Why didn't Canon make the 50mm f/1.2L in EOS mount?

I have always wondered about this one, and I was curious as to why they chose not to remake

this lens in EOS mount. It was my main lens in FD, and I found it to be a fantastic performer.

They did bring the 85/1.2L and 24/1.4L into EOS and both lenses are still very popular today,

so it seems odd to me that they didn't bring the 50mm f/1.2 into the mount. I know that they

did create the 50mm f/1.0L, but that is a very different beast -- huge and slow autofocus.

The 50mm f/1.2L was pretty much the same size as the f/1.4 and offered even better

performance. In any case, if anyone has any idea about this I would love to hear it.

Because they had decided to make the f/1.0 lens to show off, and how many 50mm lenses can the market really support? Especially in an era when zooms were getting much better and primes less popular.

 

That's just a surmise, but that's all you're going to get. Nobody likely has any authoritative information about what was going through Canon's marketing department's head 20 years ago.

I agree it would be a valuable addition to the lens lineup. However, they already have 3 50mm lenses in the EF lens range. If they could make a 1.2 L and keep the 58mm filter size, that is, keep it "user friendly" for street shooting, it would be interesting.

 

One other lens that I would be interested in would be the 85 f/1.4. the 85 1.8 is a very good lens, the new 85 1.2 L II will be a good update of the very old lens. But I have always liked f/1.4 lenses. I remember 3-4 years ago working with the Nikkor 85 1.4 (the two versions, AF and MF), and they were incredible. Particularly the AF Nikkor 85 1.4, with responsive AF and super image quality, was a dream lens.

 

Well, I suppose my personal wish list goes on: update the 35 f/2 and 50 macro, produce a 70-200 f/4 L with IS...

Well, at the time Canon had an EF 50 1.0L USM, 50 1.4 USM, 50 1.8 USM and a 50 2.5 CM. I

figure they decided another 50, whatever the aperture, would be redundant, especially when

most folks prefer zooms.

It's pretty much as the others have said. There has certainly been a lot of chatter about this subject on this board in the last six months or so. Now that the 50/1 is history, Canon may finaly consider a new L lens to replace it such as a 58/1.2 (Canon's first SLR lens that was faster than 1.8 and used in the Canonflex and FL ranges) or a 55/1.2 (replaced the 58/1.2 in the FL line and was continued in the FD range). I don't think they need to come out with yet another 50mm lens at the moment but who knows, they may do exactly that. Chances are that the next new lenses, cmaeras, and so on will be announced in September, just before Photokina starts.

In the meantime, you can pick up a Nikon to EOS adapter and use Nikon's 50mm f1.2 AIS on your EOS body.

 

I have both the 50mm f1.0L and the Nikon 50mm f1.2 AIS and my opinion is that the Nikon lens is much easier to work with despite the lack of AF and it is much more resistant to flare.

One thing not said yet is that it was the (larger) EOS mount that *enabled* the build of the 50

F1.0 (and the 85 F1.2)... so it was quite compelling to apply that ability

 

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Beside the Nikon 50/f1.2 there are number of other f1.2 50s options (via EOS adapter/focus aid). Example: Olympus 50/1.2, 55/1.2 (small & compact), Tomioka 55/1.2 (M42), Porst 55/1.2 and if you want to spend bigger money, Nikkor 58/1.2 Noct. All these are bargain compared to the EF50/f1.0L.

I don't know how many out there are like me but I am waiting for Canon to deliver a modern, updated version of their 50 1.4 USM. The current one I won't spend a dime on and I won't spend more than $20 for the 50 1.7. I want a "real" 50mm from Canon ASAP.

One could always use my FD <u>55</u>mm f/1.2 ASP with an adapter on their EOS.<br> But not '<i>my</i>' copy of course in that my 55mm ASP stays mounted on my trusty T-90. <p>Both certainly come in handy on cool evenings when the sun has just gone down and the 55 peers into gloaming and snatches a shot: priceless.

Oh please don't get me started on the 50mm 1.2L in EOS. There were rumours floating around that Canon is making such a lens in EOS, and it was supposed to come out like now. But it no showed and I'm wondering if it ever will be released.

 

I was almost tempted to buy the FD version, but I'm trying not to use my FD setup these days in favor of auto focus.

 

By the way the 50mm L EF lens was supposed to be a benchmark lens to which others would be compared to, but of course that is all rumour too.

Only problem with the 50/1.4 is the non USM focus. Other than that it's a fabulous lens. I accidentally spilled something on the lens once with the focus barrel extended, and it still sometimes gets stuck!

I could see a strong market for a 50/1.something L. L primes exist in 24/35/85 focal lengths so why not 50?

Is 1/2 stop all that important? F1.4 vs f1.2?

 

I have an f1.2 Konica lens and it's nice, but it's WAY bigger than my f1.4 and to be honest, the extra 1/2 stop really doesn't mean all that much these days with DSLRs where you can just bump up the ISO (nless, I guess, you're already shooting wide open at ISO 3200).

 

Actually IS would be better than an extra 1/2 stop. For low light work I'd far prefer a 50/1.4L IS to a 50/1.2L. It would likely be a lot cheaper too.

 

I suppose an extra 1/2 stop can, sometimes, be useful, but if you assume that an EF 50/1.2L would cost, say, $1500, would you pay an extra $1000 for 1/2 stop? Apparantly not many people thought the 50/1.0L was worth the cost, otherwise Canon would still be making it.

"For low light work I'd far prefer a 50/1.4L IS to a 50/1.2L."

 

After having owned and used two of Canon's IS lenses - the 24-105L IS and the 70-200L IS - I agree, I'd like to see a 50/1.4L IS. Their latest generation IS is very quiet and does provide upto 3 stop hand-holdability, which has to be seen to be believed.

In addition, the lens I really want to see Canon make is a 150mm Macro IS, either L or non-L.

Speaking of low-light, does a Canon 30D have an advantage in relative quality over a Konica-Minolta (and now Sony) 5D or 7D?

 

If Sony ever comes forth with a camera body with built-in IS and FF, then things will get interesting.

If reading this old thread, all now know Canon announced the new 50mm f1.2L EF lens August 24th, 2006. Its now a reality. How it compares against the highly acclaimed 55 f1.2 AL lens and the newer FD 50mm f1.2L- we'll have to see. The new EF 50L lens is first on my list to get once my funds are freed up.

Fast, your prediction is half way there. Sony did come out with the a100 for the built-in IS. A FF might not be that far away.