Do You Think the Canon 50 1.8 or 50 1.4 is Better ?

I know I know, silly question. But I have used the canon 50 1.4 and I have trouble with the razor thin focus area when wide open. I know its

a great lens, and I need to use it better. What do you think about the 1.8 Its almost $300 cheaper

The 1.4 is a good 2.0 lens. The 1.8 is a good 4.0 lens. Of course the 1.8 is a flimsy piece of plastic and the 1.4 is a bit

more solidly built.

 

If you can at all afford it, the 1.4 to me is a sure winner. It's not all about the .5 stop of extra light.

Please add to my previous comment on the other thread . . .

 

If the sole premise of choice between the two lenses is the ability to manage the Depth of Field at the widest aperture, then there is not much difference and when using either lens, it will be more about technique, than either lens, itself.

 

Another way of looking at it: on an APS-C body, with each lens wide open and at a Subject Distance of 10ft:

 

The 1.4 has about 7inches DoF.

 

The F1.8 has about 9.5 inches DoF.

 

Both lenses require good focusing technique, especially in low light, IMO.

 

I generally use centre point, have it attached to the `*` button (CF4, I think) and I am aware that the AF works on contrast differences and that the red squares are not the limit of the AF boundary, it extends beyond them.

 

I often use focus and recompose, but am very aware of any parallax error, when recomposing.

 

In low light I often use MF and use the red square to confirm it.

 

I use the F1.4 on a 20D and a 5D, and can work in very low light and with very small DoF adequately.

 

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There are a couple of reviews and a comparison of these two lenses around here somewhere on photo.net. Look them up and read them, inclusing the comments.

 

FWIW, I like the 50/1.4 better.

Dof is silly to use as a sole determinant of 'which is better'. That being the case, the 50mm 1.8 is also better than the 50mm 1.2L. Buy the 50 that fits your budget - "more money spent equals better everything" when it comes to the 50mm lenses from Canon. What's your budget - low, medium or high?

One word, USM.

 

Actually it's 3, but who's counting.

 

Try telling your 3 year old to stop moving so your auto focus can catch up.

Right, depend on your budget, on how much you use it and your level

 

Nikon has also 50mm 1.8 and 1.4 the 1.4 is slightly better but I settled for the 1.8 and I'm happy with it, here

is a shot at F/3.2, I basically use the same technique as WW, center point focus then recompose

 

http://apranax.free.fr/thom/content/DSC_0004_large.html

I use a 50/1.4 for taking portraits on a 30D and love this lens! I also use the "centre point focus and recompose" technique.

 

Example: F 1.4 at 1/125 and ISO 100.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/6776953

I love my 50 1.4 to death but I think the 1.8 focuses faster (with the 5D).