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  1. #1
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    Join Date
    Dec 2002
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    Fishkill, NY
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    6

    Question 20D lens poll (I broke one and need a replacement)

    Short story: My brand new 20D took a dive off of the shelf in the back room at work. Luckily (sort of), the 50mm f/1.4 absorbed the impact and the camera is fine. Unfortunately, now the AF in the lens is messed up. Cosmetically the lens is fine, but the AF works for a little while and then craps out. Considering how hard it hit, I'm surprised it's not damaged even more. I'm going to get the lens fixed, but since that's my workhorse lens for all of my cameras, I'm thinking that I should get a replacement of some sort. My choices so far are:

    - another 50mmf/1.4 (I wouldn't mind having two since I use it so much. One for the 20D and one for the EOS 3. Still wind up with the 50mm = 80mm issue on the 20D)
    - the 35mm f/2 (Then I'd actually have something close to a straight 50mm for the 20D)
    - the 50mm f/1.8 II (For only $74, I'm wondering how big the difference is between it and the 1.4. It'd sure be a lot cheaper to replace if I broke it)

    I've read all the reviews and that's all I've got so far. If I've missed anything, let me know. I'm also still looking for a decent wide-angle lens (All I have right now is a 28-105 and a 70-200). The EF-S 10-22 is great, but I don't have $800 to spend here. I need to stay under 4 or 5 I think. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. What are you guys using on the wide angle side or for everyday candid street shooting?

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Erstwhile Vagabond armed with camera Lionheart's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    California
    Posts
    1,110

    Re: 20D lens poll (I broke one and need a replacement)

    The EF 50 f1.8 II is every bit as sharp as the 1.4, and loads cheaper. I have the origninal f1.8 (with the metal mount and body) and the 1.4 and my 1.4 pretty much sits collecting dust on my desktop. The 1.4 isn't a whole lot more robust than the second generation f1.8 IMHO, I've broken mine twice already and all I did was bump the front end of the lens moderately against windows, once at the zoo, and once at the aquarium, and both times the lens jammed up and died. I fixed it the first time myself, and I haven't bothered with the second time. The f1.8 II is essentially the same lens as the original but in a cheaper plastic body and mount, but is optically identical from everything I've read, and in my experience, I haven't noticed much difference between my 1.8 and the 1.4 except wide open, the bokeh is a little nicer on the 1.4, and of course, the USM 1.4 focuses faster and is silent, but what a cost difference. Just my two coppers of course, but I don't think very highly of the build quality of the EF 50 f1.4 USM, although the images are razor sharp, but for the price difference and a half stop loss of light, I think the EF 50 f1.8 is a better deal.
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