Choosing my 50mm f/1.4

[idanidan123]

I see there's a 50mm f/1.4 FD lens and a USM lens, What's the difference between them?
Thanks in advance!

[Waddizzle]

---

idanidan123 wrote:
I see there's a 50mm f/1.4 FD lens and a USM lens, What's the difference between them?
Thanks in advance!

---

Your lens model numbers are a bit incomplete.  The type of camera mount is the biggest difference.

The FD mount is quite old.  I don't think that Caonn has released any new lenses for the FD type of mount in nearly three decades.  The USM lens is most likely an EF mount lens, which is compatible with Canon's latest DSLR cameras.

[idanidan123]

I have the 70D, if that makes any difference.

[amfoto1]

---

@idanidan123 wrote:
I have the 70D, if that makes any difference.

---

Yes, it makes a difference.

50/1.4 "FD" is an older, manual focus lens designed for the cameras prior to the EOS (before 1990). It will not directly fit onto a modern EOS. There are adapters, but they either need to use corrective optics that will ruin image quality or the lens won't be able to focus all the way to infinity. There is a rather expensive replacement bayonet that will work, too. But even modified with it the lens will still be only manual focus and manual apertuter control.

The EF 50/1.4 USM is a modern, autofocus lens that's fully compatible with your camera and would probably be a better choice. On your camera, with it's "APS-C crop" sensor, a 50mm lens will act as a short telephoto and is excellent for portraiture, among other things.

The EF 50/1.4 USM is a rather early design among Canon lenses. It's focus mechanism is a little finnicky. If you buy this lens I highly recommend you also get the matching lens hood for it. That does a good job protecting the lens both when in use and when the hood is reversed for storage. When you put the lens away, set it to infinity to fully retract the inner barrel. These fairly simple precautions seem to work pretty well. I've been using an EF 50/1.4 for over ten years without any problems.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2) some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER 

[ScottyP]

Craigslist seems like a better way to go. You can inspect the lens before you buy. I have sold a camera and a lens on CL and both those buyers got a perfect item at a great price. 

[ebiggs1]

Whatever works!  

[idanidan123]

I live in Israel, so we have a similar thing to Craigslist.

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

---

@idanidan123 wrote:
I have the 70D, if that makes any difference.

---

Just to be clear... 

You need to use Canon "EOS" lenses.  The EOS line is split into a few categories... the major categories are EOS "EF" lenses and EOS "EF-S" lenses.  Your camera can use either the EF or EF-S lenses (full-frame bodies can only use "EF" lenses, but your camera body has an APS-C size sensor which means it can also use "EF-S" lenses).    

Canon also makes a few speciality lenses which include their tilt-shift lenses designated EOS "TS-E" and there a speciality macro-photo lens called the EOS "MP-E".  Your camera can use those lenses as well.

HOWEVER... Canon started producing some EOS "mirrorless" camera bodies called the EOS "M" series and they make a special line of lenses just for those cameras called the EOS "EF-M".  Your camera is NOT compatible with the EF-M (mirrorless camera) lenses.

Lastly... there are third party lens makers such as Sigma, Tamron, Tokin, and others.  As long as those lenses are designed for Canon EOS mount, then you can use them.  Just be careful because those 3rd parties make lenses for lots of camera brands and only the lenses with Canon EOS mount will (hopefully) work.  Every so often there are compatibility issues with the electronics because the lens makers have to try to reverse engineer the connection.  Typically this happens if the 3rd party lens is very old and your camera is very new -- so your camera has features that didn't exist back when the used 3rd party lens was originally designed.

[TTMartin]

---

@idanidan123 wrote:
I see there's a 50mm f/1.4 FD lens and a USM lens, What's the difference between them?
Thanks in advance!

---

The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM will work with Canon EOS digital SLRs.

The 50mm f/1.4 FD lens is designed for OLD Canon film cameras and will NOT work with your camera.

If you are looking to save some money, consider Canon's newest 50mm lens, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. In my opinion it is the current best choice in a 50mm lens.

Pay attention the STM on the 50mm f/1.8, as there are non-STM versions of the 50mm f/1.8 you do not want.

[idanidan123]

OK thanks !