Canon’s EF 50mm f1.4 USM is another ideal portrait lens for cropped bodies and a step-up from the f1.8 model above. The higher price gets you a brighter aperture which at f1.4 can gather 16 times more light than the EF-S 18-55mm kit lens when zoomed-in. You also get USM focusing which is quicker and quieter than the f1.8 model, not to mention easier manual focusing and superior build quality. If you can afford it, it’s worth spending the extra.

I hope to add sample images and comparisons with this lens in the future.