Cheap Canon 50mm f1.4?

[Mr Obertshaw]

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/12877... Just seen this on hot uk deals. Was thinking of getting the f1.8 for £85 or should I beg borrow or steal the extra £100 to get this?

[pernod]

Thats an impossible question to answer without a lot more info... it all depends how you use your camera.

If you have the money then the 1.4 is supposedly an amazing lens, however if you are just starting out then the 1.8 is a great learning tool which will give equally good results for many years at a fraction of the price.

[EmmaP]

I've used this lens and it is fabulous. Amazing quality and superb for portraits. I was only saying to a friend yesterday how much I fancied buying one. At this price it's hard to say no.

[Diabolik]

That is a fantastic (and annoying) price as I have recently purchased the 1.8.

From what I've read, this one is miles ahead in terms of build quality, the 1.8 really is quite plasticy.

[flat-planedCrank]

Guess it depends on how often you will use the 50mm lens... if you intend to use it regularly then I'd certainly go for the f1.4 version as the build quality is much higher, focus is better and faster.

I've had a f1.4 for a while now - certainly paid more than £185 for it, looks like a bargin


In fact, at the moment the next best price is £275.74 according to camerapricebuster

Edited by flat-planedCrank on Saturday 5th February 00:20

[Mr Obertshaw]

I'm definitely going to try and get myself one of these then. I currently only have the kit 18-55mm and a canon 70-200 f4 USM. Apart from on the odd occasion when I get to go and do some motorsport the majority of the photos I take are portraits, however I end up using my 70-200 (not very practical, but much sharper than the kit lens).

Looking on Ebay I should get around £350 to £400 for the 70-200. Any ideas as to what I might get in camera shop? I've been stung by paypal with a buyer making false claims on £50 item so I don't really fancy being screwed on a £400 item.

Having both isn't really an option as I'm only a student so have no dosh.

[Mr Obertshaw]

M4FFU said:

I think i've managed to reserve one in store - will find out this afternoon if that works out. It'll be an upgrade us my current 1.8 so it won't be the end of the world if it doesn't work out.

I reserved one in store then called up to see if they honour the online price and they confirmed that they do. Got a 150 mile round trip to collect it though so better set off!

[Jazzerd]

I was about to buy a f1.8 and then I saw this deal, bit more than I wanted to spend at the mo but it's too good a deal to resist.

[HoHoHo]

It's a great lens and well built and at that money it's a steal.

Just playing with one at Christmas.....


Christmas tree - check, bottle of Vino - check..... by Martin_Bennett, on Flickr


Christmas 2010 by Martin_Bennett, on Flickr

[tontoro]

I have it and it is a very nice lens, although I don't actually like 50mm on a full frame sensor a great deal. Also, I rarely use it wide open as the DOF is so limited. But for that price, why not?

[whaninoz]

I just had one delivered a couple of days ago.... but for that price im tempted to get another :lol

great lens, and at that price worth getting over the 1.8

[Gizmo!]

tontoro said:

I have it and it is a very nice lens, although I don't actually like 50mm on a full frame sensor a great deal. Also, I rarely use it wide open as the DOF is so limited. But for that price, why not?

Likewise I rarely use my f1.8 at less than f2.8. But I think the f1.4 will be sharper at f1.8 than the f1.8 because it's in the middle of its range, IYSWIM.

Nicer bokeh too. And everyone loves a bit o' bokeh.

[flat-planedCrank]

Gizmo! said:

Likewise I rarely use my f1.8 at less than f2.8. But I think the f1.4 will be sharper at f1.8 than the f1.8 because it's in the middle of its range, IYSWIM.

Think that's fair, with f2 being really quite sharp.

Nothing like f1.4 for night shots though - with your camera at high iso you aren't forced to reach for a flashgun*

E.g. :
--Some mild zombie content --



*= Well, sort of, normally have the flashgun on for the AF assist

[XG332]

Get one if you can, the last one at our store went before i noticed the price. So i am getting one from another tomorrow.
-232 on order from canon, so once there gone there gone.

[XG332]

As i thought, it was a price error. Gone up by £100. GITS!

[Zaxxon]

May have been a price error but I managed to buy one for home delivery before it was found

Don't care if it takes 10 days as per the recipt.

[Jazzerd]

Just had a call from Jessops to say that it was a misprice and they won't be honouring the order.

[rasputin]

I got one reserved at the reduced price... But unfortunately closest I could get was 75 miles away in Dumfies and with my car that's about £40 fuel which defeats the purpose of getting a bargain!

Plus I doubt I'd use it much.

So if anyone around Dumfries wants to take my reservation, let me know and it should be valid till tomorrow night I think

[Mr Obertshaw]

M4FFU said:

Got one from canterbury today. :-)

I drove 75 miles to Canterbury as well, I got the last one apparently!

[theboyfold]

Have ordered one online, will wait and see if it actually turns up...