The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM ($1,619 direct) is one of only two f/1.2 lenses available for the Canon EOS camera system, the other being the EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, which is best suited for portraiture.

Expensive; Large and heavy; A little soft at maximum aperture.

This speedy full-frame 50mm f/1.2L ($1,400, street) fills a vacancy left by the demise of Canon's 50mm f/1.0L four years ago. The company's only L-series normal lens, it's the fastest normal AF lens on the planet. Hands On

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, first released in mid 2006, is the fastest 50mm lens in Canon's arsenal. With the exception of Leica's Noctilux-M f/1.0 (which is not even available in SLR format) and Canon EF 50mm f/1.0L, which has been discontinued some time ago, Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is the fastest...

Canon currently has four 50mm lenses in production, the EF 50/1.8 II, the EF 50/1.4 USM , the EF 50/2.5 Macro and the EF 50/1.2L USM . There are also two others which are no longer current: the EF 50/1.0L and the original EF 50/1.8.

For many years, a fixed focal length (prime) 50mm lens was standard for film SLRs. Although 50mm lenses are not nearly as popular as they used to be, there are still many people who want one of these in their kit.

Canon's 50mm f/1.2 in Leica screwmount (39mm x 26 tpi) is something of a legend. Introduced in 1957/58, it is very fast and today it is relatively affordable. The main alternatives, after all, are either Leica Noctiluxes (the 50mm f/1.2, 1966, discontinued, or the 50mm f/1, 1967, still current) or...

As to be expected from a Canon L grade lens the EF 50mm f/1.2 USM L has an exceptional build quality thanks to a tightly assembled combination of high quality plastics and metal parts. A sealing against dust and humidity as well as the the very smooth focus ring completes this positive impression.

Canon's lenses are split broadly into two camps: the standard ‘amateur' lenses and the pro-level L-series optics. The 50mm f1.2 is one of the latter. It's a fixed focal length lens in an age when almost everyone uses zooms, and it costs more than a semi-pro digital SLR.

I absolutely love this lens. Crisp, vivid photos every time. Use it mostly for portraits and it hardly ever comes off my camera body! The small details in the shot are beautiful and the images are again vivid and sharp and clean!

Outstanding 50mm Lens! It's a little heavy, a bit bigger than most other 50mm Primes... but photographic quality is absolutely superb! My guess is that the size and weight are a direct result of top quality glass and components; I haven't found a situation which this lens has struggled at.