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Canon EF lens - 50 mm

$2,300.00
Mfg # 1257B002 CDW # 1347081 | UNSPSC 45121600

Quick tech specs

  • 50 mm
  • Canon EF
  • 1D
  • 500
  • 7D
  • Kiss X2
  • Rebel T1i
  • Rebel XSi
  • f/1.2 L USM
  • for EOS 1000
  • 50
  • 5D
  • Kiss F
  • Kiss X3
  • Rebel XS
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The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a peerless new standard lens featuring an ultra-large aperture for a narrow depth of field and soft background blur so loved by photographers everywhere. The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is suitable for any shooting situation; its lens coating and construction are optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. This high-performance, weather-resistant lens delivers all the superb image resolution and contrast you expect in a Canon L Series Lens.

$2,300.00
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Canon EF lens - 50 mm

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Canon EF lens - 50 mm is rated 4.40 out of 5 by 67.
Rated 5 out of 5 by from null This is my absolute favorite lens. I love to shoot with it in low light conditions w/o flash. It is always attached to one of my rigs when on a shoot. It's perfect for portraits, weddings, and concert photography. The ability to shoot at f/1.2 is something you have to experience first hand. There is definitely a big difference between the canon 50mm f/1.4 and f/1.2, I don't care what others say. That half stop creates a superior, and beautiful shallow DOF , as well as bokeh. As good a build quality you can get from a canon lens other than the white lenses. I live in the Pacific Northwest, where it rains a LOT. But I never worry about that, due to the weather proofing from the gasket on the mount. When shooting models and they give me a "certain look", and I always say ... STOP!, stay just like that. Then I grab my other rig which has the 50mm f/1.2 (sometimes the 85 milly) attached, and I just start to walk all around and shoot. It seems to accentuate facial expressions, add emotion, and the isolation from the background is BUTTA!! When I get on my computer and start grading my images, a higher percentage of my favorite shots were taken with the 50mm f/1.2 or 85mm f1.2. I would never shoot a wedding (too much work/headache), but this would be my primary lens along with a 85mm f/1.2. And I could't take a wedding/event photographer too serious without either the 50mm or 85mm in there arsenal.
Date published: 2011-07-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from 50 mm 1.2 I bought this lens a couple of days ago I am very impressed wit it so far.It is very sharp,good color and contrast.
Date published: 2016-02-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My favorite lens, bar none. This lens is often maligned as extremely fast glass sometimes is. I feel it absolutely does not deserve this reputation. When used (and possibly configured) properly this lens produces gorgeous results. I never leave this lens behind. If you're shooting a portrait wide open from 1.5 meters away the depth of field is so shallow that while the subject's eye is in focus the tip of her nose certainly won't be. If the photographer isn't aware of this behavior she probably should stop down and use a flash. That being said, if you do stop down this lens behaves like a high quality slower normal (50mm!) should. It's sharp as heck. I've shot some (unexpected) landscapes and even some action shots with it, despite its heft. AI servo isn't explicitly recommended with this lens, but I've gotten away with it. Regarding my statement about properly configuring: I found that to achieve optimal results on a full frame body (5d mark II, and now my new mark III) I had to micro-adjust the the body to the lens. This was imperative to achieve sharp shots at f/1.2-f/1.6 or so. Some also say this lens focus-shifts at approximately f/2.0-f/4.0 or so due to it not having a floating rear element. I've not noticed this behavior but this phenomenon may be real for some. I do feel this lens is a little too spendy, but after experimenting with the 50mm f/1.4 I'm happy I bought the most expensive of the three 50s Canon produces. The build quality of this lens is fantastic, and it's definitely rugged. I've dropped my copy on a hardwood floor at least three times and it's none the worse for wear. If you like low-light photography and shallow depth of field.. do yourself a favor and get this gem. If you're used to shooting with what used to be called normal focal length (50mm) get this gem! You'll be happy you did.
Date published: 2012-03-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from This is why I stick with Canon! i really went back and forth between this and the 85mm 1.2 I those this because I knew I would be using the vid feature on my 5D MKII. Boy, am I glad I chose 50mm 1.2! Not that 85mm is worse, but the 50mm is so versatile. I can use it for portrait settings, fast-action work, and video! It just performs every task well. This is my lens of choice! If you know what you are doing, the lens will get the job done, period.
Date published: 2009-10-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Top-flight piece This lens has performed well. Photos in low and in available light have been outstanding, and substantially lower to free of the noise I have encountered with slower lenses (e.g., f/3.5). Photos of city streets and scenes at night are finely captured. No AF issues to report. Rendering of out-of-focus areas is as expected--excellent.
Date published: 2012-02-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lens I've been putting off purchasing this lens for a while because of it's back focus (focus shift) problem which occurs only when photographing at extremely close distance using the center focus point of the camera. However, once I found out that this back focus problem can be overcome by simply using a different focus point, I went for it and bought the lens. I absolutely love the lens and I'm very happy with my purchase. I simply love the contrast and sharpness this lens produces. And the bokeh is so beautiful. At 1.2 f/stop, the images are a bit soft because of the extreme width of the aperture, however, the lens gets sharper as you stop down. I've taken some great image at 1.2 f/stop that look beautiful and sharp, and contrasty.
Date published: 2013-02-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best EF lens hands down Kept renting this lens because it's amazing and sharp and clear and fast. Finally just bought my own well worth the investment.
Date published: 2019-04-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Update After all the bologna I went through trying to buy this lens. I've had it for about a month now. It is worth what I went through to get it. When it finally arrived, it looks brand new. Not a mark on it. Now, the important part. It performs flawlessly. It is sharp, clear and crisp. The colors are right on. I do find that wide open I need a tripod when shooting handheld. It isn't the lenses fault. Something about "the ageing process" I hear a lot of these days. Worth the crazy price I paid for it.
Date published: 2019-04-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Absolutely love this lens! I purchased this lens just before Christmas and I absolutely love it! Images are tack sharp and the background blur is stunning.
Date published: 2019-01-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good first prime Extremely sharp lens, definitely recommended if trying a prime compared to zooms. Tack sharp.
Date published: 2019-07-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from BS PRICE 1.2 >>>>> too much for a piece of glass, Need a 0.95
Date published: 2021-03-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great 1.2 glass. Incredible bokeh. Lovely portrait glass. I waited to long to purchase this lens.
Date published: 2020-02-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Canon 50 mm f 1.2 Had read that some people hated the Canon 50 mm f/1.2 . But I love it! Very clear and sharp photos!
Date published: 2020-06-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Didn't Quite Deliver I wanted to love this lens but after several attempts it just did not deliver the sharpness I was seeking. I ultimately ended up returning. Customer service however was great.
Date published: 2020-04-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from An artistic tool that challenges you. You need to be cognizant of the focus point you want when composing your image. If your well versed in photography you’ll love this beautiful lens.
Date published: 2021-05-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Second purchase Highly recommended. Lens performs as expected on Canon 6D. No focus issues at varied distances. Product appears as new, as was my EF 100mm L Macro.
Date published: 2019-09-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love this lens! So far, so good! Only have had it a couple weeks but everything is in working order!
Date published: 2019-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Have shot the nifty-50 for 20 years.. Amazing piece of L glass! I have been waiting to upgrade my nifty 50 to the 1.2L for years and I finally pulled the trigger. AF is rock solid on 1Dx Mark I and cannot wait to run it on my pre-ordered 1Dx Mark III. No issues in low light. The first one I purchased had a flake of what I would call Loctite in between the optics. Canon support walked me through the RMA and I have another lens in my hand in a few days.
Date published: 2020-01-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It’s everything they said it would be! This lens is amazing! I’ve heard so much about and finally decided to take a chance! I’m so glad I did. The bokeh is creamy and beautiful.
Date published: 2020-06-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Way over priced. Heavy, expensive, only a fixed 50mm lens. Blurry background. Slow autofocus.
Date published: 2021-10-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A specialist lens This lens is a specialist lens, perhaps good for scientific applications but its size and weight as a 50mm lens makes it impractical as a "standard" lens. I decided to try this expensive lens as a replacement for my faulty 50/1.4 after the AF motor stopped working. Having used it for a month I am afraid to say that this is certainly the Canon lens that I am least satisfied with. With the 1.2L's powerful ring USM it should, in theory, focuses much faster than the 1.4's micro USM. In practice, the difference in AF speed is not that obvious at all, it seems to me that the more refined focusing distance ring (compared to the 1.4's) makes the 1.2L travels much farther to hunt from infinity to 0.45m. Also, the image quality improvement over the 1.4 (at comparable aperture setting) is only very slight. Its much bigger and heavier than the 1.4 so even that 1/2 stop aperture difference doesn't really help with hand-held shooting in the dark. In summary, I don't find any practical advantage for "general purpose" photography and considering the practicality and price difference I have decided to give the 50/1.4 another go. Having owned all three 50mm f/1.8 II, 1.4 and the 1.2L, I personally think the 1.4 offers best compromise in terms of image quality, practicality, price, and focusing performance.
Date published: 2010-12-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Disappointment Out of the box, back-focused by approximately 3 mm on my 5D II, which is fixable with either micro-adjustment or sending it in for re-calibration. Compared to my 50mm f/1.4, it had superior bokeh, less vignette, and about the same autofocus speed. But, it was softer than the 50mm f/1.4 all around. Wide open, it had about 3 out of 10 autofocus misses in good light, which was suprisingly bad. Had noticeable purple fringe on the edges under f/2.0, getting better stopped down. I thought it would be like my 85 mm f/1.2, but it was not.
Date published: 2009-07-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My Favorite I couldn't be happier with this lens. This was clearly my best lens decision and would purchase again in a heart beat if it was ever lost or stolen. Can't say I would do the same with some of my other L glass.
Date published: 2009-11-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from focus issues Slow focus, annoying front focusing issue (on 5D MkII and 60D). better built than 1.4, but in terms of images no different than 1.4. will try another copy.
Date published: 2012-02-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing piece of glass This is the best lens I have used. I own multiple L-lenses and this one is the one that finds itself on my camera most of the time
Date published: 2014-09-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Lens I love this lens, you can't go wrong with it. With the large aperture range you can set whatever depth of field you want for your subject, and always get a clean clear shot.
Date published: 2009-05-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Broke I owned the lens for 3 months and the auto-focus just stopped working. The servo continuously searched for focus. Used other Canon lenses with same subject and tack sharp results. I returned for a full refund and will now use my much less expensive 50mm f/1.8. To bad. It is otherwise and AWESOME piece of glass. I may some day return.....
Date published: 2016-02-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from astonishing I've had this lens for a number of years now. I've read reviews critical of its ability to focus. This is not a newbie lens, nor does it matter how many years a person has been shooting if those years do not include experience with lenses this unique. Success with this lens hinges entirely on the user's ability and understanding, especially of focus shift at close ranges and wide apertures which is endemic in lenses of this type. This lens is capable of is astonishing images.
Date published: 2018-01-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from null Absolutely amazing! Whatever composition I want to achieve when taking video, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM does the rest! With the newly installed Dual Pixel AF in my C100, I am taking my work to a higher level. I must admit, I wish the prices were more competitive though. I already spent a fortune on 4 Canon EF L series fast lenses.
Date published: 2015-04-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Lightning fast In a lens fight the 50mm 1.2 would be my first choice. Big, ultra fast and very good looking lens. Creating works of art in photography any L lens would be great to have. And the 50 1.2 has the potential for creative works or art in photography. I had this lens for one month and only beginning to see impressive results in image quality. The colors achieved at f1.2 are amazing. Creating works of art is doable with this lens. Any Canon 50mm is a good choice, but the big 50L is worth the experience. And if it works for you at your level of expertise then keep it.
Date published: 2014-06-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Followup to first review This is a followup to my first review on July 7, 2009 titled "Disappointment". I returned the 50mm f/1.2 lens that I had reviewed for a full refund. Several months later I purchased a second copy, which I am reviewing here. In the same manner as I had evaluated the first copy, I used the second copy with my 5D II for a day. I snapped about 400 images of my kids and objects inside and outside the house. What I liked about the 50/1.2 was a 1/2 stop light advantage over the 50/1.4, creamy bokeh, and less vignette than the 50/1.4 when shot wide open. The biggest problem with the second copy, which was the same problem I had with the first copy, was that autofocus was inaccurate. When I focused on a person's eyes, for example, something else would be in focus in front of or behind the person's eyes. Not all the time, but often enough, like about 30%. When I encountered these problems, I would immediately switch to the 50/1.4 and shoot the same settings and conditions. I didn't have any autofocus problems with the 50/1.4. And, the images that were in focus with the 50/1.2 generally weren't as sharp as those from the 50/1.4. I eventually returned the second 50/1.2 for a refund and decided that the 50/1.4 was good enough. For reference, the autofocus method I used was center point AF with recompose. Also, the 5D II camera I used has no autofocus problems with my other lenses, including the 85/1.2, 35/1.4, 24/1.4, 70-200/2.8 IS Mk II, etc.
Date published: 2011-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent lens if you know what are you getting My copy had strong back focus from f1.2 out of box. This shouldn't be the quality of the lens at this price range. I had to micro-adjust to -14 to focus correctly. I tested about two to three feet distance. It seems to me more you stop down, focus moving backwards in a very small increment. I was aware of focus shift issue on this lens before the purchase and found out to be true. It’s there. Now I micro-adjusted focus right on spot at f2.0. So it’s very slightly front focus on f1.2. You start noticing back focus from around f2.8 on until DOF kicks on. To me focus shift won't be too critical in most cases. I’ve read other reviews and I guess some people had the same issue as my copy, which made me feel a little better knowing that I’m not the only one. It is reasonably sharp from f1.2. It’s definitely sharper when stopped down. It sometimes creates color fringe ghosting at f1.2 that makes images look quite soft, but I’ve shot some images that are definitely not soft. At f1.2 DOF is pretty thin, and I've got some hit and miss on focus but that could be camera’s lack of auto focus capability also. _ In real life shooting, this lens produces fantastic images as I expected. Now the focus is adjusted, it’s been such joy playing around with it. Bokeh is very nice and creamy. I love the colors that come out of this lens. Portraits with wide aperture create a certain atmosphere. Built quality is of typical L lenses. _ I have been using EF 50mm f1.8 Mark I. This is also one of my favorite lenses I ever owned. My copy is an old lens from 1987. It’s noisy but very sharp and performs good focus ability. (In fact if you can find a good copy, I highly recommend it.) Comparing these two lenses, there’s no question that f1.2L is superior in every way. But f1.8 Mark I isn’t all bad at all. So the question is f1.2L worth ten times more money? It’s hard to justify if you don’t need wider aperture, better bokeh, USM, or rugged built. But you surely get the satisfaction of owning one.
Date published: 2012-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Images I upgraded this lens from my 1.4 for a trip to France where I assumed (correctly) that flash would not be permitted in museums and churches. I am extremely happy with the images captured; I have great images inside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris while all those around me were struggling with their 3.5 - 5.6 zooms. OK, it's a heavy and expensive lens, but the images are perfectly clear and have a warm and personal feel. Haven't tried serious portraiture with it yet so can't comment on Bokeh, but I sure like the build and feel of the lens. My 1.4 was good, but this lens is a real keeper.
Date published: 2014-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Walking Around Lens This is a wonderful street lens you absolutely cannot go wrong with this lens. Photographs look in perspective the way they were taken. My favorite video to watch about this and other GREAT Canon lenses is 50mm vs 35mm vs 28mm - Best Street Photography Lens
Date published: 2017-04-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best overall lens? This is a very good piece of lens! It weigh quite a bit and its quite thick, but no problem there. Compared to other lenses I've tried, this one feels really stable, well built and massive. It screams quality all the way! The 1.2 aperture of course allows for really soft bokeh and amazingly dramatic images. I use this one for portraits as well as environment photography and would definitely describe it as one of the best overall lenses out there! The negative things is... that the auto focus is quite slow and I often feel that it has a quite hard time to get the focus, even with clear motives. Another thing that I experienced by using the 5DsR (and NOT with the 5D MKII) is that in some lights, with some settings, the lens gives a hideous chromatic aberration. But if you know how to handle it, it shouldn't be a problem.
Date published: 2016-04-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worst Purchase Ever Terrible lens because of the price point. At 3 times the price the image crispness and durability is almost the same.
Date published: 2010-05-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing Bokeh and DOF This is a must have lens, no substitutions. The image clarity is out of this world and is now my new portrait style lens. Bokeh is smooth and creamy, never looked better.
Date published: 2011-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Sharp! Amazing in low light! Love the bokeh! Having use several Canon L lenses, this was my first prime. It's been incredible and has quickly become a favorite lens.
Date published: 2016-01-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great lens if you know how to use it I bought this lens for two reasons, focal length and depth of field. I have had the lens for about 6 months now and shot a few thousand images with it. I did have some difficulty using it at first but found that it was due to my technique and not the lens. With other lenses that have a larger depth of field, or the 50mm 1.2 set to F4 or larger I can focus and recompose and get sharp images. I've found that the depth of field with this lens set lower than ~F4 requires me to compose my shot, select the nearest focal point to what I want to focus on, and then crop the image later if necessary. If I forget to do this the shots are less than 50/50 on getting a sharp photo. By selecting the focus point I want my keepers go way up and the sharpness and contrast are great.
Date published: 2012-01-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Beautiful Rendering I've had this lens for about 18 months and just love it. I've long been a fan of fast 50mm lenses, and own a number of them. This is, by far, the best autofocus fast 50mm I've ever used. I also own and use the Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux M, so my standards for super-speed lenses are very high. Yes, the Leica lens is better, but for what it costs it should be, and of course that one does not have automatic focus. On a 5D mk III this lens focuses quickly and accurately with any focus point, though in very low light the center point is best. My copy was dead-on accurate right out of the box and required no AF microadjust on my camera. I've seen others complain of focus shift at smaller apertures, but I've had no such experience. This lens is expensive for a Canon 50mm, but you really do get what you pay for. Just remember f/1.2 there is very shallow depth of field and it takes practice to learn how to shoot at such wide apertures.
Date published: 2017-11-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from You Con People Are Crazy! I recently purchased this lens. After reading threw all the pros and cons I still have nothing but good things to say about it. I own a Mark III and Mark II and with both cameras, this lens by far is the sharpest and most amazing lens to work with. Its fast, and very diverse. I shoot for major companies and hit industry with modeling and action sports.Trust me buy it and add it to your collection you cant go wrong. Its ability to hit 1.2 and have a ISO or 50 or 100 just sucks in the light making every shot perfect and fast really fast.
Date published: 2009-10-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worst lens I ever buy I click one star cause there is no option for less . I had brand new lens with miss focusing on 7 of 10 images ( I am photographer for 27 years . After exchanging lens second one have same issue .
Date published: 2017-01-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Minimum Lighting & Maximum Coloration The Canon 50 f/1.2 exceeds my expectations for detail and coloration: It is also difficult for me to focus at night in low light conditions. At night the auto-focus searches, manual focus is better but far from easy to accomplish. I have had best results at night using manual focus, f/1.2, ISO auto, the U/V filter removed to avoid lens-flare, and this is on the 5D MII. This lens works well in the daylight with the normal daylight f-stops. Using a B+W circular polarizer will add a nice depth to daylight shooting while hiking. The images from this lens seem to be of a higher quality than those shot at the 50mm setting on either the 24-70mm L, or the 24-105 L lenses. Canon prime lenses are worth the trouble of renting and examining in your individual shooting conditions: I found them of value to me as a landscape photographer.
Date published: 2010-09-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor Build This lens has been loose around the hood and and outside frame. I love the shallow depth of field and super low light photography for indoor photography, especially weddings. Would not buy this 50 mm L f1.2 go with the less expensive 50 mm.
Date published: 2010-04-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awsome lens I love this lens so much it is great bokeh rules I would recommend this lens to anyone who loves quality pictures
Date published: 2014-11-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Don't quibble about the 50mm f/1.2 I've read a lot of quibbling about this lens and very little of it makes sense. With this kind of speed (isn't that why one buys this kind of lens?) you will always get a degree of distortion. If you want near perfect rectilinearity, buy a macro or the 14mm, not a high-speed optic. Complaints about physical size and price strike me as silly and the kind of comment only a novice would make. The 50 f/1.2 is large and sturdy, necessary traits to support such an optical formula, and that kind of optics doesn't come cheap. The lens balances beautifully on my 5D Mark II. Bokeh is sensational, but yes, you must be mindful of the very swallow field of focus at close distances: this is characteristic of such a lens. If a test shot reveals an error with the AF, shoot again using the manual focus ring. This is not brain science! I love the feel and quality of this glass and wouldn't part with it.
Date published: 2011-01-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great lens Hey, I am in love with this lens. Great bokeh, perfect lens for weddings. I admit that I did not believe the reviews written about this glass ... As for me, is a true miracle! Photos look just like a fairy tale. Do not remove the glass body. I do not regret a penny spent on the glass - the lens for years.
Date published: 2013-11-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from The Best Lens Ever Made Period Nothing looks like this lens, I shoot a lot of motorcycles and the creative way you can play with light reflecting off the chrome with this lens is like nothing I’ve found in any other lens. Every thing looks buttery and sharp at the same time it’s amazing. I love it.
Date published: 2020-07-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from very impressed I never owned a real camera so i went for this 50 and a Mark lv and i am learning with this 2 pieces. i do not know if ido it right or wrong but I am having a lot of fun! my cooworker used a 5 d and i learnt to do pictures with his camera, i decided to upgrade for me and so far is a lot of extra Fun.
Date published: 2018-12-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent I love 50mm on full-frame. I've been successfully using the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens for years. I've always been curious about this lens. My primary use is landscape photography. Very simply, this lens is exceptional. This is a professional lens in all aspects. It delivers at all apertures. f/1.4 to f/16 is where it really shines. It creates beautiful photos. There is a difference. Photos just have a subtle look and feel that I did not see in my Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I highly recommend this lens for professional photography.
Date published: 2017-11-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Burgeoning Love Who am I and what is my experience with the lens: I am not a professional photographer, I am a hobbyist and primarily take pictures family. I purchased this lens a month ago and have about 1,000 frames on it thus far using my 5D. Compared to my other appropriate lenses: In comparison to the 24-105mm f/4L, this lens is incredible. It is sharper and i will take the faster lens over IS any day. It doesn't appear as sharp as the 85mm f/1.8 though I haven't measured this by any scientific means. The 85mm is a bit long for most of the situations I find myself in however. This lens is the same weight as the 24-105mm! How did i rate each category: Features - Its a prime lens and has a focus ring and MF switch ... Hard to miss on this one. Wish it had IS ... (please don't hit me, just like being able to shoot with a long shutter when desperate) Performance - Focusing: Not fast in low light though not usually noticeably slower than my other lenses. I have read about back focusing issues and don't think it will EVER be a problem for anyone hand holding. Just focusing and re-framing messes up the focus more than that! I take one star away for the slow focus ... Price/Value - The f/1.4 is right in there at one third the cost. That makes this a tough pill to swallow. I haven't used the f/1.4 but it deserves some serious consideration. Read on though, I don't think these lenses are equal. I take another star away (being generous) ... Build Quality: Excellent ... seems stout and like it is ready for a long tough life. Picture Quality: Sharpness seems to be quite good especially for how wide it goes. I cant vouch for the sharpness in the corners ... I haven't taken a single picture with this lens that be negatively impacted by that. Boke is AMAZING. I didn't know it could get this good. Could this have been a major design driver for the lens? CA ... I dont notice much at any f-number. One issue I have noticed is internal reflections. I came across it when shooting Christmas lights with low ambient light and wide apertures. This had me concerned for a while, but in real world shooting I have not seen a single problem. Vignetting is very real but haven't seen a single picture negatively impacted by this either. Saturation is quite nice and contrast is really good. Both noticeably better than the 24-105mm. Satisfaction - This lens is not what I expected. I wanted a super fast lens that would allow me to take images in the dark. Ok, i knew it was going to be hard to focus at 1.2 but WOW ... it is near impossible with a moving target, especially with the slow focus. The low light capability is good but isn't the strong point of this lens, i wouldn't buy it for that. I am learning (hence the title) how incredibly powerful the images created by this lens are. The low DOF combined with the excellent boke and some pronounced vignetting ... these are some of the best pictures I have ever taken. Ok, the f/1.4 is cheaper, and I haven't used it ... but if its anything like my 85mm f/1.8 then these lenses are NOT the same. Bottom line is: If you want a sharp fast 50mm, the f/1.4 should be on your list. I think these lenses are quite different. Even though this lens is REALLY hard to focus and can be really frustrating, it has produced the most powerful images I have taken. I didn't get what I was expecting but am learning what this lens is all about ... and I like it ...
Date published: 2011-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A Beautiful Lens The luminosity, contrast and color rendering can only be compared to another great lens, the 85MM 1.2L, I've read reviews that claim is not the sharpest< with all due respect and honesty " I don't know what they're talking about, this lens is razor sharp from f2.8 on" and sharp enough at it's super widest aperture of F1.2...... If you know how to use it, you will be very pleased at every aperture, then again you have to know how to.
Date published: 2017-08-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It put most of my other lens on the shelf I am not a one to write reviews but this one made me do it. After seeing pictures that I took with this lens I am having hard time using any other of my lens. I was looking for something that would make my portraits sweeter and dreamier and this lens surpassed expectations. Maybe next step will be 85 1.2 (no, definitely but for now I have or know of no other lens for my gear that gives so much color and dreams and character to my pictures. What I was looking for. If you need sweet smiles with sparkling eyes looking out of a creamy bokeh and surrounded with outstanding outdoor colors, that is it.
Date published: 2014-12-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My Go-To Lens. After owning the f/1.4 and f/1.8 models, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the f/1.2 model. I am beyond pleased- I wish I had done this earlier. This is a superior lens and my go-to for almost everything. Excellent quality. Love the weight and feel of the lens as well.
Date published: 2017-08-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Big Savings Nothing quite like it, not the sharpest but when it renders it's the most awesome thing ever, bokeh is amazing, switched to 50mm, been using 35mm (35L , tried renting this one weekend and that was it, never bought a refurb before but they're an amazing deal, brand new condition with Canon warranty, beats buying a used lens on eBay or something, This great stuff from Canon, I'll be watching this place more often for great deals.
Date published: 2016-05-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome lens! I don't know why I waited so long to add this great lens to my collection - it delivers totally as promised! Much lighter than I expected compared to the 85. Wedding and Portrait Photographer
Date published: 2018-08-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Hello All Great Lens a little pricey but ohhh the pictures. As an observation one might want to mention which camera they use this lens with. I shoot a 7D and I don't have any focus issues. Yes it shoots FAST- I would recommend this as a good lens with the 7D- but I do not know how it operates with other cameras I have used this combo for action photos, landscapes, and portraits-- al with great results. it takes a little while to master the razor thin focus wide open, but you get great results-- I plan to purchase a 6d FULL FRAME and I am sure the results will be superb Thank you Buy this lens and if you don't like it then sell it.
Date published: 2015-11-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from just as expected! love this lens. i have a 5D mark 1 w/ came with the 24-105L as a kit so im used to the vivid colors of the L lens. been using it for awhile but got tired of shooting indoors! so i bought a 1.8 just to try out, love the result, no stalling , quick focus etc. since using this for a awile i decided the 50mm is all i need for what i use the camera for so then i sold the 24-105 and the 50 to get this. im so glad and happier eversince! plus love how it dwarfs the camera, this thing is huge! but i love it!
Date published: 2013-03-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from super lens.... Best prime lens if you got the extra bucks. I said good-by to the sorry CANON ef 24-70 L lens .
Date published: 2010-09-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from For PRO Only You need to have a good level of experience to be able to 'push' this lens to the level of extreme performance that it's capable of. Shooting at 1.2 Aperture gives the most dramatic results with VERY shallow DOF but focusing needs to be accurate. Some missing sharpness can be increased quite dramatically in Photoshop. When used at 5.6 /8 Aperture for landscapes the quality and sharpness are extraordinary.
Date published: 2009-02-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best lens I bought it several days ago, and it's definitely excellent when shooting a person. F/1.2 Lens is undoubtedly better than F/1.8 lens I used before. It's worth buying!
Date published: 2016-03-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Wonderful! I am a wedding photographer & it captures my clients day perfectly! I trust it's efficiency in low light situations. It's lightweight & easy to store in my bag. Only bad thing is I have to back up a little more than I'm used to to get it to focus on details, but I can certainly live with that! Super happy I added this to my collection!
Date published: 2018-12-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for portraits Canon 50mm 1.2 is an amazing lens! Love working with it! Universal, comfortable and not heavy! Great for all reason, highly recommend!
Date published: 2019-09-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from PERFECT I purchased this lens because of all the great reviews it received and have not bee disappointed. Now my lense "arsenal" is complete - for now
Date published: 2019-07-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love This Lens! I couldn't be happier with this lens...so much bokeh! I absolutely love it.
Date published: 2022-06-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not for the faint of heart I purchased the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L to use on a 7D body for events where a flash is considered intrusive, but I find myself trying to use this lens anywhere I can now. This lens makes me money. On a crop body, the 80mm range is makes it very similar to the 85mm f/1.2L on a full frame body, except the focusing is at least twice as fast and far more accurate. It's a great (almost perfect) portrait lens. To say that the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L's background blur is amazing is a ridiculous understatement. Even better still, the quality of that blur (bokeh) is without peer. BUTTERY CREAMY SMOOTH BOKEH! Mmm-mm yummy! IMPORTANT: a 1.2 lens wide open has a VERY narrow DOF. SUPER narrow. If you don't choose your focus point very carefully, your image is fuzz, game over. I highly recommend using a single AF point when composing, to make sure you're selecting your EXACT focal point; there's no 'almosts' with this lens when it's wide open. You need to consider your uses and your skill level very carefully before you drop the sizable chunk of cash this lens demands; if you're up to it, so is the 50mm 1.2L: it is a superstar in the glass arena. Regardless of what some say, this lens outperforms the 50mm f/1.4 hands down. It’s got almost perfect color rendition and contrast --I own the 1.4, and it doesn't. Its color reproduction is flat, and the contrast is lacking too. The 1.2 at least as sharp as the 1.4 at f/1.4 and maybe even at 1.2. The 50mm f/1.4 is a dull, boring lens that collected dust in my bag; the 1.2 is a lens I find ways to make fit in a shot. If you're skilled and want the ultimate in low light performance and stunningly beautiful narrow DOF, have low light needs and just love beautiful bokeh, you will love this lens.
Date published: 2011-12-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Canon is number 1!!!!! This is my favorite lens hands down! And i own quite a few
Date published: 2018-01-07T00:00:00-05:00

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