Canon EF 50mm f / 1.2L USM Normal Lens

An expensive lens with really good quality

Strengths: Can take very good portraits. Color is very rich and bright.

Weakness: Price is too high. Get fuzzy pictures easily in a slightly dark place.(no feature of stabilizer)

It is definitely an excellent lens. Sometimes I encounter back focus problem and I guess it is because the focus spot is too dark. Other than that, the color is incredibly bright and rich. No post-processing required.

By lanhsuan - Jan 7, 2008

Sharpest Lens but Expensive!!!!

Strengths: The brightest lens that can provide sharp and blurred images....

Weakness: Too expensive....

If you want to take a portrait picture with the blurred and sharp quality and you can afford the expense for this lens, it could be the best choice. I am using EOS 1D Mark II and EOS 20D, and my bodies can focus any objects very fast and the quality of images is so deep and sharp to blur out backgrounds even the rounded parts of the object. The biggest problem is the price. I spent almost $1380...
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If you want to take a portrait picture with the blurred and sharp quality and you can afford the expense for this lens, it could be the best choice.
I am using EOS 1D Mark II and EOS 20D, and my bodies can focus any objects very fast and the quality of images is so deep and sharp to blur out backgrounds even the rounded parts of the object.

The biggest problem is the price. I spent almost $1380 for this lens. I think about $1000 is the reasonable price, so I recommend you to wait another year till Canon provides promotions for double or triple rebate, if you really want to enjoy the quality of this lens.

By jech88 - Feb 21, 2007

Great Lens... Poor Value.

Strengths: Fast aperture, L quality build, beautiful background blur, great color and contrast.

Weakness: Price.

This lens does what it says it does. It is perfectly usable at f1.2. It focuses quickly and quietly (better than the 50 f/1.4). It is built like a rock and belongs on a 1-series body. It is not quite as sharp at 1.2 as the 35mm f/1.4 (one of the sharpest lenses in Canon's lineup). But sharpness isn't everything. It has background blur quality on par with the 85 f/1.2. It definitely has L quality...
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This lens does what it says it does. It is perfectly usable at f1.2. It focuses quickly and quietly (better than the 50 f/1.4). It is built like a rock and belongs on a 1-series body.


It is not quite as sharp at 1.2 as the 35mm f/1.4 (one of the sharpest lenses in Canon's lineup). But sharpness isn't everything. It has background blur quality on par with the 85 f/1.2. It definitely has L quality color and contrast.


This lens is not for everyone.


There is plenty of talk online about how this lens isn't so sharp. It is EXTREMELY difficult to get a sharp image at f/1.2. There will certainly be parts of the image that are sharp but the DOF is so thin that controlling those areas handheld takes a little while to get used to. Unfortunately, this lens begs to be used handheld. If you are getting a lens like this, you want to use this from f/1.2 - f/2. The images here are dreamy and similar to the 85 f/1.2. They are not the tack sharp images you'd get from a 35 f/1.4 or 135 f2. Stopped down to f/2.8, this lens can hold its own against any L zoom and most Canon primes. It is a great all around lens on the 1DII and a great portrait lens on the APS sized sensors.


The biggest problem is the price. If this lens was $800 or even $1000, it would be more reasonable. That is what it is probably worth.


If I could keep one lens, it'd be the 35mm f/1.4. If I could keep two, it'd be the 35mm and the 50 f/1.2.

By aaronlam - Feb 8, 2007

Luxurious and Expensive

Strengths: Fast Lens, Solid Construction, Sharp, Beautiful Circular Bokeh

Weakness: Ridiculously Expensive

In what has got to be both the smartest and stupidest decision I've ever made, I bought the 50mm f/1.2 L to complement my 24-105mm f/4 L lens. Smartest, because this lens is absolutely wonderful. It really stands up well for the L line with solid construction, a mindnumbingly awesome f/1.2, beautiful bokeh, and great sharpness. The lens feels heavy and solid unlike it's cheaper siblings, the...
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In what has got to be both the smartest and stupidest decision I've ever made, I bought the 50mm f/1.2 L to complement my 24-105mm f/4 L lens. Smartest, because this lens is absolutely wonderful. It really stands up well for the L line with solid construction, a mindnumbingly awesome f/1.2, beautiful bokeh, and great sharpness. The lens feels heavy and solid unlike it's cheaper siblings, the f/1.4 and f/1.8, and beats them in all categories. Shooting wide open can be something of a pain to get the focus correct, but it's wonderful for low light and great, soft photos. What's really neat are the bokeh that actually look like circles unlike, well, pretty much all other lenses. This was truly designed for use with full-frame cameras like the 5D, and the f/1.8 I currently own is quickly going on eBay. Seriously, the f/1.8 feels like a toy once you've picked up the f/1.2. The only downside with this lens is the ridiculous cost. For about $1500, you'll at least get a soft pouch (useless to me) and a lens hood, but it's still not a great deal. Unless you're hopelessly addicted like me, a professional photographer with cash to spare, or just plain nuts, I'd recommend going with the f/1.4 instead, which is pretty good bang for the buck. This lens won't ever be rated a best buy, but it will always be rated better in all aspects than the best buy other than price. Also, if you can wait another year, you'll probably be able to get a much better price including a Canon double or triple rebate.

By gooru - Jan 4, 2007

bacfocusing problems

Strengths: Takes very nice pictures,small aperture

Weakness: Expensive, 3 out of 3 lenses had backfocus

I do not have this lens anymore,I had to return all 3 so I will not try again.Significant backfocusing on all 3 lens.I was frustrated and dissapointed.
If you focus on the eye of an model it will be out of focus...

By madeinhungary - Oct 2, 2007