50mm f/1.4 is it good (vs f/1.8)?

[jayfixit]

I recently bought a used 50mm f/1.8 lens on Craigslist. I purchased it for $60, so I'm not worried about unloading it on eBay.

I recently took it to a friend's wedding. I'm very disappointed at the results. When in-focus, it is nice. "When" is the problem. Sheesh, I missed a lot of good shots. A few months ago, I bought a 85mm f/1.8 USM. Darn that thing focuses fast! I had to try and take a bad shot.

The 50mm F/1.8 is about as accurate as me manually focusing the old Pentax MF lens I adapted to my XTi. Seriously. With the Canon 50mm, I was using only the center AF point. I always focus on the eyes, and I know it confirmed....I snapped. Crap, something else was always in focus...at least 1/2 of the time. That was never the case with the 85mm f/1.8 USM.

OK, enough of my rambling. Should I expect similar results with the 50mm f/1.4 USM, as with my 85mm f/1.8 USM? If so, I definitely need to pick one up, and dump the f/1.8. The 50mm is a nice indoor lens IMO, and with winter coming...indoors will be the norm for a while.

Thanks!

[Rooz]

sounds to me like you have a dud lens. i have used both the canon and nikon versions and they have all worked fine. focussing at 1.8 with the narrow DOF can be tricky at times but normally it works out ok. are you sure you're getting your focus point right ?

[jayfixit]

There is a possibility I did miss the subject, as the out of focus photos were the one's where the subject I was focusing was far away. On a little bit more "setup" shot, or when the subject was closer, (easier to focus), the focus was dead on.

That's a good point. I guess with the 85mm, my subject always was "closer"?

Hmmm...a good night's sleep, now has me thinking different. I guess I should try a little more with the f/1.8?

[Rooz]

That's a good point. I guess with the 85mm, my subject always was "closer"?

yupp yupp. with such a tiny focal plane you need to be totally sure. there is a canon program that lets you view your focus point in each shot. maybe check that out first. have seen CW use this.

its a pretty sharp lens, even at f1.8 and the DOF is sublime. i like the 85mm aswell but its difficult to use indoors. these are both shot at 1.8. but i must admit i miss the focal point in maybe 30-40% of shots if the subject won;t stay dead still.

EDIT: sorry the second one was f2.8.

[adam75south]

never had focusing problems with my 1.4.

[NewTekBuzz]

I love my 1.4 it is on my camera 85% of the time! I'm looking at the 1.2

[Dawoofo]

Jay, I have both and can tell you that the 1.4 is mucho more reliable for focusing, especially indoors without a flash. I've used both lenses for a wedding apiece with similar lighting. Only about 33% of the shots with the 1.8 were focused well whereas probably 90% or more were on the money with the 1.4 on my XTi.

The 1.4 uses USM for focusing—much quieter, quicker, and much more accurate than what the 1.8 uses. Bokeh is more pleasant on the 1.4 as well, and the build is more solid.

I hate to say that I haven't picked the 1.8 back up since I got the 1.4.

Edit: BTW, use only the center focal point on the XTi for the most accurate focusing.

[Rooz]

The 1.4 uses USM for focusing—much quieter, quicker, and much more accurate than what the 1.8 uses. Bokeh is more pleasant on the 1.4 as well, and the build is more solid.

i may be wrong but i didn't think HSM had anything to do with AF accuracy.

[jayfixit]

Well, having a bunch of money in my PayPal account from selling a bunch of stuff, I decided to buy a 50mm f/1.4 last night. The current Canon instant rebates apply to this lens, and it was $279, and free shipping from bugdig.com, and they take paypal. That's cheaper than I've seen some used ones going for on eBay; as I was going to buy used. I guess I'll be able to compare, and then put the f/1.8 on eBay.

[cpaussie]

Congrats on your new lens.
I looked at that lens the other day, and the salesman quoted me $575.
I know my reply is late but I thought you might be interested in this thread.

http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17480