Abstract ― Into the Light Having once owned the Canon 50mm 1.8 II(MK2) a few months I still remember how its build quality left a lot to be desired. Grant it, its a cheap lens at an average price of $115 or so but what’s undeniable is its sharpness. So after researching a bit, I soon discovered there was a Canon 50mm 1.8 MK1 version which dates back 20 years or so. I got to looking around and for a little less than $200 I found a wonderful copy from a photographer who had a few copies. Immediately you notice quite a few differences from the MK2 version which doesn’t have any following: metal mount distance scale nice manual focus ring Autofocus speed versus the MK2 version is about the same, if there are any differences I didn’t notice any, its quite fast as it is and I’m satisfied. Where the MK1 version truly shines and I think its value well worth it, is in the way the lens handles. Manual focus is no longer …