# Canon EF 50 F1.2L And EF 35 F1.4L Sharpest Settings



## Secretariat (Sep 14, 2012)

In what Aperture settings do the Canon EF 50 F1.2L and EF 35 F1.4L lenses produce the sharpest images?

Thanks.


----------



## RLPhoto (Sep 14, 2012)

Secretariat said:


> In what Aperture settings do the Canon EF 50 F1.2L and EF 35 F1.4L lenses produce the sharpest images?
> 
> Thanks.



50L is from 1.2-2.8. I dont know about 35L.


----------



## ihendy (Sep 14, 2012)

I have the 35L. I find 2.8 is very sharp. I love shooting at 2.0 - still really sharp but great bokeh. 1.4 is still extremly usable, but sometimes the Chromatic abberations need touching up in post process.

The 50L I tried out and decided to keep the 50 1.4. It really shines from 1.2 - 2.8. After that I find the cheaper 1.4 is just as good or better. I decided to not purchase the 50L. As I have the 85L II as well, I could not justify the cost as I find I prefer both the 35 and 85 lens over the 50L. 

Both are awesome lens.


----------



## Viggo (Sep 14, 2012)

50 L is sharper at 1,8 than 2,2 and the sharpest is f5.

35 L is sharpest at 2,5 (a bit surprising perhaps) and has a pretty even curve all the way. 

24 L II is sharpest at 3,5 with more variation.


----------



## Bosman (Sep 14, 2012)

RLPhoto said:


> Secretariat said:
> 
> 
> > In what Aperture settings do the Canon EF 50 F1.2L and EF 35 F1.4L lenses produce the sharpest images?
> ...


Sharpest @ F1.2? Congrats if that is true for you. However i don't do much manual work at that F stop so I could be corrected possibly. I honestly don't know whats sharpest on my copy but generally an F1.2 lens is sharpest at F5.6. Now i want to do tests at F1.2 manually lol. Peace!


----------



## RLPhoto (Sep 14, 2012)

Bosman said:


> RLPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > Secretariat said:
> ...



Anything Slower that 2.8 on the 50L is not as sharp as other 50mm's. Yes, Its at its best at F/8, but meh, What lens isn't?


----------



## neuroanatomist (Sep 14, 2012)

The 50L has focus shift - as you stop down from wide open, if back focuses, but at some point (which is dependent on subject distance) the thicker DoF overcomes the back focus. So, if plotting the sharpness of the 50/1.2L based on autofocus (assuming it's AFMA'd normally, i.e. at f/1.2), I'd expect it to be sharp at f/1.2, then get progressively softer as you stop down until somewhere in the f/2.2-f/3.5 range, then get progressively sharper again, peaking at f/4 or f/5.6 then dropping again after f/11 when diffraction sets in.


----------



## K-amps (Sep 14, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> The 50L has focus shift - as you stop down from wide open, if back focuses, but at some point (which is dependent on subject distance) the thicker DoF overcomes the back focus. So, if plotting the sharpness of the 50/1.2L based on autofocus (assuming it's AFMA'd normally, i.e. at f/1.2), I'd expect it to be sharp at f/1.2, then get progressively softer as you stop down until somewhere in the f/2.2-f/3.5 range, then get progressively sharper again, peaking at f/4 or f/5.6 then dropping again after f/11 when diffraction sets in.



What the heck are you doing lurking on these forums Neuro... you should be teaching a class on optics somewhere ...


----------



## Viggo (Sep 14, 2012)

K-amps said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > The 50L has focus shift - as you stop down from wide open, if back focuses, but at some point (which is dependent on subject distance) the thicker DoF overcomes the back focus. So, if plotting the sharpness of the 50/1.2L based on autofocus (assuming it's AFMA'd normally, i.e. at f/1.2), I'd expect it to be sharp at f/1.2, then get progressively softer as you stop down until somewhere in the f/2.2-f/3.5 range, then get progressively sharper again, peaking at f/4 or f/5.6 then dropping again after f/11 when diffraction sets in.
> ...



It's just that it isn't sharper at 1,2 than 1,8 af'd. I do not notice the shift when stopping to 2,2, but I see that it is softer. But you're right that 5 is sharpest and it completely craps out on the smaller from 8 to 16.


----------



## Studio1930 (Sep 14, 2012)

RLPhoto said:


> Yes, Its at its best at F/8, but meh, What lens isn't?



My 200 f/2 on my 1DX isn't sharpest at f/8. ;D


----------



## RLPhoto (Sep 14, 2012)

Studio1930 said:


> RLPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, Its at its best at F/8, but meh, What lens isn't?
> ...



Really? Because I wouldn't be able to tell from F/2 from F/8 sharpness wise on that particular animal. :


----------



## Plato the Wise (Sep 14, 2012)

At 1.2 the depth of field on the 50mm L at close distances is about 4 millimeters. If you or the subject moves the slightest bit, it will not be in focus where you intended.

I usually compensate by shooting at F2 or 2.8 and find it very sharp at those f stops.


----------



## Viggo (Sep 14, 2012)

Plato the Wise said:


> At 1.2 the depth of field on the 50mm L at close distances is about 4 millimeters. If you or the subject moves the slightest bit, it will not be in focus where you intended.
> 
> I usually compensate by shooting at F2 or 2.8 and find it very sharp at those f stops.



Ai Servo on the 1d x takes care of that.


----------



## wopbv4 (Sep 14, 2012)

please check 
http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/472-canon_50_12_5d?start=1


it shows that center is best at F4.

borders stay poor throughout the range.

Even the 50 F1.8 has better border performance.


----------



## Plato the Wise (Sep 15, 2012)

Viggo said:


> Plato the Wise said:
> 
> 
> > At 1.2 the depth of field on the 50mm L at close distances is about 4 millimeters. If you or the subject moves the slightest bit, it will not be in focus where you intended.
> ...



Will the 5d miii do the same in Ai servo?


----------



## Bosman (Sep 15, 2012)

K-amps said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > The 50L has focus shift - as you stop down from wide open, if back focuses, but at some point (which is dependent on subject distance) the thicker DoF overcomes the back focus. So, if plotting the sharpness of the 50/1.2L based on autofocus (assuming it's AFMA'd normally, i.e. at f/1.2), I'd expect it to be sharp at f/1.2, then get progressively softer as you stop down until somewhere in the f/2.2-f/3.5 range, then get progressively sharper again, peaking at f/4 or f/5.6 then dropping again after f/11 when diffraction sets in.
> ...


+1


----------



## Viggo (Sep 15, 2012)

Plato the Wise said:


> Viggo said:
> 
> 
> > Plato the Wise said:
> ...



For a portrait with small movement I say they're very similar yes. If you work with the 85 L the difference in response is much better on the 1d x. But with the 1d will also track the eyeball of å running 3 year old at f1.2.


----------



## koolkurkle (Sep 20, 2012)

Neuro said,

"The 50L has focus shift - as you stop down from wide open, if back focuses, but at some point (which is dependent on subject distance) the thicker DoF overcomes the back focus. So, if plotting the sharpness of the 50/1.2L based on autofocus (assuming it's AFMA'd normally, i.e. at f/1.2), I'd expect it to be sharp at f/1.2, then get progressively softer as you stop down until somewhere in the f/2.2-f/3.5 range, then get progressively sharper again, peaking at f/4 or f/5.6 then dropping again after f/11 when diffraction sets in."

So Neuro, here's the question, and I'm just spitballing. Is there a workaround for the 50 1.2L's focus shift? Have you ever AFMA'd your 50 1.2L at other apertures than f/1.2? It seems you could generate a lens adjustment lookup table for the lens based on f-stop to squeeze the most sharpness from the lens. I know you said it depends on subject distance, but the DIGIC knows what that is and could factor it in. If there is utility in this approach, the next logical step would be convincing Canon to provide the capability to enter lens adjustment values based on f-stop.


----------



## Studio1930 (Sep 20, 2012)

koolkurkle said:


> Neuro said,
> 
> "The 50L has focus shift - as you stop down from wide open, if back focuses, but at some point (which is dependent on subject distance) the thicker DoF overcomes the back focus. So, if plotting the sharpness of the 50/1.2L based on autofocus (assuming it's AFMA'd normally, i.e. at f/1.2), I'd expect it to be sharp at f/1.2, then get progressively softer as you stop down until somewhere in the f/2.2-f/3.5 range, then get progressively sharper again, peaking at f/4 or f/5.6 then dropping again after f/11 when diffraction sets in."
> 
> So Neuro, here's the question, and I'm just spitballing. Is there a workaround for the 50 1.2L's focus shift? Have you ever AFMA'd your 50 1.2L at other apertures than f/1.2? It seems you could generate a lens adjustment lookup table for the lens based on f-stop to squeeze the most sharpness from the lens. I know you said it depends on subject distance, but the DIGIC knows what that is and could factor it in. If there is utility in this approach, the next logical step would be convincing Canon to provide the capability to enter lens adjustment values based on f-stop.



I tried the AFMA for my 50 1.2L and I found that it also varies by focus distance. Basically there was no way to get an accurate adjustment unless you only shoot at a certain aperture and distance. I sent my 50L back and spent my money on other glass.


----------



## Bosman (Sep 20, 2012)

My focal results from 50L from 5 ft of the target shows F4.5 to be sharpest with Micro adjustment of 8. It drops dramatically from there to F1.2. Sharpness peaks from F4 to F5.6 as i had guessed before testing.
I don't have the 35 but the 24L and it was best at F4 +7 micro adjustment.
This will be best for me given this is my distance from subject more often than not.


----------

