The sharpness is outstanding, although I did have some front focusing issues and had to use the Canon 7D menu feature to make adjustments. I do notice a big difference in sharpness when I stop down to F/4 or higher (smaller aperture). I generally like to shoot with this aperture because of the increased sharpness and the depth of field. I know many like to have a shallower DOF but I find it harder to keep my subject in focus with the bigger apertures, using a smaller aperture gives me a larger margin of error when shooting. I'd rather have the photo with more in focus than not have the photo at all.
The build quality is good, not great. Many people complain about a lens when it's not made from metal, but I actually like the lighter plastics, they are easier to carry and hold in place for longer periods of time. For me lighter is better.
The focusing is fast and quiet with no hunting regardless of light quality. This is a sharp contrast with my Tamron lens that will spend some time hunting for the right focus while annoying me with the loud motor turning the focus ring. It seems the USM motor that Canon produces on their lenses is reliable throughout as I also have a 10-22mm with the same motor and same quick and quiet auto focus.
I notice a big difference in chromatic aberration when I stop down the lens, I have no idea if this has any scientific merit, but this is my finding.
The Bad: The lens doesn't come with a lens hood. I'd recommend not purchasing the official hood from Canon, instead pick up a third party hood from B&H.
This is a prime lens which means your feet are the zoom. I realize this the big reason why many purchase this lens in the first place, knowing the compromise with having better sharpness and chromatic aberration control is the inability to zoom from the barrel of the lens. My problem though is using the lens with my Canon 7D crop sensor, sometimes I find myself indoors and I have no room to move back to get my entire subject in the frame. I think for this reason you will need to also purchase a 17-50mm zoom lens. Canon and Tamron both make excellent versions of the 17-50mm zooms, but I'll have to save that for another review.
The Big Question:
I think the big question for most consumers is which 50mm lens to buy, the 1.8, 1.4, or 1.2? I have both the 1.8 and the 1.4 and they are both wonderful. I have the 1.8 for my old Rebel and the 1.4 for my 7D. The 1.8 is a very poor build quality, but it produces wonderful images, a perfect complement to to Rebel. The 1.2 is the godfather of all primes and would enhance anyone's ability to take a great photo, but it's hard to justify the $1500 for the lens. I think the 1.4 is the perfect lens for the enthusiast who is ready to take their photography to the next level and begin experimenting with the classic 50mm focal length, even if it may be on crop sensor.
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