic to my 24-105L company car.

[shielsy]

For me 50mm on a crop sensor is just that bit too tight for general use. I find that a 30mm much better to work with.