Nifty fifty - why is Mark I better than Mark II?

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CJR

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Cathy
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The impression I have from what I've seen and read is that people prefer the EF 50mm f1.8 Mark I to the Mark II.

Is the Mark I still possible to get second hand?

Why is it better?

Thanks!

Cathy
 
As far as I remember Cathy the Mk1 had a mount made of metal where the mkii's mount is made of plastic. I also seem to remember the mk1 being a beast to get hold of.
 
The MKI also has a 6 aperture blades (MKII has 5), a distance focus scale and manual focus that actually works :)
 
Optically there's nothing to choose between the Mk1 and Mk2. Build wise there's a huge difference, the Mk1 is streets ahead. They normally sell for round about £100 rather than the £50 the Mk2 goes for.
 
Good evening fellow TP'ers. Please excuse me barging in, though I think it is a relevant question: How does the nifty Mk1 1.8 compare to a nifty 1.4? Is it worth the extra money?
 
Seems a no brainer then.

Mark I it is, should I come across a s/h one.

Thanks!

Cathy
 
Jack, it's a very relevant question, and I await answers from those who know..... I am about to invest in a 50mm prime, my gut answer is that the 1.4 is softish until you stop down, but let's await the experts.....
 
JackRusse11 said:
Good evening fellow TP'ers. Please excuse me barging in, though I think it is a relevant question: How does the nifty Mk1 1.8 compare to a nifty 1.4? Is it worth the extra money?
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I have the the 50mm 1.4, which was one of my better 2nd hand buys. It's full metal construction so the build quality is good, whether it's worth the extra half stop speed and the price is an individual choice as I doubt there's a great deal in optical performance between the two. The extra aperture blades though mean that you get beautifully round oof highlights in your shots, rather than those hexagonal ones, which to me look awful.
 
George said:
Jack, it's a very relevant question, and I await answers from those who know..... I am about to invest in a 50mm prime, my gut answer is that the 1.4 is softish until you stop down, but let's await the experts.....
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That may be true, I haven't actually noticed, but the thing people forget is that with an SLR the lens is also your viewfinder and the brightness in low light makes a huge difference, even if you view at full aperture, but stop dwn when you take the shot.

The Canon 50mm f1 costs a bomb if you can get your hands on one, but it's prized for it's ability to be able to operate in dire light conditions, and you can bet the optical performance at f1 isn't great.
 
Arh ... explains a lot. I have recently bought a Canon 50mm 1.8, (via the internet) and was very disappointed by the build quality.
The focusing seems a little clunky as well.

I'm sure the glass quality is Ok, but the lens lacks a little something, I know its cheap, but ultimately not a good advert for Canon. :thumbsdown:
 
Despite my original thoughts about getting a s/h Mark I, I read some more about the Mark II and decided that I would get that one after all, for various reasons. The optical quailty seemed the same, and I'll treat it carefully enough so that the plastic mount shouldn't be an issue vs the metal mount. Also, I could get one immediately, as I wanted to try it last night at a wedding. Which I did, and despite the sometimes difficult lighting (or lack thereof), and the fact that it was the first time using the flash as well, I was fairly pleased with some of my pics.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

Cathy
 
thanks anyway, Brocks. I'd have decided to buy it :LOL: so I've just spent the money a week sooner than I would have done otherwise!

Been back at Cheshire Oaks/Boat Museum lately?

Cathy
 
In my experience the MK2 of any lens is generally cheaper in feel though I can't comment on optical quality. Prime example was the Canon 28-105usm, I had a MK1 which was a lovely lens but a friend had a MK2 which felt cheaper nor was it as smooth as mine. Still had the all important metal mount though.
 
CJR said:
Been back at Cheshire Oaks/Boat Museum lately?

Cathy
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Nah not yet..I'm waiting for the right Sunrise. That won't happen for a few months now. I'm in Sunny Scotland for the time being.
 
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