Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras | 
| Brand: Canon
List Price: $2,300.00
Buy New: $1,364.00
You Save: $936.00 (41%)
New (8) Used (1) from $1,364.00
Rating:  20 reviews
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Maximum Focal Length: 50
Minimum Focal Length: 50
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 6 x 6 x 6
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: 1236B004
Model: 1236B004
UPC: 013803064551
EAN: 0013803064551
ASIN: B000I1YIDQ
Release Date: December 5, 2006
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | High-performance, weather-resistant standard lens | | • | AF with full-time manual focus | | • | 50mm focal length | | • | f1.2 maximum aperture; 72mm filter size | | • | UltraSonic Motor (USM) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Product Description
The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens is a peerless standard lens for Canon digital SLR cameras. The lens is suitable for any shooting situation, with a lens coating and construction type that are optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. The lens also offers an ultra-large aperture that produces a narrow depth of field and the type of soft background blur so loved by photographers everywhere. The high-performance, weather-resistant lens delivers all the superb image resolution and contrast you expect in a Canon L Series lens. Specifications
- Focal length: 50mm
- Maximum aperture: f/1.2
- Lens construction: 8 elements in 6 groups
- Diagonal angle of view: 46 degrees (with full-frame cameras)
- Focus adjustment: AF with full-time manual
- Closest focusing distance: 1.48 feet
- Filter size: 72mm
- Dimensions: 3.4 inches in diameter and 2.6 inches long
- Weight: 19.2 ounces
- Warranty: 1 year
Product Description
The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a peerless new standard lens featuring an ultra-large aperture for a narrow depth of field and soft background blur so loved by photographers everywhere. The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is suitable for any shooting situation; its lens coating and construction are optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. This high-performance, weather-resistant lens delivers all the superb image resolution and contrast you expect in a Canon L Series Lens.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Don't believe the reviews! August 29, 2007
onestyle (San Jose, CA)
105 out of 109 found this review helpful
The reviews of the 50mm f/1.2L are useless. All you hear is "Spend your money on the 35L or 85L instead" or "the focusing issues make this lens unuseable". But something makes me think that people are just writing reviews based on what other people have said without actually ever using the product.
If you ever want to shoot snapshots of downtown without a flash at midnight WHILE walking, this is the lens to have. I'm so in love with this lens.
Pros:
* It's completely silent. Quieter than the f/1.4
* It has no problems focusing in the dark
* It's highly useable at f1.2
* It's sharper than the f/1.4
* Colors are more saturated than the f/1.4
* Images taken with this lens have higher contrast than the f/1.4
* It makes the f/1.4 feel like a hunk of plastic
* It comes with a hood
Cons:
* It costs 4 times more than the f/1.4
* It costs 18 times more than the f/1.8
Pros:
* You can comfortably shoot under conditions that would make the f/1.4 nervous.
* Produces a much higher yield of useable photos
* Aesthetically, it's the coolest looking lens I own!
For those who are concerned about the "back focusing" issue, I will let you know that I haven't experienced any backfocusing at all. I've let others shoot with it, wide open, within low-light environments and even the non-photographers were able to focus/shoot accurately.
This is my review from my non-scientific, real-world, situational testing.
Just as the eye sees.......amazing! September 11, 2007
gokimon
33 out of 40 found this review helpful
After over 10 years of several point and shoots, and "prosumers", I finally jumped into the DSLR territory with a EOS XTi (just the body, no kit lens). I ordered this 50 mm f/1.2 lens to go the extreme: fastest possible lens with the supposedly "L" reputation.
I have taken several pictures with it and I must admit, I can never go back to shooting with flash or fill flash on. The other reviewer is correct, it amazes me the quality of the pictures one is able to take in dim or very low light.
The so called "bokeh" is present, and easily obtained.
I have no other experience with other L or "non L" lens- but I am happy with this 50 mm prime lens. It is not too heavy and certainly does not look obvious. It definitely has a very solid feel.
I checked for any "backfocus" issues reported in some instances, but found non with this issue.
Don't be scared. It is good lens. October 19, 2007
Dong W. Kim (ca)
28 out of 28 found this review helpful
I am not a professional photographer, or make living with taking pictures. I am just a person who loves to take pictures & enjoys good pictures. And, I know how expensive this lens is, and YES, I am very aware of "Back Focusing" issue with this lens that others worry. I have been using this lens for 3 weeks now, and have been experiencing good & bad about this lens. (I believe "back focusing" issue was way too much inflated.) I have EOS 5D, and wanted to take full advantage of FF factor, and this was why I took a plunge instead of getting acclaimed 35MM or 85MM.
Good:
Picture quality - from f1.2 thru f2.8, the lens works superbly. AF is fast & faster compared to 50mm 1.4. Above f2.8, the pictures become a touch soft, but it exceeded my expectation. In low light condition, this lens is virtually unbeatable.
Weight & Feel - Anoth factor that sold me to this lens is its overall feel. Very balanced & well weighted. And, its build quality is good.
Bad:
Back Focus - Yes, it does back focus in very (very) close distance. Within 20 inches, you may experience back focusing more than half of the time. (Others say within 30 inches or so, but I never experienced more than 20 inches far.) I asked myself how many times (in reality), I would try taking pictures within such distance.
Cost - Yes, this is expensive lens. 4 times more than very good 50mm 1.4.
I love to take portraits (especially for my new born baby) , and this was my main reason that I upgraded from 50mm 1.4 to 50mm 1.2. I would recommend this lens if you are into portraits. If you want more than what I am into, you may be disappointed. Did I make a good investment? Yes, I believe I did.
 Problem Lens! May 20, 2008
David Siegel (New York, ny United States)
21 out of 24 found this review helpful
Bought from Amazon and it came soft. Couldn't focus with my 1DS Mk III, even at higher f-stops. So I sent it to Canon and it came back STILL soft below f4! I checked it with a 5D body and it was soft below f4. I called Canon and they said send it in, and they will bring it up to factory spec. I finally got it back from canon - more than 30 days after ordering - and the lens is only sharp at f1.8 and higher. Below that, it is UNACCEPTABLY soft for a lens that costs this much. I have tried various AF point configurations and used a flat dollar-bill test, and at f1.8 the lens is nice and sharp, but below that it's no longer an L lens. I asked Amazon for a full refund and they agreed, as I had spent most of the time waiting for it to come back from Canon. I don't know if it was this particular copy, but Canon claims they brought it up to full factory spec.
Moral: Test your lenses when you get them, and act in the first 30 days if you need to.
 Hit or miss May 31, 2008
MS (San Diego, CA)
18 out of 21 found this review helpful
First off, in a previous life I worked as a portrait photographer. Nowadays it's more of a hobby, but I spend a significant amount of time involved in it, and have travelled to many countries specifically to take pictures. I know my way around a camera, but don't consider myself a pro.
I learned photography 'old school' in the film days; pick up a camera, put a 50mm lens on it, and shoot about 10000 pictures, then you can change lenses. Like a lot of photographers, the 50mm lens has a special place in my heart.
This still applies on the full frame 5D which I shoot with. I don't find the 50mm length useful on crop sensor bodies.
So in looking to fill this 50mm gap, over the last few years I have used the 50 1.8, the 1.4, and the 1.2. The 50 1.8 is actually pretty fantastic for the price. The focusing and build quality, along with the kinda crummy bokeh later led me to the 50 1.4 which I have been pretty happy with. The 1.4 has good bokeh, decent build quality.
What led me to try the 50 1.2 was that the 1.4 seemed to miss focus often enough (maybe 2/10 shots) that I ended up throwing away some photos that would have been quite good had it hit properly. Though the price is quite a bit steeper, I figured the 1.2 was probably going to be worth it, as I have been extremely impressed by most of the L lenses from canon.
I hate to say it, but I am pretty disappointed. I have tried 2 different copies now. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad lens. But I ended up returning both copies soon after getting them for a few reasons. First, there's the well-known backfocus issue that I will not go into except to say, both of my copies backfocused a bit, but not so much I couldn't live with it. It was about 2-4 mm.
The second reason I returned them is that it misses focus nearly as often as the 50 1.4. And don't mistake this for operator error in a very shallow depth-of-field. My real-world shots along with tripod test shots often were out of focus for no apparent reason. Taking 3 shots without moving the camera or subject would only yield 1/3 in focus shots. (and none of my other lenses have this issue so it can't be blamed on the camera: 17-40, 24-105, 85 1.8, 70-200/2.8, 135, 100-400).
Third, and worst of all, aside from a small improvement in bokeh at 1.2, there is very little difference in most comparison shots between the 1.4 and the 1.2. I suspect that the 1.2 would hold up better in flare situations and other times, but in my real-world shooting, my 1.4 is sharper and has the same color and contrast rendition. I'm not a photojournalist in Somalia so while the build quality is nice, I don't forsee breaking my 1.4 anytime soon and if it does I can pick up 3 more backup copies for the same price as the 1.2.
I really hope Canon comes out with a 50mm that befits the L standard someday. I'll be the first to buy it and try to hide the receipt from my wife. But for now, in my opinion, it's just not in this lens.
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