click for bigger image click for bigger image Oddly enough, this lens uses a 58mm filter-size as opposed to the 52mm-size on the discontinued EF 50mm f/1.8 and the current EF 50mm f/1.8II lenses. The f/1.4 maximum aperture may be the reason for the bigger diameter lens barrel but the FD 50mm f/1.4 was designed to accept 52mm filter and accessories. But I suppose Canon had designed the f/1.4 lens this way to ensure full compatibility with its other fast aperture fixed focal length lenses like the EF 28mm f/1.8 USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM and EF 100mm f/2.0 USM. All of them also employed the same 58mm filter-size diameter, an important fact to consider when filters such as the circular polarizer (PL-C) or neutral density (ND) types are part of the photographer's arsenals. Mind you, there are still photographers out there who will trust only the fixed focal length lenses over prime quality zoom lenses and would prefer to invest in the above mentioned EF lenses rather than an EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM or the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM zoom lens. click for bigger image Before anybody else be a little bit surprised of using a 50mm lens for snapshot photography, let me tell you that one doesn't really need to use telephoto lenses having focal length of 200mm or longer or zoom lenses like a 70-210mm or the 100-300mm varieties to shoot candid pictures. Long lenses are used for snapping candid shots when you don't want the subjects to know you are photographing them. But as any news photographers and photojournalists can tell you, shorter optics like 28 or 35mm wide-angle and standard 50mm lenses are invaluable for photographing candid pictures at close distances. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 .