Canon EOS 1D X Canon EF 50M F 1 4 USM Review | 108 Data compared

The Canon EOS-1D X review on DPReview spotlights the camera as a high-speed, full-frame flagship merging sports and studio capabilities, boasting 12-14 fps burst shooting and excellent high ISO performance for low-light scenarios. Key advantages noted include a 61-point AF system with superior tracking and robust, weather-sealed construction. Conversely, the review identifies a lower 18.1MP resolution compared to the 1Ds Mark III, excessive weight, a steep learning curve for the AF system, and limited, though competent, video features.

The Canon EOS 1D X serves as a rugged, full-frame flagship DSLR that offers incredible high-speed performance and low-light capability. On the positive side, the camera excels in high-ISO performance, delivering clean results up to ISO 25,600 and making it highly viable for low-light photography without worrying about grain. Its 61-Point High Density Reticular auto-focus system, enhanced by Intelligent Tracking and Recognition (iTR), provides exceptional focus accuracy on fast-moving subjects like a hovering kingfisher. Additionally, user experience is improved with the transition to two fast CF card slots, the inclusion of a larger 3.2-inch LCD screen, dual depth-of-field preview buttons, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. However, the camera comes with notable downsides, including a physical weight of over 1.5KG that may deter users concerned with heavy gear. There is a minor disappointment regarding its 18-megapixel resolution, which represents a drop compared to previous 21-megapixel bodies like the 1Ds Mark III. The tracking system struggles in high-contrast environments such as choppy, sunlit water, which can occasionally steal focus from a subject. Minor design regressions and software oversights also hamper the workflow,...

The Canon EOS-1D X is a high-end, professional full-frame DSLR camera that delivers impressive capabilities for astrophotography but carries specific limitations due to its general-purpose design. On the positive side, the camera boasts a massive extended ISO range up to 204800, driven by an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor with gapless microlenses that maximizes light capture. It keeps image noise remarkably well-controlled up to ISO 12800 while maintaining a rich tonal dynamic range, making it excellent for short-exposure wide-field Milky Way shots, meteor photography, and fast-shooting events like solar eclipses. Furthermore, its robust magnesium alloy body is environmentally sealed against damp outdoor conditions, and its dual CF card slots provide ample storage capacity. However, the camera presents notable drawbacks for dedicated night-sky imaging. A major downside is its built-in infrared filter, which blocks essential hydrogen-alpha light from emission nebulae, muting true pinkish-red colors and turning images overly blue. Ergonomically, the 1.04-million-pixel preview screen does not pivot, making it difficult to view framing at tricky viewing angles. Additionally, the camera is heavily built at 1.34 kg, lacks a built-in flash, and its compressed...

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, reviewed on The-Digital-Picture.com, is identified as a versatile, mid-tier prime lens offering excellent image quality and sharp center results when stopped down, superior to the f/1.8 version. Key advantages include its lightweight build, fast and quiet autofocus, full-time manual focus override, and a wide f/1.4 aperture suitable for low-light, indoor, and portrait photography. Conversely, the review notes significant cons, such as soft images and strong halation at the maximum f/1.4 aperture, along with high vignetting on full-frame cameras. The lens features a less robust, plasticky construction that lacks weather sealing and displays noticeable flare in bright light.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM is a mid-tier prime lens that sits between Canon’s premium f/1.2L and budget f/1.8 options. Introduced in 1993, the lens features a decent build quality consisting of a metal mount and high-quality plastic outer barrel. A major pro of this lens is its physical handling, which includes a broad, smooth, rubberized manual focus ring. It also features a unique micro-USM autofocus drive that successfully implements full-time manual (FTM) override. While the AF operation is generally fast and silent, it is noted as being slightly inferior to other lenses like the 85mm f/1.8 USM. On the downside, critics and forum users point out that the lens is structurally outdated, specifically highlighting its non-circular aperture blades. For external mechanics, the inner lens tube extends outward by up to 1cm when focusing at closer distances, which might bother some users preferring internal focusing mechanisms. Additionally, manual focusing lacks damping, and the required lens hood must be purchased separately as an optional accessory. Despite these shortcomings and its age, the lens historically achieved excellent scores on APS-C sensors,...

The Canon EOS-1D X review on The-Digital-Picture.com highlights the camera as a professional flagship that merges high-resolution full-frame capabilities with exceptional speed, featuring an 18.1-megapixel sensor, 12 fps continuous shooting, and a highly advanced 61-point autofocus system. Key advantages include superior low-noise, high-ISO performance, a rugged, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, and significant improvements in image processing. Conversely, the camera has a lower resolution (18.1 MP) compared to its 21.1 MP predecessor, the 1Ds Mark III, which may be a drawback for some photographers. Furthermore, achieving the maximum advertised noise reduction requires shooting in JPEG format rather than RAW, and the substantial 1.5-kilogram weight makes it a large, specialized tool for professionals rather than a casual, mobile camera.

The reviewer loves the Canon EOS 1D X camera for nature and bird photography after taking 70,000 shots. It is incredibly fast and takes 12 photos per second. This speed helps a lot when tracking flying birds against the sky. The camera has two memory card slots, which keeps photographers from running out of space during a shoot. The picture quality is amazing. It handles dark shadows and bright lights very well. Photos look sharp and clean, even when using a high ISO setting up to 3,200. However, the camera does have a few drawbacks. It feels much heavier in the hand than older models. The camera shutter makes a very loud, harsh sound. Even the "Silent mode" is not actually quiet. This noise might scare away wild animals. The new batteries do not last noticeably longer than the old ones. Lastly, the reviewer had to send the camera back for a recall after only four months of use.

Ken Rockwell defines the Canon 1D X as a durable, "bulletproof" full-frame DSLR tailored for professional action photographers, highlighting its 12 FPS burst speed and robust weather-sealed construction. Key pros include a bright, clear LCD screen and in-camera corrections for lens issues, offering high-speed performance, though image quality is noted as similar to the lower-cost 5D Mark III. Conversely, Rockwell notes significant cons, including a lower-quality LCD viewfinder display and reduced 8.5 FPS burst speeds at typical apertures, failing to reach top speed consistently. Other drawbacks include the lack of auto-brightness for the rear display and missing auto-ISO shutter speed controls, marking it as a specialized, rather than general-purpose, tool.

The DPReview evaluation of the Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM highlights a durable, mid-range prime lens featuring fast, accurate autofocus with full-time manual override and a robust metal mount. It delivers excellent image quality and strong edge-to-edge sharpness when stopped down to f/5.6–f/11, while maintaining almost no lateral chromatic aberration. However, the lens suffers from significant softness and a "dreamy" look when used at its widest apertures (f/1.4–f/1.8). Performance drawbacks include heavy vignetting, prominent axial and bokeh chromatic aberrations, susceptibility to flare, and noticeable barrel distortion.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM remains a relevant choice for EF-mount users, primarily valued for its lightweight 290g build and compact size, making it an excellent travel and multi-day studio lens. While its plastic body feels somewhat cheap, the lens features a durable metal mount. In terms of performance, it excels as a solid studio performer when stopped down to between f/8 and f/11, where it delivers highly sharp images that can outshine a standard 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens. At an affordable price point of $399 new ($200 used), it offers significant value for photographers who want to reduce their gear weight without heavily sacrificing high-aperture sharpness. However, the lens suffers from notable performance flaws, most notably being "atrocious" at its wide-open f/1.4 setting, where it fails to resolve detail on high-resolution cameras and exhibits prominent chromatic aberrations and ghosting. Furthermore, it completely lacks weather-sealing, restricting its safety on rough outdoor locations. User feedback also highlights a critical structural flaw: the lens has an incredibly fragile internal focusing mechanism and helical collar that can easily warp or break if...

In his review of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 on ⁠Canon Rumors, Justin VanLeeuwen highlights the optic as an exceptional value proposition that bridges the gap between Canon’s budget and luxury 50mm options. Priced around $399.99, it serves as a "bokeh gateway drug" perfectly suited for beginner and professional photographers alike who want to capture high-quality portraits, family photos, or food photography. A major pro noted in the review is its beautiful bokeh quality and its impressive sharpness from f/2.0 onward, which easily justifies its cost over the budget f/1.8 lens. Additionally, its wide f/1.4 aperture makes it an excellent choice for low-light photography without requiring a flash, and choosing it over the high-end f/1.2 L lens saves photographers roughly $900 while sacrificing very little noticeable performance. However, the review details several notable cons regarding the lens's aging design and physical build. While the outer shell is sturdier than the f/1.8 model, it still lacks the superior build quality, weight, and critical weather sealing found on the premium f/1.2 L series. Mechanically, its autofocus is fast but a bit noisy,...

The Photo Review Australia analysis highlights the Canon EOS-1D X as a durable, weather-sealed flagship DSLR featuring an 18.1-megapixel sensor and a 61-point autofocus system. It is praised for its 12 fps shooting speed, excellent high-ISO noise control, and robust performance suitable for professional sports and wildlife photography. Conversely, the review notes the high cost and specific autofocus limitations when using extenders, making it less accessible for non-professionals. The analysis suggests the Canon EOS 5D Mark III as a more cost-effective alternative for users not requiring the 1D X's extreme speed and durability. Photo Review

The LensTip.com review concludes that the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.4 USM is a well-built, reliable lens with great performance once stopped down slightly. In terms of pros, the lens delivers good frame center sharpness at apertures above f/2.0. It provides very good picture quality at the edges on APS-C sensors and good quality on full-frame cameras. The build quality is solid and compact, featuring a well-corrected astigmatism, low chromatic aberration, and lack of distinct geometric deformations at the frame edges. Additionally, users benefit from a fast, silent, and highly accurate autofocus system. However, the review highlights several cons, especially when shooting wide open. At f/1.4, the image becomes distinctly "soft" and suffers from very high coma, visible distortion on full frame, and massive vignetting on full frame. The lens is also highly susceptible to flares when shooting against bright light. While it offers a 65% photon advantage over the cheaper f/1.8 version, the reviewer notes that serious photographers will appreciate the sturdier build and reliability, whereas budget-conscious amateurs might prefer saving $270 by choosing the f/1.8 model.

The review highly praises the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 Standard Lens, highlighting it as an exceptional, high-quality prime lens that serves as a superior starter alternative to standard zoom kit lenses like the EF 18-55mm. The reviewer notes its incredible versatility across multiple platforms, functioning as an exceptional portrait lens with an equivalent 80mm focal length on cropped-sensor DSLRs, while completely coming into its own on full-frame cameras. Optically, the prime design outperforms expensive zoom lenses like the Canon EF 24-70mm 2.8 at 50mm by delivering a slightly wider field of view, noticeably better edge-to-edge clarity, and fewer problems with flaring, vignetting, or color-distorting chromatic aberrations. Mechanically, it is light, portable, relatively cheap at around $430, and the ultra-wide f1.4 maximum aperture pulls in up to two extra stops of light, making it a critical asset for capturing sharp, camera-shake-free images in dim low-light situations like church weddings. Despite the glowing recommendation, the review does point out specific limitations inherent to its design and performance. The primary optical drawback is that when the lens is shot wide open at its...