I really like this lens. Focus is quick & sharp. Can't beat it for the money. Try pricing the Canon f1.2 lens and you'll see what I mean. For a huge premium all you get is a tad more speed and questionable improved sharpness. You will get slightly improved weather resistance but for most of us that really isn't a big deal.

This was my first lens purchase other than the kit lens I got with my 30D. I've been using it for over a year now, and couldn't be happier with it. It's solid and fast, and is a real workhorse in low-light situations without flash--e.g., taking food shots in restaurants. Produces great portraits with beautiful bokeh.

PROS: Super sharp images, great in almost any lighting condition, fast, sturdy build. 50mm focal length is a good compromise for most intimate shooting situations.

CONS: 50mm too close for some situations, need to aim carefully (difficult to autofocus correctly without careful targeting).

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

I'd had this lens and used it constantly. After 4 or 5 years of being treated to Maine's cold winters/hot summers/sand, fog, and seawater ... and dropped after all that ... it was obviously time to replace this little workhorse with another of the same. Great low light lens for basketball, close-up work and when you want to get the shot but not draw attention to yourself. Good quality, no aberrations. The fact that I immediately replaced the lens should let you know I consider it a necessity in my camera bag.

Purchased this lens just before a trip west to the Balloon Fiesta and sightseeing in Santa Fe. Fabulous low-light shots inside chapels entirely without flash -- looked like daylight inside. Beautiful bokeh in front and beyond focal point. Just remember, it's a prime lens at 50mm -- "sneaker zoom" is required.

This lens takes beautiful pictures! Images look clean and bokeh is soft and buttery. Well built for the money. I'm thoroughly satisfied with my purchase.

Granted, I am a very amateur photographer, but this lens is amazing. The build quality is great. The photo quality is outstanding. This lens really makes portraits pop, and in low light it really makes the colors pop without having to use any flash at all. I have used the f1.8 as well. There isn't a huge difference in picture quality. There is a noticeable difference in build quality though.

If you have the money I would buy this over the f1.8. The f1.8 is amazing too considering what you get for your money.

OK so there's a lot of discussion on whether this is a "good" lens,and it's an OK to good lens for the money. The biggest problems is the chromatic aberration. Now this just could be this particular lens, though there is a lot of discussion on that, too. My experience is this: if you are shooting high contrast color with a lot of dark to light edges, the lens interprets the borders and shadows as a kind of deep green. My particular shot included a white traffic stripe on a black asphalt road, and I was shooting close at 1.4 so any aberration is bound to show up under these conditions. The green aberration appeared mostly in the bokeh, so that might be the final factor in a shot that would force the lens into bad behavior.

There was green fringing along the subject of the shot, and nothing I could do in Lightroom or PS could get rid of it minus a lot of color selection and masking that really should not be necessary.

So I spoke with a knowledgeable friend and showed him the shot and he said that this kind of aberration is not out of bounds for a 350.00 lens under the conditions I was using it in. So really, it ain't L glass but we knew that.

It is fine in the middle focus range of the lens and the middle of the aperture ranges, it will hunt a little (so focus on a contrasty edge because that's where all lenses like to focus), but otherwise it performs quite well.

My gripe is this: Canon, give me a 1.4 50mm lens in the 800 dollar range and I'll snap it up. The price disparity between the 1.4 and the 1.2, while understandable, is too much of a gap to justify spending 1400.00 on the 1.2 lens.

The lens is really just a plinker. Good for fun, but not for serious hunting.

This is an amazing lens to buy. Granted, it seems a little on the pricey side, when compared to the 1.8, but the overall quality is worth the money. The physical build is much better than the 1.8 and it's sharpness is preferable over it's cheaper cousin (especially in the 1.x region - in comparison).

A great buy for anyone that needs a quick, all-purpose lens (great for indoors).

The Canon EF 50mm F/1.4 is a fantastic lens! I love using it when shooting products, though I don't like using it for portraits, I prefer my 85mm f/1.2 to do that job, but overall this is a great lens and it's every photographers favorite and worth owning.

I can't say enough great things about this lense. I have 2 Canon L Series lenses that cost 6 times as much as this one. This lense provides equal quality to all of them. Unbelieve price for such a great lense.

This lens is exactly what I was looking for: FAST, LIGHT, gives SHARP IMAGES.
It worth every buck what I paid !!!

Looking for a way to take low-light indoor shots without flash, I considered the much more expensive Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, and if money were no object, that would have been my choice. Maybe someday. For now, I'm very happy with the results this is giving me -- and I'll just have to cope with zooming in and out by adjusting my feet!

This is an awesome lens that has elevated the level of my pictures. The pictures are just amazing. I am currently using this with my Canon Xsi. It is well worth the price.

so far the lense is doing what it was purchased for. Have not used it as much as I had hoped at this point but the pictures taken so far are really wonderful.

I bought a camera with a kit lens, and I figured I'd learn the camera's ins and outs before I began investing in lenses. I still think there's wisdom in that decision, mainly because I've discovered what I like to shoot. Having said that, though, I have bought three new lenses, one of them the "middle" EF f/1.4 50mm, thinking that I'd probably beat up the less expensive one and break the bank with the L lens. I received the f/1.4 50mm today and shot with it all afternoon, and my opinion is that it's spectacular. I can do everything from very creative work with closely controlled depth of field to beautiful action-stopping photos with the lens stopped down. It's tack, tack, tack sharp, fast, and the color and contrast are so excellent and true that I've taken several like shots just to make sure the beauty of them wasn't some sort of freak accident. I can't speak for the outrageoulsy expensive f/1.2L or for the heapo cheapo f/1.8, but this middle-of-the-roader is absolutely wonderful, and it just might become my very favorite lens of all. I own two L's, but I like this one just as well. I like the focal range because what I see in the view finder is nearly identical in size to what I see with my naked eye, so composition becomes a different and fun challenge. Run don't walk to the "add to basket" button. You won't be sorry.

Set the lens at f/1.4 and you will be rewarded with precise isolation of the subject matter at portrait distances bathed in a buttery bokeh with some halation. You won't get that similar bokeh with the more expensive Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Getting the precise isolation of the subject matter with the camera hand held would require you to stay as motionless as possible. Otherwise, you would start to get off-focus issues.

The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM is a great choice in low light situations. But, you must realize that the centre of the images at f/1.4 to f/1.8 are not as sharp as f/2.0.

This lens should be marketed as a "sharp 50mm f/2.0."

From f/2.8, the images are jaw-dropping sharp edge to edge on my full frame EOS 5D. No present Canon mount zoom will match the 50mm's resolution at this focal length.

Non L lenses do not come with the lens hood. I purchased a Canon OEM hood online for $25 USD.

Nothing beats the versatilty and build quality of an L glass zoom. So far, this lens is being used as a greatly respected specialty portrait lens from time-to-time.

This is without a doubt the lens I grab first when heading out to a portrait shoot.

This lens has been reviewed accurately a few thousand times online so I won't give the lengthy version. But the highlights:

This lens is extremely sharp for portraits but gives an incredible background blur for a fabulous professional look.

Many people compare it to the f/1.8 at under $100 and wonder why you would spend over 3 times as much for this one but the reason is simple. This lens is built like a tank. The f/1.8 takes very good pictures and if $350 isn't in your budget, it's a good alternative. But if you can afford the price difference, go for the f/1.4. It performs beautifully, even in very low light, and will last forever.

I use this lens on a 20D and a 40D body to take professional portraits, and I love the results. You won't regret adding this lens to your collection.

Canon's 50mm f1.4 is a great lens for the price. I'd recommend stopping down to about f1.8 or 2.0 to gain sharpness, but that still allows for fast shutter speeds even in low light. It can be a little hard to focus at its widest apertures, but that is to be expected with any lens with such a shallow depth of field. There aren't many surprises with this lens. The simplicity of a prime lens is nice, and I tend to keep this on my camera for much of the photojournalistic work I do.

The first time I used this lens was on a wedding shoot. I read some in-the-mouth advice somewhere that said every photographer needs a 50mm prime lens to be happy. So I thought to myself "I'm every photographer!" And plopped down the $300+ for this.

I was beginning to regret the decision until I used this puppy.

Pictures so crisp and clear and beautiful came out of my camera that day. Pictures that need no sharpening, no photoshopping, no curves adjustments or contrast adjustments. Just honest to goodness dead sexy clar pictures.

I was so happy with the pictures that I composed a poem about this lens on the spot! It goes:

Oh I think that I shall never see
a lens so ripe with clarity
Then the 50mm which sits abreast
Upon my camera's lovely chest.

I now don't mind 'walking around' more, or ditching a zoom lens. This lens is Empyrean.

Why get a prime (fixed-focus) lens? Because they usually beat variable-focus ('zoom') lenses in performance and image quality. And if there is one prime lens you should have, it should be a 50mm one. This is because the image you get is pretty much the same as the eye sees it, making taking pictures very intuitive. The images you can snap with these lenses are just great.

Yet, even with prime lenses there are huge differences even at the same focal length. Canon currently has three different lenses at this length: the f/1.8, f/1.4 (the one I'm reviewing here), and f/1.2L. They have vastly different prices, and the question is if the difference shows. The f1.8 lens is a very affordable (it costs less than a high-end circular pol filter), very good fixed-focus starter lens, and is already very sharp. So, is the f/1.4 at almost quadruple the price worth it?

This rather depends on what you intend to do with it. Generally, image quality of the f/1.4 is better than the f1.8, and the bokeh (background blur) is much, much better (although this seems a trivial point at first, try it at low light, and you'll easily see the difference). For me, however, the most important advantage it has over it's more affordable sibling is the much improved low-light capabilities, and the incredible sharpness this lens exhibits at f/1.6 (and even stunningly at f/1.8 and above). You'll wonder how you ever got by without it. For example, at f/2.8 it really puts to shame my (much more expensive) 17-55 f/2.8 lens (at 50 mm), which is renown for it's image quality.

As a lens, I enjoy its small size and light weight. It feels nice and much sturdier than the f/1.8. I don't know if the f/1.2 is worth the additional price, as I never felt it necessary to try it out -- there just may be a reason why this lens is one of the most favorite for professional photographers (which I am decidedly not - I am still an amateur). The capabilities of this lens lie past my current capabilities, and I happily await the time when I graduate to the L. Until then, this lens hits the sweep spot between starter and professional. There is no better prime lens, and if you have started with primes, make this your next one.

I first bought the 50 f1.8 lens and it is a pretty decent one but then I tried a friend's 50 1.4 and sold my old one to buy this. It is a huge improvement over the 1.8 in that the AF is quick and accurate. I had problems with the AF on the other lens; it frequently hunted in low light. With the Canon 50 f1.4 you can take great photos in rooms with very little light; I have taken everything from pet photos to portraits of children and outdoor scenes with this wonderful lens. Because it is small, it's easy to have in the camera bag at all times. A real bargain in the Canon line-up. I also own the 3L, 135L, 24-105L, etc and use this one frequently. Buy it.

The lens is a light vacuum, it has a sturdy metal build, more aperture blades, is incredibly fast, very quiet, and smooth. The bokeh is like butter.

I recommend it over the cheaper f1.8 if you are serious about the details in your pictures. Tiny depth of field - with f1.4 I can focus on someones nose and their cheeks are out of focus. Worth every penny.

Excellent lens. In my Canon 5D I use it as a standard lens and in my 30D I use it as a short telephoto lens, perfect to take pictures of my baby. Don't forget to get the lens hood. Not only protects the lens but improves contrast and color saturation.

After researching this lense, I quickly decided to acquire it.

I must say I have a regret..........

That I did not grab it a LONG time ago!!

I've had the 50 for a couple months now,and it has not parted ways from my cam body at all..and after a rather large event this past weekend, where I was shooting w two cams, one w the 50 sans flash, & one w a 28-135 tele w' flash....I ended up ditching most of the flashed pics,but am busily cranking out large prints of 3/4 of the pics acquired with the 50....

..............

Something to think about while reading thru info/reviews..... I come across statements sprinkled thru-out various forums about people raving about their kit lense is good enough and look at the pictures they got with them,... and why anyone would ever spring for expensive glass is beyond their comprehension....

A little comparison.

Carpenter Joe builds houses w a $10 wood-handled hammer,a 12 inch ruler, and a shovel.

Carpenter Jim builds houses w a $50 composite hammer, a measuring tape and a power auger

Carpenter John builds houses w a $200 air powered hammer,a laser level, and a backhoe.

Their houses all get built,,,but I'll leave you to decide who's house is finished first, with straighter floors,ectect...

Tools may not make you a better carpenter ( or photographer ) but they sure can help!!!

....And really,,anyone who has ever built something with a hammer that sends shock waves thru their hand w' each blow, and the head falls off after every 20 nails..vs the person using a airgun...one of those folks is going to enjoy their work a WHOLE lot more,,and that always helps improve workmanship and quality,,would'nt you think ?

Cheers

~Julius Kuziemski

After using the f1.4 for several months and then holding a friend's f1.8, I am so glad I chose this lens over the f1.8. The USM is so quick and quiet, the bokeh is gorgeous... I have gotten several wonderful prints with this lens. If you can afford this lens over the 50mm f1.8 I would strongly recommend you make the investment.

i was preparing to buy the L series lens for 3-5 times as much when a friend who owns both advised me to get this one. i have been using it every day and it has become my standard lens. the autofocus can be slow, and you need to make sure, at the f/1.4 setting, that you have your focus correct, because the depth of field is so thin, but with a little practice this creates the most amazing images. i have done portraits with it and my sitters all cannot believe how great the final product is. i strongly recommend this product.

I love this lens. It wasn't sharp as a tack when I first got it though. I had to have Canon calibrate it and there was something they needed to fix.
But now it's great!
Even before they fixed it I like it a lot.
Almost painterly in low light. Primes kind of rule!

If you are in the market for a lens that takes AMAZING low light shots, this is your lens hands down. I have yet to get a bad shot with this camera. As an assistant, I took better reception pictures than the primary photographer who was using a flash and all purpose lens. You will need to make sure that you use the white balance setting either in the camera or in Lightroom because out of the camera the color tends to be even more yellow from the tungsten lighting than with other lenses. The price is great and you will be very satisfied with the results!

My first lens for the 40D. It took me a few days to get used to this lens and once I fully figured out how to use it with my DSLR I was completely blown away with the image quality. It's great in low light as well.
I highly recommend it.

This lens is made with quality, and produces great pictures with my Canon 40D. Great Portrait photographs, with a professional look. I would definitely recommend this lens to anyone looking to not spend a ton of money on a lens. You cannot beat Canon lenses.

The 50mm 1.4 is a good value for the money. It shoots in less light than the 50mm 1.8 and is better all around. The focus is a bit more accurate and consistent, the contrast and color are more reliable as well. That should be no surprise though, you're paying for an improvement over the 50mm 1.8. It still leaves something to be desired if you have L quality taste, but if you're coming from the 50mm 1.8 you'll find this a fantastic lens. I get 30 percent or so more keepers with this than the 50mm 1.8 due to more consistency in focus and cleaner more consistent color. If you own the 1.8 you should appreciate this as an upgrade, but if you own L glass you will probably find yourself wishing for something even better eventually. The AF is not really fast enough for great action performance in low light like the 85mm 1.8, but some will still shoot with it with a few less keepers and reach. The design is relative to it's price so I can't fault it for some of the extras that come with more expensive lenses. Still a useful lens until Canon upgrades the USM and FTM focus to the real deal in a value package. This lens is Canons only lens to supply FTM (full time manual focus) with a conventional focusing motor. Those that followed went to ring USM and perform slightly better for it. The 50mm 1.2L is Canon's next step above the 50mm 1.4 and is several times more expensive, so the 50mm 1.4 will hold it's own unless Canon does decide to give us an updated Mark II version or a 3rd party steps ahead of Canon to fill that gap.

I'm not a professional by any means, but I do love photography. I bought this lens after lots of consideration because of its qualities as a good macro lens and potential portrait lens.

This lens is so much more. Because of the relatively short distance necessary to create close shots, there is a sense of intimacy created in my photographs that has surprised me far beyond my original expectations.

Portraits do have the tendency to be fairly "in your face", depending on the lighting, and again, depending on the lighting, the skin of your subject's may be a little too "hi-def", but I just attribute this to the macro-quality of the lens. Overall I have been really pleased.

The lens does tend to hunt a bit depending on the light, from my experience, but re-positioning of your own body fixes that.

I have this lens on my Canon K2-- a 35mm camera, and used in combination with different types of films, the results can be spectacular.

Great buy!

This is an absolutely fantastic lens. Every picture comes out looks professional. The f1.4 is amazing!

This lens takes amazing portraits. It is sharp, you can use available light, you can get great background blurring which is creamy and the colors are beautiful.

On a cropped sensor camera like my Rebel XTi, it isn't so good for landscapes - the 20mm 2.8 or 35mm f2 are much better, and for trying to get more distant details the 85mm f1.8 is great. I have forced myself to shoot with this lens at times because it is so good - but I find that it works best as an amazing portrait lens. And that isn't so bad.

If eventually I get a full-frame sensor, this lens may well stay on my camera as much as the 35mm f2 does.

If you are looking for a great, multipurpose lens on a cropped sensor, buy the 35mm f2 - even with its funny sound. But on a cropped sensor, this 50mm f1.4 will give you awesome portraits -- or you're doing something very wrong.