| Year | 1971 |
| Lens Groups | 6 |
| Lens Element | 7 |
| Aperature Blades | 8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/16 |
| Closest Focusing | 0.45 m |
| Max. Magnifcation | 1:6.9 (0.145x) |
| Filter Size | 55 mm |
| Diameter x Length | 66 x 49 mm |
| Weight | 370 gr (0.82 lb) |
| Hood | BS-55 |
I bought this lens for my sony nex-3, as a modest telephoto lens, after reading the praise it got on the internet. It really lives up to its reputation. Portraits come out especially beautiful thanks to its pleasant bokeh. Used wide open, it needs a hood to prevent flare & I don't find the Canon hoods very handy.
This is surprisingly different from the FDn version of this lens.
The build is slightly coarse and plastic compared to the FL lenses, but still quite solid and less plastic than the FDn. Sharpness is at least on par with the FDn version, and maybe a tad better. Colors are very snappy and contrast is high. SA was less obvious than on the FDn. Overall, way better than the f/1.8 versions and a touch better than the FDn f/1.4. It does flare fairly easily, and can completely lose contrast when that happens.
Although bokeh are generally quite smooth, there is a thin bright line on the PSF that makes out-of-focus points of light look like circles as opposed to discs. It is more like the bokeh on my FL 55mm f/1.2 than the FDn 50mm f/1.4. It also suffers from red/cyan bokeh CA.
Overall, it's a pleasant lens to use on a NEX.
This is a lens that should be at least tried by anyone owning an FD camera. It's fast and very sharp, with excellent contrast and color rendition. It's a common lens, and the price is very reasonable, especially considering its fine qualities. It's made a believer out of many new owners.