If you have the $350 to get the lens I would
definitely get it. Otherwise get the 50/1.4 and
50/3.5. HOWEVER I would offer a differing opinion in
defence of the 50/2 macro. If you like to take
pictures at 50mm there is no more versatile lens. You
get a bright finder that will never darken even fully
extended which is a big plus for handheld macro. It's
less than 1/2 a stop slower than the 50/1.8 and has
worked fine for me in lower light. It is a dream to
focus as it needs very little focusing if you do
infinity work (very wide focusing ring too). Pictures
are world class all throughout the range. A bit more
contrast than the other 50mm lenses but it's a matter
of opinion whether that's a good or bad thing.
While it may be bulkier than the other 50mm lenses
it's also well balanced on the camera. Personally I
like the feel of the lens but that is just me it's a
VERY solid feeling lens. It looks really nice on the
camera. Since I got the 50/2 I haven't felt the need
to carry my other 50mm lenses. The 50/3.5 is a good
macro and a great value but I really didn't like it
for either handheld macro and if I tried to use it as
a normal lens it seemed I always needed it to be
faster than f3.5. The 50/1.8 is a good lens too but it
couldn't be used for macro unless one wanted to go
into fiddling with extenders and/or diopters. The 50/2
is the best of both world all in one hell of a nice
lens. I would have to respectfully disagree with M.
Sparks that the lens isn't a good walk around lens.
Mark Lloyd
--- james olson <james_olson@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> As I use a 50mm prime quite a lot, I've always been
> interested in the 50/2
> macro. There hasn't been very much discussion on
> the list regarding this
> lens, and I'm looking for opinions.
>
> I have a 50/3.5 which I love, but it isn't really
> usable until f/8 in my
> opinion. (Too slow for low light.) As I shoot
> 50mm's in low light quite
> often, how is the 50/2 at f/2 and f/2.8?
>
> I know we have lens tests that show figures, but can
> someone give me a
> personal opinion on the 50/2 macro? (Maybe in
> direct comparison to the
> 50/1.2?)
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> James.
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