Canon EF 50 f1.4 USM
- 50mm prime focal length
- f/1.4 Maximum aperture
- Ultrasonic focus motor
The Canon 50mm f1.4 is a staple with both professional photographers as well as non-professional. If I could only have one non-zoom (prime) lens to shoot with, it would be the 50mm focal length. Some of the reasons it has been a popular option for many is the versatile focal length, amazing low light capabilities, shallow depth of field, and sharp image quality. On a full frame camera, this lens offers a very similar perspective as the human eye. This gives a natural look to many photographs. I find that 50mm is not too far zoomed in that I am restricted to what I can shoot, and it is not to wide either. On a crop sensor camera, this is my favorite portrait lens.
This Canon EF 50 f1.4 USM lens features a maximum aperture of 1.4. This lens also includes Canon's Ultrasonic focus motor, which is much better than the standard motor found in the 50 f1.8. This lens also has good build quality, meaning that the focus ring is tight, rear mount is metal, and the overall durability is good. It is not quite as good as Canon's L series lenses, but offers very good quality for a reasonable price. A few things that keep this lens from being perfect include softness wide open (at maximum aperture) at 1.4, but gets much better closed down to f1.8 and further. Also I have found more than one copy that the focus ring feels notched and not as smooth as other lenses. The Ultrasonic motor is a huge upgrade from the non-USM motor, but is not as fast or quiet as the new STM motors Canon has been releasing. I am a big fan of the STM motors, especially for video. Overall, this lens is a great value for the price, includes a 1 year warranty through Canon, and will last for years and years. This is one of the first lenses I recommend as a portrait lens to Rebel and 60D, 70D, etc. shooters.