# Canon 50/1.8 MK I



## luciolepri (Jul 30, 2013)

I finally found this lens on eBay for a reasonable price, I bought it and took a few shots. I know that it has the same optics and diaphragm of the MK II, but I was wondering if it has also the same anti-reflective lens coating, because it looks to me that it doesn't handle flares and ghostings as well as the MK II. Anyone knows?


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## hgraf (Jul 30, 2013)

luciolepri said:


> I finally found this lens on eBay for a reasonable price, I bought it and took a few shots. I know that it has the same optics and diaphragm of the MK II, but I was wondering if it has also the same anti-reflective lens coating, because it looks to me that it doesn't handle flares and ghostings as well as the MK II. Anyone knows?



No experience with that lens, but figuring out what kind of coatings a lens has isn't too difficult.

Look at the reflection from the lens elements. If you see a purple/red reflection it is coated, but if you see a greenish type reflection that's a modern Canon coating. If you don't see any sort of tinge then it's likely not coated.

Be sure to check both the front and back elements.

TTYL


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## mrsfotografie (Jul 30, 2013)

luciolepri said:


> I finally found this lens on eBay for a reasonable price, I bought it and took a few shots. I know that it has the same optics and diaphragm of the MK II, but I was wondering if it has also the same anti-reflective lens coating, because it looks to me that it doesn't handle flares and ghostings as well as the MK II. Anyone knows?



Do you have any samples? I had to dig into my files to find some samples where there is visible ghosting or flare but none of the photo's I took with this lens have it in a disturbing way. In fact I never really noticed it before. Note that I'm (occasionally) using this lens on a 5DMkII (never on my 7D).

BTW the MkII is designed to be a cheaper, simpler re-issue of the MkI so I doubt Canon decided to up the standard with improved lens coatings. If anything I imagine the manufacturing quality control of the MkI should beat the MkII.


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## luciolepri (Jul 30, 2013)

hgraf said:


> No experience with that lens, but figuring out what kind of coatings a lens has isn't too difficult.
> Look at the reflection from the lens elements. If you see a purple/red reflection it is coated, but if you see a greenish type reflection that's a modern Canon coating. If you don't see any sort of tinge then it's likely not coated.



Thank you very much, I just learnt something new to improve my nerdiness!
Coating on this lens looks purple/red, so it's the old coating. I'm curious to look at a MKII version, now.


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## verysimplejason (Jul 30, 2013)

Just go for a f1.4 usm version. It's a lot better.


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## luciolepri (Jul 30, 2013)

mrsfotografie said:


> Do you have any samples? I had to dig into my files to find some samples where there is visible ghosting or flare but none of the photo's I took with this lens have it in a disturbing way. In fact I never really noticed it before. Note that I'm (occasionally) using this lens on a 5DMkII (never on my 7D).
> 
> BTW the MkII is designed to be a cheaper, simpler re-issue of the MkI so I doubt Canon decided to up the standard with improved lens coatings. If anything I imagine the manufacturing quality control of the MkI should beat the MkII.



Flares and ghosting are not an issue with this lens (it's a small gauss with a small front lens, I guess that even a very old coating would do the work) I just remember that with the MKII was nearly impossible to get any ghosting, while with this one you can see a little decrease in contrast, in extreme situations.
I made an online research and find out that for the MKII Canon is using "the new super spectra coating". I don't know how "new" this coating is, but maybe it is too new for the MKI...


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## luciolepri (Jul 30, 2013)

verysimplejason said:


> Just go for a f1.4 usm version. It's a lot better.



I know it, I had it for a couple of years, I was just curious to test this lens that I never had the chance to use.


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## mrsfotografie (Jul 31, 2013)

luciolepri said:


> mrsfotografie said:
> 
> 
> > Do you have any samples? I had to dig into my files to find some samples where there is visible ghosting or flare but none of the photo's I took with this lens have it in a disturbing way. In fact I never really noticed it before. Note that I'm (occasionally) using this lens on a 5DMkII (never on my 7D).
> ...



FWIW the Mk I was replaced by the Mk II in 1990 so both these lenses are designed for film. Therefore I wouldn't expect the coatings to be optimized for the reflections typical of an imaging sensor.


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## luciolepri (Jul 31, 2013)

New lenses have the "SubWavelength" coating, so I guess the "Super Spectra" coating was the old one and it's most likely the same on the MK I and MK II. So, I'm probably wrong thinking that the MK I suffers more from flares or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I used the MK II on a film era EOS 5...

Anyway, this 50/1,8 MK I is a good lens, considering its price. It has a much better "feel" than the MK II and an actual focus ring. I'd say it's worth to pay for an used one as much as you pay for a new MK II, expecially if you want to put it on a rig and use a FF. What's more, you can always resell it for as much as you paid it... I saw some of this lenses sold on eBay for 150 €!


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## mrsfotografie (Jul 31, 2013)

luciolepri said:


> New lenses have the "SubWavelength" coating, so I guess the "Super Spectra" coating was the old one and it's most likely the same on the MK I and MK II. So, I'm probably wrong thinking that the MK I suffers more from flares or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I used the MK II on a film era EOS 5...



There you go...



luciolepri said:


> Anyway, this 50/1,8 MK I is a good lens, considering its price. It has a much better "feel" than the MK II and an actual focus ring. I'd say it's worth to pay for an used one as much as you pay for a new MK II, expecially if you want to put it on a rig and use a FF. What's more, you can always resell it for as much as you paid it... I saw some of this lenses sold on eBay for 150 €!



+1. This little gem lives up to its cult status.


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