Canon 50mm f1.4 - what to look for?

[stillshunter]

I'm almost convinced by this lens as my fast fifty - and am narrowing down my choices on the market.

I have read favourable reviews on this forum, making it sound a good budget option. However there is mention of a difference between early and late models. So far all the lenses I have seen look identical - well some have more yellowed front and rear elements than others, but that might just be the angle of the photos. So I wondered if there is something in the serial numbers to indicate older vs newer models?

Also anything else to look out for? For instance is there a weak point that should be looked out for when looking to buy?

TIA.

 

[peterm1]

Are you talking about the early all chrome one V the later balck and chrome version? I am not sure if they have different formulas but I cna say that they both produce very nice images. My Sony NEX 5 is presently wearing a later version and its very sharp. As far as I know these lenses all have an excellent reputaion and in particular are regarded as a lens that is very "modern" in terms of the images it makes.

 

[stillshunter]

Sorry Peter I fat-fingered the title. I was referring to the f1.4 Canon 50. 😱

 

[rover]

I don't think optically there are any differences between early and late versions of either the 1.4 or 1.8 Canons. Both are excellent lenses. Canon lenses from this era though could develop haze in the internal elements. This often can be cleaned by a simple CLA. Besides that, the standard issues regarding a older lens. Clean unmarked coatings? Free positively turning rings? Un-dented filter ring? The 1.4 was introduced a bit after the 1.8, modern in terms of Canon S mount lenses.

 

[rover]

Have a look here

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112801

 

[stillshunter]

Thanks Rover. In that post they mention the Canon Museum and in their entries for the 50mm f1.4 they have a version I and II. Hard to tell - other than possibly the rear element size what the actual difference is - nothing about serial numbers just a 1957 vs 1959 release date. Not really sure I need to care, especially if they are optically identical, but now I'm simply curious. Hmmm...

 

[rover]

Rush over to the classifieds. The time may be right for you.

 

[rover]

The best answer you will get regarding the differences I am sure is in Peter's book.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86539

 

[sdotkling]

I've got one that I'd like to sell. Need the money more than the lens at the moment. Just had it CLA'd. I believe its the Type II.

 

[Robert Lai]

My experience with Canon 50 1.4 type 2

My experience with Canon 50 1.4 type 2

From what I can tell of the Canon museum pictures, the differences between type 1 and type 2 of this lens amounts to this:

Aperture ring - type 1 has tick marks at each aperture setting.
Type 2 doesn't.

Focusing scale: type 1 has only one set (in feet in the picture from the museum)
Type 2 have both metric and imperial measures on the distance scale.

Now here are some caveats from actually living with one.

1) Don't use the original Canon rear cap!

I bought one from maiku, who had it CLA'd in Japan.
I was upset to find that it didn't focus right.
Clarence Gass, my usual repairman, told me the answer.
The original Canon rear cap is so shallow, that if you rotate the focus ring much beyond minimum focus, the RF cam will jam up against the cap. You CANNOT put the focus to infinity with the original Canon rear cap mounted on the lens. Apparently, I must have done so, and what gave was the RF cam. It was indicating beyond infinity. So, this needed to be reset during the lens' servicing. I now use a nice deep Voigtlander rear cap if the lens is ever off my Canon 7s.

2) Make sure your RF is accurate.

The depth of field at f/1.4 is extremely shallow. You need to be sure that the lens cam (see above) AND the camera RF are BOTH properly calibrated.
In my case, I sent both the lens and my Canon 7s to Clarence to have this done. I've attached a photograph of how this setup images at 1m distance, at f/1.4.

3) 48mm UV filters and hoods

I bought the original Canon 48mm slim UV filter. It appears to be single coated on each side. B+W make a 48mm UV MRC filter with modern multi-coating, and this is what I use now. The B+W filter also has front threads, if you want to use a 48mm hood. The original Canon lens hood is the S-50, which is friction fit, with a locking thumbscrew. I went with this route. A 62mm push-on lens cap (Kalt, from B&H) will fit right on top of the S-50 hood.