focus ring on canon 50mm 1.4

[amir_vii]

guys i just purchased a canon 50mm 1.4 which i received today, i had a canon 50mm 1.8 before and i sold it last

week. Upon touching the lens i realized that the focus ring is not smooth, on the canon 1.8 on the other hand the

focus ring was way more smoother. Is this how the lens is built or is there a problem with a lens? i really doubt

there is problem with the lens but the difference is huge compared to the 50mm 1.8.

[zensphoto]

<p>Is the lens brand new? Let me speculate that it is brand new. At first a brand new lens can be a little stiff for the first few weeks of use. It will loosen up in just a few short weeks. Now let me speculate you bought this used. If you got it used the person that owned it before may have had it out in the elements and it picked up some sand or other gritty substance.</p>

<p>If you got that lens brand new and you aren't happy with how it is functioning you could always return it and ask them to send you another lens. Perhaps that is as simple as it gets for a brand new one. If it is used however, you might want to contact canon and see if it is still under MFG warranty, because if it is they will correct the issue for free. If it isn't they will tell you how much it will cost to correct it if there is something wrong with it. If they find nothing is wrong with it, they will sent it back to you free of charge. <a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/support">Canon Service Center</a> is a great place to start.</p>

<p>I looked up some Info on the Canon forums at Canon and many users say the same thing as you are mentioning the lens doesn't seem as smooth that the f/1.8, the Canon rep commented saying it is built that way not was smooth when you first buy it and it will smooth out later the more you use it, but won't feel like the f/1.8.</p>

[amir_vii]

<p>Thanks Duane<br>

The lens is brand new and i bought it from B&H. They have an amazing return policy but I'm leaving to another country next week and won't be able to get another copy of the lens before i leave. Compared to my Canon 50mm 1.8 the 1.4 is very stiff, I remember on the 50mm 1.8 if i'm not making a mistake when i put the lens on MF it would turn smoother, but on the the 1.4 it feels the same both are not that smooth to turn.</p>

[zensphoto]

<p>I added this to my first original post, thought I would dig around to see if I could find any other information on Canon about it, so yeah, every lens I have purchased from Canon whether it is from B&H or Adorama is always stiff in the beginning but will loosen up over a few weeks of use. I think it will be cool.</p>

<p>I looked up some Info on the Canon forums at Canon and many users say the same thing as you are mentioning the lens doesn't seem as smooth that the f/1.8, the Canon rep commented saying it is built that way not was smooth when you first buy it and it will smooth out later the more you use it, but won't feel like the f/1.8.</p>

[amir_vii]

<p>thanks Duane, i was worried at first, what you posted made me feel more assured that there is nothing wrong with the copy of the lens i got. I appreciate the help :)</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>This difference is a difference in how the lens operates, and is normal. The 50/1.4's focus ring is permanently linked to the AF mechanism, whereas the 50/1.8's focus ring is decoupled from the AF motor when the switch is set to MF (allowing it to spin w/ virtually no friction). More modern USM lenses have a much better 'feel' to the focus ring, but most are still linked permantly (though the designs vary depending on the lens - especially the ones w/ huge focusing elements). Of course MF is still vastly easier on the 50/1.4 than the 50/1.8 (to me at least).</p>

<p>Of the USM lenses I've owned, the 50/1.4 has probably the most 'rough' feeling, and performing, AF system. Considering the relative age, and differences in the design this isn't a particular surprise of course. Frankly, it's the one lens I've felt could have used a mk2 a decade ago.</p>

[steve_dunn2]

<p>I haven't used the 50/1.8, and I bought my 50/1.4 used, so I can't compare the two or say if there's a significant difference between a new 50/1.4 and a used one in this regard. But I can echo the last paragraph of the previous response: of the ten USM lenses I've owned over the years, the 50/1.4's focus ring has the least refined feeling. It's probably not a coincidence that it's also the only one of these that has a micro USM along with the flaky hardware Canon installed to add <abbr title="full-time manual focusing">FT-M</abbr> to this motor; all the other USM lenses I've owned, whether L or non-L, use ring USM.</p>

 

<p>Speaking of the flaky hardware, avoid playing with the focus ring on this lens. Obviously, use it when you need to, but try not to touch it otherwise. This model has earned a reputation for a higher incidence of problems with its focus system than most other lenses. That certainly doesn't guarantee it will break; I bought mine used over a decade ago and it's still in perfect working order, and I'd expect the majority of 50/1.4s out there are also still in perfect working order. But all else being equal, the more you use the focus ring, the more likely you are to have it fail on you.</p>

[alan_rockwood]

<p>The 50mm f/1.4 EOS lens has a very fragile focusing cam. I had one with flaky focusing, so I took it to the repair man. He opened it and showed my the cam. It is easily bent if the lens gets bumped wrong. I don't know if this is related to the problems with your lens, but it is worth a thought.</p>