Canon 50mm 1.8 Lens?

Does anyone know about the earlier Canon ef 50mm 1.8 lens with the

metal mount? I have a chance to get one used that's is real good

condition and was wondering how the quality was (since I hear the

present 1.8 lens is such a great value). Also what kind of motor did

it have - is focusing speed OK? If it's not a good performer, then

I'll probably bite the bullet and get the 1.4. Thanks. Steve

Many regard the Mk1 a better lens than the mkII. Optically they are similar but build quality is much better. If you do a search there will be a large amount of info comparing the two of them.

Same lens, better build. If you don't like it, you can sell it here or on *bay for a profit.

Solid build, metal mount, excellent optics (but the cheap plastic-body Mk II is just as good there), distance window, usable manual focus ring.<p>Only gripe is the focus - a bit slow, loud motor, no Full Time Manual focus in AF mode.<p>I love the 50/1.8 "Mk I" models - they can sell for twice the price of the current "Mk II". Every chance, I buy them cheap and sell for more. My last one came with a Rebel XS for a total of $50, sold the lens alone for $150. That's half way to a better, faster, quieter, 1.4 USM with Full Time Manual!<p>

>>If you don't like it, you can sell it here or on *bay for a profit.

 

That of course depends on how much you buy it for first.

 

The metal mount is superfluous on such a small lens and the focus motor is the same. However it has a distance scale (if you ever wanted such a thing) and as others have said is somewhat better built.

 

So do you want to spend $70 on a new Mk2 or whatever someone is asking on a better built Mk1 that no doubt has some milage on it?

I love the mk1's in fact have one that came with my first 600 series in the 80's and have another that I picked up a year ago for $100.

 

The motor is not USM and it is not silent. Focusing speed is usually fast on my D60, it does tend to hunt in low contrast on the D60 but that is related to the D60 and not the lens.

 

If you have 300 get the 1.4 if you have 150 get the 1.8 mk1, if you have 75 bux get the mk 2. This isnt a choice between a crappy lens and an L, its a choice between very nice, very nice better build quality, and even nicer and same build quality. They are very close and I am not sure the 1.4 has an advantage over the 1.8.

Bob's last paragraph sums it up nicely.<p><small>(But...)</small><br>There are a few differences in picture quality between the 1.8 and 1.4 :<br><a href="http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/">Canon EF 50mm - F1.4 vs F1.8 MK II</a>

this is completely subjective, not based on any scientific testing. i had the 50/1.8 for three years and thought it was great. i dropped it once and it broke once. so i replaced it with the 50/1.4. putting aside the obvious better build quality, the 50/1.4 i have has significantly better coloring -- more vibrant, not as flat, as the 50/1.8 i had. the bokeh is improved a little. its not sharp at f1.4 though. so optically, a better lens than the 50/1.8. both are very sharp.