A home exercise in what happens when you change the distance to the subject, but keep the relative size of the subject the same (by changing the focal length), can be seen in many movies, since it's often used as a dramatic effect.
If it's a person, then you'll often see how the person in front suddenly seems a lot larger than the people in the back, or vice versa.
Alfred Hitchkock is credited for creating that technique in the movie Vertigo.
On the other hand you get another bargain 80/2 lens in the form of the 50/1.4 which is still a very good lens but not quite the same quality.
The 50mm f/1.4 is no slouch. I don't have (or have access to) a 80mm f/1.2L to compare it to but I have yet to find any L lens that can match it's performance in sharpness, color reproduction, etc (although some come close in the mid-to-long range). If Canon gave it ring-USM, basic weather sealing and a red ring they could sell it as an L. There are definatly no lenses in the 24-35mm range that can remotely match it (24-70
maybe). Small viewfinder issue aside, if there was a lens that existed that could come close to matching what I get from my 50 then I wouldn't mind crop-factor cameras so much.
I would love to have a small 4-6mp camera with a lens at normal FOV that handles as well as the 20D with a quiet mirror for candid photography stuff. Unfortunatly no Canon like that exists (Canon: pay attention: Since I really only use one or two lenses switching to a new camera platform is not out of the question...as if they'd care about little 'ol me lol). Since Canon doesn't seem too interested in building a great cropped camera (better viewfinder and quieter miror is all the need...) my only hope is in the FF area. The current choices sucks pretty hard in one area or another; especially when it comes to the optical perfomance of the lenses.
10D: useable shutter volume, sluggish performance. Not much of an improvement over my hacked 300D.
20D: Great performance all around, loud-a** shutter
300D/350D: tiny viewfinders hurt my eyes
1D/1D Mk II: Too big (nothing agianst it there, just not useable for me)
Since the possability of the 5D is getting even more likely that it's legit I'm heavily considering it for my next camera. It just apeals to my needs in almost every way. Full frame letting my use my 50 as intended, 13mp out-resolves 35mm film and allows for big prints, 3fps is all I need, no built-in flash, large viewfinder, not as large as a 1 series, certainly to have equal or better optic and handling performance as the 20D.
If this is real, it's a good move for Canon as I was heavily considering going the rout of a Minolta 7D or Epson RD-1. If Canon keeps the mirror noise at acceptable levels, they will have earned a pruchase from me. Of course, once I can afford it...