Is this Canon 50mm 1.2 lens worth it? 50mm f/1.4 vs 50m f/1.2 Lens Comparison

If you're looking to buy one lens for your camera, the Canon 50mm is a great option due to its versatile focal length and affordability.

It can capture body shots, close-up portraits, without distorting the face, as well as product and detail images. The 50mm is also a prime lens, meaning it has a fixed focal length. In other words, there’s no zooming in and out. Instead, it’s up to you to move closer or farther from the subject. If you’re looking to upgrade your kit lens for both versatility and price point, the 50mm lens is your best option.

As I mentioned above, this lens is great for photography beginners because it also has a variety of price points depending on the aperture you choose. The 50mm 1.2 is on the high end— it's $1,400 new or as low as $1,000 if you buy it used on KEH Camera.

You can get the 50mm 1.4 for $400 new or as low as $240 used on KEH Camera. However, there's also a cheaper alternative— the 50mm 1.8— which you can snag for about $75 used on KEH Camera. I always tell photographers to consider buying used lenses so that they can get more for their money!

Is the $1000 difference worth it?

The real question is this: is the insane price difference between the Canon 50mm 1.2 and the Canon 50mm 1.4 really worth it? I decided to take both lenses out on a shoot to find out.

At the start of my photo session, I began with the 50-millimeter 1.4 and then switched to the 1.2. I decided to shoot at 1.4 on the 1.2 lens and then shoot at 1.2 in the same spot. 

When I was shooting the 1.2 at 1.4, I noticed that I was missing focus and wasn’t sure whether or not it was because my model was far away. I decided to switch over to manual mode which significantly increased the focus.

Next, I tried the 1.2 millimeter at 1.2. Even though it wasn’t missing focus when I was shooting in live mode, my 1.4 millimeter was a lot more accurate. 

Afterward, I tried moving into direct sunlight where I didn’t notice a difference with the 1.4 millimeter versus the 1.2 millimeter.

When moving into backlighting, the biggest difference I noticed was that the 1.2 was sharper than the 1.4. However, it's so subtle that it makes me wonder, is it worth that $1,000 price difference?

Let me know what you think in the comments on YouTube video at the end of the blog post.

You will notice that the 1.2 backdrop is creamier than the 1.4, but that's to be expected as the aperture is open wider. 

Afterward, I moved into the shade and from the images below, you’ll notice that the 1.2 was sharper, but in my experience, the 1.4 was much easier to focus on because if you remember from earlier, the 1.2 kept missing. 

In this lighting situation and with these close-up photos, it was faster and quicker to focus on my subjects with the 1.4 than with the 1.2. So, the 1.4 is faster to use and the 1.2 does take a bit more time because even though it’s more open, it's going to take longer to focus on the subject. 

Here's the same photo just cropped in very tight to the face so that you can get a better feel for the sharpness of the two lenses.

I’ll also show you the edited version. After taking a look, let me know in the comments down below if you can really tell the difference in the final result. Then, tell me which lens you prefer: the 1.2 or the 1.4? 

Looking to purchase a 50mm Camera Lens?

From the most expensive to the least expensive, here are all of your 50mm lens options as well as links to purchase new or used. If you decide to buy used from keh camera, don’t forget to use coupon code “JWSHOP” for 5% off!

50mm 1.2

• Purchase New​ ($1,300)

• Purchase Used​ ($1,020) 

50mm 1.4 (cheaper)

• Purchase New ($399)

• Purchase Used​ ($278)

50mm 1.8 (cheapest)

• Purchase New ($137)

• Purchase Used ($49)

---

Resources:

• If you want to check out this blog in video format, click here, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share weekly videos chock-full of guidance and advice for photographers.

• If you’re looking to receive even more daily tips, tools, and resources? Follow along on my Instagram.

• If you're ready to join a kind, encouraging, and inclusive photography community, check out the Build + Bloom Facebook group.

• If you like what I teach on YouTube and in blog posts, chances are you'll love my online photography workshop where I teach you how to start and scale a photography business in your own backyard and on your own schedule, whether you want to do it part-time or full time.