Canon 50mm 1.8

[tikaldogos]

i have never used a prime lens. i decide to wade in instead of jumping in deep end of the pool.

i am going to get the canon 50mm 1.8...is it a total waste of time and money?? from what i have read it will still be sharper than my 28-135 as well as being able to shoot in lower light.

[David Whatley]

Originally Posted by tikaldogos

i have never used a prime lens. i decide to wade in instead of jumping in deep end of the pool.

i am going to get the canon 50mm 1.8...is it a total waste of time and money?? from what i have read it will still be sharper than my 28-135 as well as being able to shoot in lower light.

I kind of like mine. Here is a double crop using that lens on a 40D this past weekend?
You be the judge

[IMG][/IMG]

[kenw]

get it. you will be happy. Careful, once you bite the fruit of fast glass you'll never go back.

1) yes, it will be sharper than your 28-135IS. (it is very noticeable)
2) yes, you can use it in much lower light. The difference between 1.8 and 3.5 is almost night and day. This lens is a great way to learn about not only primes but all the wonders that are 'fast glass'!

[tikaldogos]

why do so many put it down because its made out of plastic?? the plastic dosent take the photo, especially since you hear people cry about weight

[tukaniray]

Because there is a 1.4 version ...

-Ray-

[Houston-X]

You wont find anything better for the price, its a good little lens to have, but it is a gateway lens. :)

[suerenee]

I had it, loved it...upgraded to the 1.2 which is on my camera 85% of the time!

My 11 year old daughter now shoots my 1.8 on my old 20D!!

[Snarfy]

There are millions of 50mm 1.8 lenses across the world because they are a mainstay lens to so many photographers. It is an old, simple lens design that has been proven for decades. For $115, you cannot go wrong with it, despite the fact that it feels like a toy.

[venchka]

Plastic doesn't make the image directly. It does make the image indirectly: Alignment. Sealing. Etc. Take good care of it. It is not a rough & tumble lens.

[Kirk]

Like others have said, if you want to get experienced with a fast prime, it's a good choice.

Having said that, if you really love it, you're probably going to want a 1.4 or faster really soon, so consider trying the 1.8 before buying, and if you can't get enough, just go right for the more expensive, better made, faster 1.4.

You won't regret it.

[Killjoy]

I just shipped out a "Nifty 50" to someone to shoot with.
It's a great little lens.
It has a macro focusing motor, so if a few years down the line, it won't auto focus anymore, you'll understand why.
I do have a 50 f/1.4 and love that lens. If I had to sell off my gear, that would be one of the last lenses to go.
Fantastic DOF and great Bokeh. It's also sharp as a tack even all the way open at 1.4

[Nikonfan]

There was an interesting article in Popular Photography about 6 months or so back that compared the Canon and Nikon 50mm 1.8 to the respective 1.4 versions. It was amazing how identical the Canon and Nikon 1.8's were to each other as well as the 1.4's. I will spare you all the details. The end result was surprising. The 1.8's were about a third of the price and actually did a better job overall. While the 1.4's were slightly sharper at a few apertures, for the most part the 1.8's were ever so slightly better. It blew me away to learn that! So why pay three times more for the 1.4?? If you need the wider aperture or must have an EXTREMELY narrow DOF. However, for 95% of the population the less expensive 1.8 is better. Again, this applied to both Canon and Nikon. The article did not cover the Canon 1.2. On a side note, Nikon has filed a patent for a 50mm 1.2.. Should be interesting.

[duronboy]

Originally Posted by tikaldogos

why do so many put it down because its made out of plastic?? the plastic dosent take the photo, especially since you hear people cry about weight

I now have the 50 1.8 I.

[blaker44]

I have a canon 50mm Mk II. 1.8 for $100, shipped, its like new, no scratches, email me if you are interested great lens

[ttruelove]

The 50mm 1.8 is a great lens for the price. The glass is sharp and very light. It's an almost unbeatable combination of affordability and quality. You'll love it until you start playing with the 50mm 1.4...then you'll fall in love with that one even more. Another great, inexpensive lens is the 85mm 1.4. It retails for around $450 or so and worth every penny! Good luck with the 'Nifty Fifty;' I'm sure you're gonna love it.