> Jim Davis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I think anyone considering a 50mm lens should read this: > http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/ > There's more to a lens than sharpness. This article made me > feel good about spending a little extra and getting a 50/1.4.
See: http://www.geocities.com/montsnmags/Xmas/jake2.jpg (this is the Zuiko 50/1.4 with earlier but not "early" serial number. There is, I am told, a difference.) Check out that crochet rug. That out-of-focus area I wouldn't say is the best <grin> (though I guess there's more to a lens than bokeh, as it doesn't ruin the picture for me). ...so, I follow and agree with what you show in your link, Jim, though I never mentioned sharpness - only personal experience of personal purpose. Saying that, however, for me the EF 50/1.4 wasn't a "little" extra over the EF 50/1.8 for my budget (AUS$150 vs. AUS$650 - FWIW RRP AUS$239 vs. AUS$1029 currently, which gives an idea of price difference if not actual retail difference) or my purposes. If I had my way again, I'd possibly have saved the money and got the EF 50/1.4 at a later date, but, at the time, I didn't realise how much I'd like using that length (some people swear by the longer focal lengths, but my abilities don't seem to match that usage in composition). The advantage of the 50/1.8 to me was that it was less of a loss if I decided I didn't like it or use it. I've never been disappointed in its "unnatural" highlights while taking candids, never had and problem with less "vibrant colour" with them (since I'm generally using b&w with it), nor had any problem with "light falloff" or "flare" in my general usage of taking family candids. ...and "TALK ABOUT CHEAP? IT'S *THE* EOS BARGAIN!" ;-) My point was mostly about the 50mm focal length, and that the 1.8 was cheap-as-chips if the 50/1.4 was out of range (or, like me, you feel it's a cheap "pilot" for the focal length). > I'll add that having FTM focus and USM is a must for me on any > lens. Never found need for FTM on the EF 50, but it's compulsory on the Zuiko <g>. There's not a lot of turn to focus on the EOS 50/1.8 when taking candids, so I find it pretty quick, and its "noisiness" has never been a problem relative to the relatives. Now, if you're talking about my Touch Footy photos, that's a *whole* different story (and I've only got the "consumer" 100-300 USM) - there, it's speed is (and was, when taking photos at last years Gay Games for the Sydney club) a godsend for me :-) Ahh, for a 100-400 L [sigh] ...and, if I didn't have the OM1-50/1.4 combo, and the EF 50/1.8 broke, you can bet your bottom dollar I'd be saving for an EF 50/1.4 (better yet, send *me* your "bottom dollar" and it'll help me get there earlier <g>) Cheers Marc (an enthusastic, but not highly skilled, photographer) Sydney, Oz * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
