- Posted on
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is arguably the most popular - and probably the most failure-prone - lens in photo history. Yes, popularity amplifies the number of complaints, but objectively, there are genuine issues.
- Early batches were sensitive to even minor impacts — the helicoid ring would deform, and both manual and autofocus would fail.
- Over time, the planetary gear system would wear out, causing annoying rattle during manual and auto focusing.
- The motor used has a limited lifespan and fails eventually — even without drops, water damage, or abuse.
The instance I got my hands on had the first two issues combined — so let’s tear it down and fix it.