Everybody's first prime lens should be this

Whoever wants to buy a prime lens must choose this over others if they are buying their first. compared to 50mm f/1.8 it is a bit pricey but it is worth it when compared to the quality that you will get. At its wide open f 1.4 it gives is soft but cheesy sweet pics but its sweet spot is f 5.6 and f 8 where it is the sharpest. AF is fast and accurate, build quality is nice and sterdy. too bad it doesnt have an IS (image stabilization) but canon 50mm f 1.2 IS may cost an average photographer his kidneys and liver. no problem with the metering, motor, focusing, sharpness or vignetting. a money well spent if know what a prime is for...

I sold mine after the second repair for the focus mechanism binding and preventing AF.  The lens shaft that extends (when you focus close) is subject to being distorted when even lightly impacted - this will cause it to bind within the main lens body.

I did like the optical quality, focal length and speed.  It's a shame that Canon didn't design it at an internal focus lens.

dherzstein wrote:

I sold mine after the second repair for the focus mechanism binding and preventing AF.

I've also broken two of them. I guess it would teach a beginning photographer to be very careful with their equipment.

Oddly I've knocked the cheap plastic 50mm f1.8 all around and it still works. It's getting full of dust though.

I had bought the Canon f/1.4 for my son, and then got the Sigma f/1.4 for myself. Both are very good. I am impressed with the solid build quality of the Sigma, but what stands out is the 77mm lens diameter. I have heard issues with focus accuracy, but mine was spot on.

While I'm sure its a great lens, it isn't the be-all and end-all.

There are some really outstanding lenses out there. My personal recommendation for a first would be the newer 40mm f2.8 (sharp wide open, nice rendering of OOF areas, small package).

My own first prime was the 85mm f1.8 (sharp from around f2.4, wonderfully smooth out of focus areas, fast focus with real USM, makes a great sports lens too). Maybe not a great choice for "first" but certainly worth considering.

That's just your luck - front element assembly on 50/1.8 is known to pop out from relatively minor knocks.

dherzstein wrote:

I sold mine after the second repair for the focus mechanism binding and preventing AF.  The lens shaft that extends (when you focus close) is subject to being distorted when even lightly impacted - this will cause it to bind within the main lens body.

I did like the optical quality, focal length and speed.  It's a shame that Canon didn't design it at an internal focus lens.

Yes, the focus mechanism is not so robust as it should be.  If interested in this lens, get and use the ES-71 II lens hood, or a cheap clone of it.  It bayonets to the fixed outter barrel, and completely shrouds and protects the extending inner barrel.

IMHO, YMMV.

Suave wrote:

That's just your luck - front element assembly on 50/1.8 is known to pop out from relatively minor knocks.

Yep, mine too.  Let it sit a couple years, then got curious and opened it up.  All the broken pieces were still there.  A little 'super glue' and it's back together good (or bad ) as new.

But it is cheap enough to be considered a "disposable lens". 

Suave wrote:

That's just your luck - front element assembly on 50/1.8 is known to pop out from relatively minor knocks.

Amazingly, you can pop it right back in. In fact you can blow out all the dust in the lens before you do that!

Not always, as pointed out above sometimes a drop or two of superglue is in order.

Suave wrote:

Not always, as pointed out above sometimes a drop or two of superglue is in order.

But that makes it hard to remove the front element again if you want to clean the internal parts of the lens. 

The advantage is it will make your jaw drop, never mind the softness wide open and yada yada; the other advantage is it's great for head and shoulders porraits and baby pics on aps-c.

The problem is familiar for aps-c: too long... So you end up looking for something wider which will give you a more normal focal length...

Still, no regrets, mine just performed flawlessly at a wedding.

gajuambi wrote:

Whoever wants to buy a prime lens must choose this over others if they are buying their first. compared to 50mm f/1.8 it is a bit pricey but it is worth it when compared to the quality that you will get. At its wide open f 1.4 it gives is soft but cheesy sweet pics but its sweet spot is f 5.6 and f 8 where it is the sharpest. AF is fast and accurate, build quality is nice and sterdy. too bad it doesnt have an IS (image stabilization) but canon 50mm f 1.2 IS may cost an average photographer his kidneys and liver. no problem with the metering, motor, focusing, sharpness or vignetting. a money well spent if know what a prime is for...

I am thinking the new Canon 35 F2 IS is a good option & ends up a 56mm equiv focal length on aps-c  extremely pricey for a non L  Price:$849.00 US, $1249 in NZ which seems crazy!

jackpro wrote:

gajuambi wrote:

Whoever wants to buy a prime lens must choose this over others if they are buying their first. compared to 50mm f/1.8 it is a bit pricey but it is worth it when compared to the quality that you will get. At its wide open f 1.4 it gives is soft but cheesy sweet pics but its sweet spot is f 5.6 and f 8 where it is the sharpest. AF is fast and accurate, build quality is nice and sterdy. too bad it doesnt have an IS (image stabilization) but canon 50mm f 1.2 IS may cost an average photographer his kidneys and liver. no problem with the metering, motor, focusing, sharpness or vignetting. a money well spent if know what a prime is for...

I am thinking the new Canon 35 F2 IS is a good option & ends up a 56mm equiv focal length on aps-c  extremely pricey for a non L  Price:$849.00 US, $1249 in NZ which seems crazy!

that is the better indoor ap-c focal length for sure.  I am waiting too for the price to come down