50mm f1.2 Canon vs Nikon
- Thread starter J Davis
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J Davis
Veteran
If its pixel peeping that you want ?
... the full size TIFFs of the exported frames you just saw crops of are available for download.
LINK
This is me using YouSendIt to send it to myself so it should be good for 7 days or 100 downloads.
If the link doesn't work for you post on this thread so I will know and update it.
... the full size TIFFs of the exported frames you just saw crops of are available for download.
LINK
This is me using YouSendIt to send it to myself so it should be good for 7 days or 100 downloads.
If the link doesn't work for you post on this thread so I will know and update it.
Last edited:
Tim Joy
Veteran
Looking at the download, it looks like a toss-up between the Nikon and Canon 1.4's to me, but I wonder if the difference in brightness between the 1.2's and 1.4's affects the resolution? The Nikon 1.2 has the least detail on the lime, but is that just a codec issue due to brightness? Or is that one shot maybe a little out of focus on the lime?
If you look at the floor, the focus on the canon 1.4 is just slightly ahead of the nikon 1.4, which ends up showing more detail in the lime skin for the nikon. The focus on the nikon 1.2 is razor-thin, you can't see any floor detail to speak of and the lime skin is complete mush.
I took these into FCP and looked at the waveform. The highest contrast was definitely the nikons, with the 1.2 edging out the 1.4 just slightly. Once the brightness difference was corrected between the canons, they looked very similar, with my preference going for the 1.4.
Thanks for doing this test. I wanted to do the same but have been too cheap to get the nikon adapter and it shows me that the difference is negligible between the nikon 1.4 and canon 1.4, which brings it down to a question of usability, and in my experience, at least with the nikon 50mm I have, the canon is usable wide open and the nikon is not.
What's your preference?
If you look at the floor, the focus on the canon 1.4 is just slightly ahead of the nikon 1.4, which ends up showing more detail in the lime skin for the nikon. The focus on the nikon 1.2 is razor-thin, you can't see any floor detail to speak of and the lime skin is complete mush.
I took these into FCP and looked at the waveform. The highest contrast was definitely the nikons, with the 1.2 edging out the 1.4 just slightly. Once the brightness difference was corrected between the canons, they looked very similar, with my preference going for the 1.4.
Thanks for doing this test. I wanted to do the same but have been too cheap to get the nikon adapter and it shows me that the difference is negligible between the nikon 1.4 and canon 1.4, which brings it down to a question of usability, and in my experience, at least with the nikon 50mm I have, the canon is usable wide open and the nikon is not.
What's your preference?
J Davis
Veteran
These are stills not video, same lens, same conditions. What I like about 1.2 is the bokeh
(If you take these three jpegs into the same photoshop doc as layers you can flip the layers on and off and
see exactly how much light difference there is between 1.2 and 1.4)
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J Davis
Veteran
Master shot
and here's some 100% crops ...
and switch up the settings for wides aperture...
... full size TIFFs of the exported frames you just saw crops of are available for download.
LINK
This is me using YouSendIt to send it to myself so it should be good for 7 days or 100 downloads.
If the link doesn't work for you post on this thread so I will know and update it.
Not sure, I like all of them. Canon FD 1.2 has gone back to Adorama tho (they do returns withing 7 days of purchase).
I didn't like the stiff locking mechanism, too much room for error.
My preference is actually for the nikons, I like the feel of them when shooting. The direction of the turn doesn't bother me.
Planning to keep the canon 1.4 because my fastest normal is now canon FD 24/1.4 so they will shoot well together.
BTW - I did all my main tests at f2 because when shooting close ups of an actor speaking f2 is about as shallow as I want to go.
and here's some 100% crops ...
and switch up the settings for wides aperture...
... full size TIFFs of the exported frames you just saw crops of are available for download.
LINK
This is me using YouSendIt to send it to myself so it should be good for 7 days or 100 downloads.
If the link doesn't work for you post on this thread so I will know and update it.
Not sure, I like all of them. Canon FD 1.2 has gone back to Adorama tho (they do returns withing 7 days of purchase).
I didn't like the stiff locking mechanism, too much room for error.
My preference is actually for the nikons, I like the feel of them when shooting. The direction of the turn doesn't bother me.
Planning to keep the canon 1.4 because my fastest normal is now canon FD 24/1.4 so they will shoot well together.
BTW - I did all my main tests at f2 because when shooting close ups of an actor speaking f2 is about as shallow as I want to go.
Last edited:
luke stewart
Active member
Master shot
and here's some 100% crops ...
and the happy family together (before I sell off three of them :violin
J, thanks for doing this. Was the last frame supposed to say Nikon F1.4? It says Canon, but you already have two Canon frames before it. It looks identical to the Canon F1.4 shot.
I do not, unfortunately. Soon I won't even have the 1.4 as I've already sold it. Maybe I'll do another test this Sunday as this one was set up really quickly.
I should note that my f1.4 also has SSC coating since it's a newer FD mount (without the chrome ring). SSC coating becomes standard on every lens with the nFD mount.
J Davis
Veteran
Interesting. My FD 50/1.4 has the chrome ring and the SSC. I actually had a fifth 50mm it was a canon FD 1.4 but it was terrible. Returned it to the store ... didn't have the red SSC leters on it as I recall. You're lucky with the L. I think L stands for LOVE that LENS. I'm shooting with a FD 24/1.4L and i love it.
That's the last lens I need to complete my collection! I've been debating whether to save up for it since independent testings all shows that the 1.4L doesn't perform as well as the 24mm f2 at higher aperture. The novelty of having a wide angle 1.4L is nice, but I'm not sure if I want to shell out more for less.
How in the world did you find a Canon 50/1.4 for under 100 bucks? I've only ever used primes in a college setting a few years ago and am excited to begin to build a collection to use with my GH1 (currently). I was contemplating the Canon 50/1.8 ($75 from B&H I believe) while I found a tripod and bag to work with my stuff. Unfortunately I've been demoted to a hobbiest when it comes to my own gear - my employer provides me with everything I need at work (EX1) so I can't really make back what I put into it just yet.
Also, how do you use the iris on these lenses?
Also, how do you use the iris on these lenses?
Right, but where's the iris ring?
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-50mm-f-1.4-USM-Lens-Review.aspx
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-50mm-f-1.4-USM-Lens-Review.aspx