The Last Photo from my trusted Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens
Of all the lens choices a photographer has, there is one that is a requirement for every serious photographer. It is a Canon 50mm lens. I have had more than one in my camera bag.
I just broke my second Canon 50mm lens. My research is now complete, and it is official; a 50mm lens does not do well when bounced on concrete from a height of 4 feet.
The story is depressing.
I knew early on that I needed a 50mm as part of my kit, but price was a concern, so I purchased an f/1.8. That lens may be the best value on the planet considering such a wide aperture at only a hundred smackers. Granted, it is constructed of plastic, but it still gives excellent performance. My plan was never to see if it could bounce.In that case, I forgot to close my camera bag, and when I threw it over my shoulder, the lens flew out of its snug compartment and shattered on the concrete balcony walkway. What a sad day.
But my grief was assuaged by the purchase of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 model. The cost was quite a bit more than the first one at about $350. Part of the reason for buying the better model was for the better lens construction. The plastic lens had shattered, so I figured the metal casing of the f/1.4 model would provide better results in case of another accident.
Everything went fine for quite a while. But then, it happened. Another fatal accident.
The second accident was a bit different than the first. I picked up my camera (with 50mm lens attached), and the camera strap caught on something, pulling the camera out of my hand. It hit the concrete of the garage floor. I was horrified. But then I noticed that there were no parts broken, and there were no dents anywhere. I breathed a sigh of relief. But my feeling of relief was short-lived. I tried to take a picture and discovered that the camera would not work. Something happened to the focus mechanism in the lens, and it would not work. It wouldn’t even focus manually. I’m not sure how long this depression will last, but my wife is hoping it will end soon. I am not a nice person when I lose something this dear to me.
While I am not yet over the experience, I feel that perhaps it will help my mental state to tell others about these 50mm Canon lenses.
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens is a great lens. Having owned one for a short time has made me a firm believer. Of course, I have not had the pleasure of using the more expensive f/1.2 model, but I can attest to the value of either the f/1.8 or the f/1.4. If you are an amateur or a professional photographer, either one will provide you with excellent performance and great images.
With regard to the f/1.4, its wide aperture makes it an excellent choice for low light pictures. I personally have used it to take pictures at concerts without a flash and got excellent images.
Another advantage of this lens was (its now past tense) when using it as a portrait lens. While it is not the lens of choice for most professional portrait shooters, it delivers the goods. The Bokeh (Bokeh is a blurry background) is very nice.
I discovered another use for a 50mm lens just recently, although I have not had time to try it. A friend was taking pictures with her new Canon 7D at a high school basketball game, and she was using a 50mm lens. She explained that she liked it better than her other lenses (one of which is a Canon 70-200 f/4) for a couple of reasons. First, the extremely wide aperture was perfect in the gym with its challenging lighting setup. Second, she was shooting on the gym floor, and the Canon 70-200mm lens was too long to catch all the action. So now, the f/1.4 is a sports lens. I had not even thought of that. I will try that out… some day.
Whether I will replace the lens is not the question. It is a given. I just have to choose the right time and place to convince my “better half” that this is the right thing to do.
You can see the entire 50mm Canon lens line-up at http://www.canoneoslenses.org/50mm-lens-for-canon/.
