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Canon 50mm f/1.2L

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Canon 50mm f/1.2L

The new Canon 50mm f/1.2 L lens has been somewhat controversial. Perhaps the most accurate review is that of Bryan Carnathan, who claims that it is better than other lenses in this range from f/1.2 to about f/2.8 and has superb bokeh. If you’ll be shooting stopped down past f/2.8 you may be better served by the Canon 50mm f/1.4, but for wide aperture shots, this lens is the choice.

Roger’s take: Well, we could talk about this for hours, this is one of the most controversial, irritating, and spectacular lenses in the lineup. I won’t pretend to know what you’ll think of it, but our customers are evenly divided with “I love it” and “I hate it.” Here are a couple of pointers:

  • If you’re not used to working with very narrow depth of field (f/1.2 close up is NARROW) this lens will take some practice. Use one autofocus point only or it will focus where it pleases, not where you want.
  • The plane of focus is not flat; it’s slightly curved. Focus-recomposing will guarantee you an out of focus shot. Just don’t do it.
  • The 50 f/1.2 L exhibits focus-shift for near distance shots, meaning that shooting objects a few feet away between f/2 and f/4 the lens will probably not autofocus accurately. At f/1.2 it’s accurate, and by f/5.6 the depth of field is wide enough that you won’t see the effect.
  • The 50 f/1.2 L is camera specific: a copy that is wonderful on one camera may backfocus on another. It’s best used, for that reason, on cameras with focus adjustment like the 1D series or the 5D mkII. If you don’t use autofocus adjustment, your images are likely going to be back or front focused.

The bottom line: when this lens is right, the shots are spectacular and the background blur is awesome, just like the 85 f/1.2. But it’s more finicky and more difficult to get those shots with this lens.

Please note: This is an f/1.2 aperture lens. It will almost certainly require autofocus microadjustment on your camera to give you sharp images wide open. If your camera does not have that feature, or you are not comfortable using it, please don’t rent this lens. If you are not used to working with wide-aperture lenses, please read this link before deciding if this is a good choice for you.

Specs:

Filter Size
72mm (nonrotating front element)
Aperture
f1.2-16
Length
2.6”
Diameter
3”
Weight
1.2 lb
Hood
ES-78
Minimum Focusing Distance
1.5 feet
Maximum Magnification
.15x
Angle of view: (full frame)
46 degrees
Zoom method
NA
Image Stabilization
NONE
Focusing System
Front focusing, nonrotating, USM motor, full-time manual
Aperture Blades
8 curved, circular shape
Groups/Elements
6/8
Low Dispersion Elements
0
Fluorite Elements
0
Aspherical Elements
0
Weather Resistant
Yes
Flare resistance
Minimal ghosting, mild contrast loss

Links:

MTF Chart:

Thick lines: 10 lines/mm; thin lines: 30 lines/mm. The darker black lines represent the MTF characteristics at maximum aperture; the blue lines at f/8. The solid lines trace the radical S (sagittal) curve, while the broken lines trace the tangential M (meridional) curve.

If you are bored and don’t understand MTF charts, you can read about them HERE

Lens Diagram:

Pricing

LensRentals.com offers rentals of every length between 4 and 90 days. Some common selections are:

Rental Period Price Day Rate
4 days $45.00 $11.25 per day
7 days $60.00 ~$8.58 per day
10 days $81.00 $8.10 per day
14 days $105.00 $7.50 per day
21 days $141.00 ~$6.72 per day
30 days $177.00 $5.90 per day
45 days $231.00 ~$5.14 per day
60 days $270.00 $4.50 per day
90 days $348.00 ~$3.87 per day

The shopping cart will automatically update the quoted price as you adjust the length of your rental.

LensRentals also offers an optional damage waiver on this product, limiting your expense should it get damaged while in your possession.

Rental Period Waiver Price Total Price Day Rate
4 days +$7.50 $52.50 ~$13.13 per day
7 days +$10.00 $70.00 $10.00 per day
10 days +$13.50 $94.50 $9.45 per day
14 days +$17.50 $122.50 $8.75 per day
21 days +$23.50 $164.50 ~$7.84 per day
30 days +$29.50 $206.50 ~$6.89 per day
45 days +$38.50 $269.50 ~$5.99 per day
60 days +$45.00 $315.00 $5.25 per day
90 days +$58.00 $406.00 ~$4.52 per day

Shipping

LensRentals.com ships via UPS 2-day service, unless your rental requires faster shipping. Return shipping is included in the shipping price, and we include a prepaid return label with your order—all you need to do is bring it to a UPS drop-off location when your rental is complete.

The shopping cart can automatically quote shipping, even for multi-item and oversize orders. Shipping multiple items together offers significant savings over shipping them individually.