About this item 50 millimeter focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8 Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography; Angle of view (horizontal, vertical, diagonal): 40º, 27º,46º Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 feet (0.35 meter) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continuous move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills 80 millimetre effective focal length on APS C cameras, 50 millimetre on full frame cameras. Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
A unique and indispensable addition to Canon’s series of EF lenses, the 50 millimeter focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8. It is a standard lens type.
Product Dimensions 1.54 x 2.72 x 2.72 inches Item Weight 5.6 ounces ASIN B00X8MRBCW Item model number 0570C005AA Batteries 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. Customer Reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars Best Sellers Rank #1 in
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer No Date First Available May 10, 2015 Manufacturer Canon Cameras US Language English, English, English, English, English Country of Origin Malaysia
Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please [PDF ]
Would you like to
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
Share:
Found a lower price? Let us know. Although we can’t match every price reported, we’ll use your feedback to ensure that our prices remain competitive.
URL:
Price: ($)
Shipping cost: ($)
Date of the price:
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
/
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
/
Store name:
City:
State:
Please select province
Please select province
Price: ($)
Date of the price:
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
/
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
/
Please to provide feedback.
Submit Feedback
Product Dimensions 1.54 x 2.72 x 2.72 inches
Item Weight 5.6 ounces
ASIN B00X8MRBCW
Item model number 0570C005AA
Batteries 1 Lithium Ion batteries required.
Customer Reviews /* * Fix for UDP-1061. Average customer reviews has a small extra line on hover * https://omni-grok.amazon.com/xref/src/appgroup/websiteTemplates/retail/SoftlinesDetailPageAssets/udp-intl-lock/src/legacy.css?indexName=WebsiteTemplates#40 */ .noUnderline a:hover { text-decoration: none; } .cm-cr-review-stars-spacing-big { margin-top: 1px; } 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 16,548 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); }); 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best Sellers Rank #1 in SLR Camera Lenses
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer No
Date First Available May 10, 2015
Manufacturer Canon Cameras US
Language English, English, English, English, English
Country of Origin Malaysia
About this item 50 millimeter focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8 Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography; Angle of view (horizontal, vertical, diagonal): 40º, 27º,46º Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 feet (0.35 meter) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continuous move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills 80 millimetre effective focal length on APS C cameras, 50 millimetre on full frame cameras. Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
The wide f/1.8 aperture lets in more than 8x the amount of light compared to the standard zoom lens that is provided with your EOS. This results in sharper images with less motion blur and reduced need to use flash in dimly lit conditions so you can easily capture the atmosphere of a low light environment. The 50mm focal length allows you to fill the frame with your subject from a comfortable distance making it a great lens for portraits. A similar perspective to the human eye and its compact size make the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM a great everyday lens to always carry with your EOS camera. The near-silent STM (Stepping Motor) technology focuses extremely quickly when shooting photos, so you can react suddenly to capture fleeting moments. Creating high quality movies is easier with STM as it delivers steady and quiet continuous focusing, so your movies are smooth, and soundtracks only capture the surrounding sounds and not the noise of a focusing motor. The EF 50mm f/1.8 STM replaces the popular EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens which was affectionately known for giving outstanding picture quality at an affordable price. This latest version gives the same stunning photo quality but with a fast, near-silent focus motor and a more robust build that belies its price.
Compact and lightweight—an outstanding walk-around lens Canon’s EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a great entry into the world of EOS prime lenses. With an 80mm effective focal-length on APS-C cameras, 50mm on full-frame cameras, it’s an excellent prime lens for portraits, action, even nighttime photography. Its bright maximum aperture of f/1.8 helps it not only to excel in low light, but also to capture gorgeous, sharp images and movies with beautiful background blur thanks to its circular 7-blade design. An updated lens arrangement with new lens coatings helps render images with excellent color balance, plus minimized ghosting and flare. Performance is brilliant, with a stepping motor (gear-type STM) to deliver near silent, continuous Movie Servo AF for movies plus speedy, smooth AF for stills. A redesigned exterior with improved focus ring placement makes manual focus adjustments a breeze. Canon’s most compact 50mm lens, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has a rugged metal mount, plus an improved minimum focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x. Offering sharp performance for the best in movies and stills, it’s a fixed focal length gem—the perfect lens for photographers and moviemakers to expand the creative possibilities with their EOS cameras.
>
/>
/>
/>
/>
/>
| Product Dimensions | 1.54 x 2.72 x 2.72 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 5.6 ounces |
| ASIN | B00X8MRBCW |
| Item model number | 0570C005AA |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
| Customer Reviews | /* .cm-cr-review-stars-spacing-big { 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 16,548 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when('A', 'cf').execute(function(A) { 4.8 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #1 in SLR Camera Lenses |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | May 10, 2015 |
| Manufacturer | Canon Cameras US |
| Language | English, English, English, English, English |
| Country of Origin | Malaysia |
QC.reviews –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sealed product was already registered!?
Lense is great, undamaged, only issue I have is apparently the lense is already registered on canon site, which is really weird considering I got it ‘new’…
Breanna –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this lens
I bought this lens because I’ve heard so many good things about it. I borrowed one from a friend before purchasing to make sure it was something that I liked and it changed my photography game in the best way possible! Love this lens and the quality it brings to my photos
C. Partipilo –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nifty Fifty goodness
It works great, and it does everything other reviews mention. It is a cheap alternative to begin experimenting with portrait photography. This is the lens I take when I travel as it would not hurt that much if it got lost or stolen compared to my other lenses.
Victor cox –
5.0 out of 5 stars
canon quality.
Great quality at teriffic savings!
Godless Gardener –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can see why they call it the nifty 50.
This is a great lens for everyone from an amateur to a pro. it has a super sharp focus, and for the price, you just can’t beat it.Definitely one of my first “go to “prime lenses
One person found this helpful
Doug E Russell –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good lense
Got this for medium field portraits. Works well, haven’t used it enough to give you a technical breakdown or anything.
Wayne B –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good lense
It’s a good cannon lense and works great
PMaharjan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
description
Very nice and fit prefect. Very sturdy and easy to use.
Peggy Boggs –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gift
Granddaughter loves it
AbbyAbby –
5.0 out of 5 stars
INCREDIBLE!
Maybe I’m being a little biased because I’m to excited but this lens is beautiful! It is a manual lens btw which I thought would be intimidating but I know how to work manual now so it makes playing with this lens super fun!My only complaint was that when it was shipped it was in a thick Amazon bag like envelope…and just that, the lens was in its box, in that bag moving around and not secure so there was room for it maybe to drop? Move around a bunch? I don’t know but it doesn’t appear to be broken or damaged thank God! But other than that I am over the moon and so happy this lens gets to be apart of my ever-growing collection! Please buy it, you won’t regret it!
4 people found this helpful
Kathy Brown –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Convenient ordering, fast delivery
The nifty 50 is such a great lens. The price is good and fast delivery worked out perfect.
Marina Orangkhadivi –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works with my Canon R8
Pretty good, I guess not the best but price is reasonable. Taking good photos
2 people found this helpful
Jeremy Roberts –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It’s a nifty fifty
The lens is great and functions as it should. The glass is very clear and it takes great photos.
Paige W. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Replacement
How do I go about getting a new lens shipped for receiving a cracked lens. I never noticed until I started shooting.
Brittany P. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
The quality of my photos with this lens is just incredible, one of my go-to lens; never leave the house with this one. It’s extremely easy to transport, it’s extremely light, it’s like a feather on the camera.
One person found this helpful
EssentialReview –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My new fav lens
Great lens I use it for everything and it does a fantastic job. Most likely will be buying another one to have as a backup.
Casey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The absolute best bang for your buck
Where to start… I had an older version of this lens about 5 years ago. I enjoyed it, but it broke a few months after purchasing it (possibly my fault– it suffered a short drop, although any of my other lenses would have been totally fine). I decided to get something that I thought would be a little more durable, so I “upgraded” to the 50mm 1.4. That lens was also good, and I used it occasionally for about 5 years. I say occasionally, because 50mm on a crop sensor isn’t my preferred focal length since I mostly shoot wildlife (my 100-400L II is basically glued to my camera); it was perfect for portraits though. I was becoming frustrated with the autofocus on that lens– it’s very dated– and heard great things about this new 1.8. At around $100 I decided to go for it.This was a couple months ago. I’m mostly a photohobbyist but I do the occasional professional work for my job or friends. I had the opportunity to bust it out (for the first time, really) yesterday at a studio photoshoot for work, and WOW, it blew me away. I brought several more expensive lenses to that shoot (100-400L and 100L) but due to the lighting and distance I was working with, the 50mm was the best option with my 80D. I was concerned at first since I didn’t know this lens as well, but I left that shoot with photos that had my coworkers saying they couldn’t wait to bring me on the next one. I also can’t wait to use it for studio shots again.A couple of caveats: the build is pretty cheap. It’s a very light lens, which can be a good thing, but I’d be worried about dropping this even a couple inches (RIP: my previous 1.8). At the price, though, a replacement won’t break the bank. The other thing to keep in mind is that on a crop sensor camera, like my much-loved 80D, this field of view might be a little tighter than you want. This lens would be difficult to use in cramped quarters, and if you want a walk-around lens for a crop sensor, I’d sooner suggest the 28mm 2.8, or even the 40mm. I have the former, and it’s perfect for street photography, although it won’t give you a fantastic background blur or bokeh like this lens will.If you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive lens to give you professional-quality portrait or product photography, this is your lens.
One person found this helpful
David Tigue –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nifty Fifty is the way to go for Portrait Photography
I bought this for my wife. She is a beginner photographer and she has mentioned being interested in taking portraits. She especially wanted to take my youngest daughter’s senior portraits this year. So she and I did some research and found several lenses that were good for portraits but when it came down to it, everyone suggests going with this one. When I say everyone, I mean beginners through advanced photographers. Almost all of them have one of these in their arsenal. I was amazed at how well it works. My phone has a neat portrait mode on it, basically it focuses in on the subject and blurs the background, but this is all done through computational algorithms. Basically, the software on the phone decides what needs to be in focus and what doesn’t. Sometimes it is spot on, but other times it may blur some of the persons hair or clothing, etc. Well, this lens doesn’t have those issues. The lens will focus in on whatever you want to be in focus and through the magic of photography and lenses, everything else is blurry. You can tell that these photos weren’t taken on a phone. Even with the best phones out there, this lens paired with a decent camera is leaps and bounds beyond what the phone can do. I am not a photographer, but I do have an eye for these types of things. I have an eye for detail. If you want to take great portrait shots, at an affordable price, then this is the lens to buy.
One person found this helpful
Placeholder –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everything you’ve heard about this lens is probably true
I am a very casual photographer with a Canon EOS 600D (Rebel T3i in some regions). I bought the set with two kit lenses, EF S18-55 IS II and EF S55-250 IS II. I mainly got a dSLR for the ability to take profile shots with beautiful blurry bokeh backgrounds. The 55-250mm kit lens was fairly good at this, but require a large open space and a decent amount of distance between the photographer, the subject and the background for a nice blurry-background shot. I wanted a lens that took beautiful blurry-background shots while allowing me to remain closer to the subject.After being on the fence about this “nifty-fifty” lens for a while, I ended up buying this newer version, which supposedly has a better build and all. And I love it. Photos are very sharp and have the blurry backgrounds I was (and you probably are) looking for. Especially for the price, this lens is great. It’s also small, so I keep it attached to my camera all the time and sometimes don’t even carry my camera holster when heading out. It’s very convenient for everyday use.Compared to the two kit lenses, however, this one focuses somewhat slower and sometimes has trouble focusing in lower light situations. This is, of course, not a dealbreaker at all because you can always focus manually. Be careful when focusing manually because it has a rather narrow range of focus and you may miss your object of interest from this focus zone, especially if visibility is lower. Also, since it auto-focuses a little slower than the kit lens, forget about taking any shots of moving subjects in most cases (when your distance from them is changing, even slightly). They won’t come out as good. It does take photos fairly quickly though, especially in bright light, so that helps.Being a 50mm lens, however, it may feel a bit zoomed-in compared to the 18mm kit lens you probably received with your Rebel T3i. With no adjustable zoom, this lens is basically useless when taking photos across a table at a restaurant, for instance. In many cases, I found myself moving uncomfortably away from the subject to compose the shot properly. This becomes awkward indoors sometimes. Still totally worth it because pretty much every portrait comes out to be profile photo-worthy.I recommend this as your first lens other than kit lenses if you’re a casual photographer. In fact, you can probably stop here.
12 people found this helpful
Hamilton W. Williams, Jr. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Manual focus ring sometimes fails to work
I received the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens sold by Amazon Services, Inc. for about 2 hours ago and immediate tried it out on my Canon EOS Rebel T2i. In general, I love this lens. It seems to have solid construction. My initial test shots at f1.8 in my dimly lit pottery studio yield more stunning results with sharp clarity and shallow depth of field than my kit lenses have ever been able to provide. The auto focus works quite well, though I wish it were a bit quieter. The lens motor is not obtrusively loud, and certainly quieter than my kit lenses, but the low sound it does emit will certainly be picked up on mic when I shoot video.My only real complaint about this lens so far is that the manual focus ring fails to operate all the time. The first time, I set the camera to MF from AF, I turned the ring and nothing happened. The lens did not change position and, as a result, the focus did not adjust. At first, I thought I must have had something set incorrectly, but a quick run-through of settings confirmed that everything was as it should be. I shifted back to AF and everything worked fine, then back to MF. After a few minutes, the MF did kick in and I could focus cleanly with the focus ring. After an hour of testing it out, I’ve found that the manual focus will intermittently fail to function. I can’t figure out what causes the failure as not specific set of circumstances seems to cause the problem.My best guess is that there is some slight misalignment of connections within the lens mechanism. It does seem like the problem is less persistent than it was when I first started testing out the lens. The lens seems to function properly in MF mode 95% of the time, but it’s the kind of problem that I don’t want to encounter a critical moment and lose a shot. For now, I’m going to keep testing the lens and see if the problem continues. I have until Jan 31, 2020 to return the lens, but I would prefer to hold on to it if the MF problem ceases.
One person found this helpful
Victoria Sadoski –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nifty Fifty
The best bang for your buck if you are looking for a decent lense that doesn’t cost over $500 bucks.
One person found this helpful
JessicaJessica –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing!!
Where has this been all my life?! This takes amazing quality pictures and I’m so happy I bought it! 😍
One person found this helpful
KeslieKeslie –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best lens for starters!
I recently bought a Canon 5D Mark IV and didn’t want to spend too much on a lens yet. I was a little skeptical buying these lens because of how inexpensive it was but I have had nothing but amazing images come out of it! If you’re new in photography & need a cheap lens, this is the one for you! Honestly don’t think I even need to invest in a more expensive lens because of how amazing the quality of these lens are. 10/10, will always recommend these to anyone!
5 people found this helpful
NickNick –
5.0 out of 5 stars
As close to tack sharp as you can expect for under $700
This lens was used on a Canon 6D.The “nifty-fifty” or “fantastic plastic” has been a staple in most Canon DSLR shooters bags for years, it’s offered us an inexpensive opportunity to test out prime lenses and see what separates them from zooms. Having owned the previous version (50mm f/1.8 II) with mixed feelings regarding the lens due to build I was eager to try out the new design.Sharpness:- For $125 this little guy is impressive although I can’t say the results are tack sharp, they are very close and you have to become a pixel peeper to really tell the difference between these results and results from a more expensive lens.- At 1.8 the corner were not as sharp as the center of the frame, 2.8 and higher resolves this- Bokeh, Love it, nothing more needs said.Auto-focus:I’ve found the auto-focus to be a bit slow in low light situations where other lenses such as the Canon 24-105 and Sigma 70-200 have no problems.Build:- WOW! Canon delivered on the new build. Holding this lens vs the 50mm 1.8 II is night and day. This feel extremely study, the focus ring glides smooth, and THANK YOU CANON for giving us the metal mounting ring. Nobody will be calling this lens the “fantastic plastic” because the cheap feeling is gone!Conclusion:Most of you reading this will be asking these questions most likely:1) Is it worth upgrading over the 50mm 1.8 II?No, the image quality is very similar to the previous version. The biggest upgrade here was the build and slightly improved optics (Very slight).2) Is it worth $125?Yup. After shooting with this lens for two days I’ve already recommended it to three of my photographer friends3) What is the general use of this lens?-This will depend on your camera body – for a full frame such as the 5D and 6D this lens is great for group portraits, walk around, a natural aspect shots (no compression or distortion).- On a crop sensor (Rebel Txi, xxD) this will be an 80mm focal length which makes it AMAZING for portraits. The fast aperture really isolates your subject well and allows you to blur the background to minimize distracting elements.
41 people found this helpful
Hannah BarlowHannah Barlow –
5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVE!
I bought this to go on my Canon t7 and it is amazing. The shots are clear as can be…a major upgrade from my 35 lens. So glad I got my “nifty 50”
One person found this helpful
Amanda Stewart –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for portraits
It is a little bit of a noisier lens, but it takes crisp photos with beautiful Boca. Perfect for the beginner lens.
ruben blair –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smart Reader
It is absolutely excellent!!!
Pam –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Bocca
Love the backgrounds it creates. I have only used it a couple times but it is excellent
DRDDRD –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I’m new to photography, but this lens made me feel like a pro!
Being new to photography, lens selection can be intimidating. I like to shoot portraits and product shots. Everywhere I read, said this was a good prime lens to start with. The good ole “nifty fifty”. Well, I also shoot aps-c, so I was a little concerned about the crop factor without using a speed booster. Using it with just a Viltrox adapter on my M50 meant that I’d be shooting at around 80mm with this lens. I’ve found this has really made me do my homework on composition before trying to grab the shot. It’s really helped put my legs to work to put the camera in just the right spot. I think at the end of the day, it’s made me happier with the photos I’ve taken with it. I can only compare this with my 15-45 kit lens. The bokeh is so creamy. Clarity is excellent, and at a price that made me feel like a criminal. Love this lens so far! For $125 doll hairs, you cannot go wrong!
10 people found this helpful
AmanjaAmanja –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Serious upgrade from kit lens
This 50mm prime from Canon is a serious upgrade from the kit lens and is relatively cheap for what it’s capable of. Has an f1.8 aperture which provides excellent low light capabilities and turned out to be a very versatile lens for indoor photography. Amazing sharpness, beautiful bokeh and only very subtle vignetting. AF is super quiet and is hardly detectable in videos. This is a fantastic lens for portrait photography. This lens is also much lighter than the kit lens and hence is easy to carry around. This lens can easily be the go-to lens while traveling, street photography etc.Note that in an APS-C camera like Canon EOS Rebel series (T7i, T8i and so on), the effective focal length is 50mm multiplied by the crop factor (x1.6 = 80mm, and x1.5 = 75mm in Nikon APS-Cs). So the only con I would say is that pretty much everything is zoomed-in. So, the lens may not be great for landscape, however on the plus side the focal length is excellent for taking portraits. So for APS-C cameras, if you truly need 50mm, then ideally you should be getting 50mm / 1.6 = ~31mm for Canon and 50mm / 1.5 = 33mm for Nikon (perhaps get a 35mm instead).I did try it out for astrophotography and it is is decent. As I mentioned before the lens is zoomed-in so do not expect a dramatic nightscape photo (unless you have a very wide view of the horizon)
4 people found this helpful
Dylan LewisDylan Lewis –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A HUGE step-up from the original EF 50mm 1.8 lens
BACKGROUND:Let me start by saying I’m a hobbyist photographer and I’ve been shooting with a Canon Rebel T1i (500D) for the past 10 years. I was heavily budget-constrained, so I rocked my OG Canon 50mm 1.8 (non-STM) version since 2010. For $150 at the time, it was a fast lens that was affordable to most novice DSLR photographers like myself.After recently getting back into my hobby after a couple years of being tied up with other stuff, I noticed my 50mm was producing softer images than I remember. It had never been dropped or otherwise abused, but it just seemed to be not performing the way I expected. The autofocus was reasonably quick, but very loud and lacking in smoothness and accuracy.BUILD QUALITY:Now that I had a little more money saved up, I decided to purchase the updated STM version of this lens and this is a MASSIVE leap from the old version. The build quality and finish, while still being mostly plastic, feels way more robust. The cheap shiny finish of the old version was gone in favor of a beefier, textured plastic. Also, the lens mount itself is now made of aluminum which fits very firmly against the camera body.PERFORMANCE:After testing it out I can say BOY is this thing tack sharp. With my old lens, I had to shoot at F/2.8 if I wanted anything with usable sharpness. This lens is producing razor sharp images wide-open and the autofocus is extremely quiet, smooth and accurate. It is still audible but you really have to listen for it. As far as speed goes, it doesn’t seem much quicker than the old 50mm, but is way more accurate and reliable. The quiet STM focusing makes this usable for video, whereas the old version simply wasn’tJust keep in mind the manual focus still uses an internal motor to move the lens elements. With the camera turned off, turning the focus ring doesn’t do anything. Also, on an older camera body like my T1i, turning off the camera wouldn’t retract the lens barrel. Now that I’ve upgraded to a Canon 90D, I noticed turning off the camera will auto-retract the lens barrel all the way, making it suitable to store in a bag without damaging the lens.SUMMARY:If you’re getting into DSLR photography and have a reasonably modern Canon DSLR body, this lens is a must-have. For $125 at the time of this review, it’s even cheaper than the old lens (especially accounting for inflation), while out-performing it in nearly every metric. Prime lenses are the kings of affordable speed and sharpness, and this lens is right up there with the very best primes you can buy for under $500. If you aren’t jumping on the mirrorless camera bandwagon, this is an excellent lens for both full-frame and crop sensor Canon DSLRs.
47 people found this helpful
Gsk –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional Quality and Versatility
I recently purchased the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, and I am incredibly pleased with its performance and overall value. This lens has exceeded my expectations, delivering exceptional image quality and a versatility that makes it a must-have for any photography enthusiast.First and foremost, the image quality produced by the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is outstanding. The sharpness, clarity, and level of detail it captures are truly remarkable. Whether I’m capturing portraits, landscapes, or everyday moments, this lens consistently delivers stunning results. The wide maximum aperture of f/1.8 allows for beautiful background blur (bokeh), making subjects stand out with a professional and artistic look.The build quality of the lens is also impressive. Despite its affordability, Canon has not compromised on durability. The lens feels solid in hand and is designed to withstand regular use. The STM (Stepping Motor) technology ensures smooth and quiet autofocus, which is particularly useful when shooting videos or capturing candid moments without disturbing the subject.One of the standout features of this lens is its versatility. The 50mm focal length is a classic choice for various photography genres, including portraits, street photography, and low-light conditions. It offers a natural perspective and produces flattering results, making it a favorite among photographers. The lens is also lightweight and compact, making it easy to carry around for any shooting adventure.Another aspect worth mentioning is the affordability of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens. It provides exceptional value for the quality it delivers, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced photographers on a budget. It’s a fantastic entry point into prime lenses and allows photographers to explore creative possibilities without breaking the bank.In conclusion, I highly recommend the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens to any photography enthusiast. Its exceptional image quality, solid build, smooth autofocus, and versatile focal length make it a worthwhile investment. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned photographer, this lens will undoubtedly enhance your photographic experience and deliver impressive results.
15 people found this helpful
eric foster –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow
This lens really upgraded my video quality! I love that it lets in so much light! I do wish I could be able to zoom in with this lens though. At the moment, I have to sit further away from the camera to get perfectly in frame so it is a little tricky. But, this lens is so crisp and lightweight. I do also greatly appreciate the price point! I will be looking for a different lens so I can zoom in and out for my Youtube videos, but this a really good starter lens!
7 people found this helpful
K. M. Burns –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice lens
This is a good, clear and fast lens at a very reasonable price.
Wigged Out Fat GuyWigged Out Fat Guy –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly the best value in all of photography
Ah, the “nifty fifty”! This is without question the best-selling lens from Canon, maybe even of all lenses. Its high price to performance ratio is the reason for this. It can be useful on both crop and full frame, and should probably be every beginners first upgrade lens, which I will discuss more in the review. As with all WOFG reviews, I will cover the pros and cons, offer advice for how to use the lens, and give some suggestions at the end.Let’s pro/con this thing!Pros1. Price – Right at the top of the list is the price, typically 125 USD, though sometimes it can be had new for as little as 100. There are few lenses in this price range that can perform at the level this lens can. Most come with large compromises; lack of or poor auto focus, increased aberrations or fringing, soft when wide open, terrible build quality, etc. The Canon F1.8 STM has minimal compromises. This is not to say there aren’t better lenses, just none in this price class. The closest is probably the Yongnuo 50mm F1.8, which is a cheaper lens (about 50 USD). Realistically though, the Canon outperforms it by enough to be worth the additional 50 dollars or so that it cost. AF performance alone makes it a better choice; the Yongnuo is spotty at best for AF.2. Image quality –Sharp lens, even when wide open it stays fairly sharp (wide open meaning when shooting at F1.8). Colors and contrast look good. If you are using an APS-C/crop camera like one of the Rebel series, you will see a clear difference in image quality with this lens over the 18-55mm lens that likely came with your camera. Full frame users, I personally feel like the F1.8 is a more practical option than the 50mm F1.4 USM, which I will breakdown later in the review as to why. The very good IQ combined with the low price is the reason I suggest this lens more than any other lens as the first upgrade to your camera. I cannot stress enough the value this lens has for either crop users or full frame users. Possibly the best value in all of photography.3. STM focus for video – If you are not familiar with the Canon STM focus, it is a silent focusing system made for video. It is also good for still photos as well, but depending on what you are doing it might be a little slow (see cons). In any case, when I put it to the test on an 80D and a 5DmkIV, it was very quiet in video; no sound could be heard as the lens focused. Note – Not all Canon cameras support the silent focus feature of STM. Any model older than the T4i does not support it. Also, the base models do not support it, even the latest versions (T5, T6, T7, or older). The lens can still use AF; it just might not be silent. One other note, STM requires power to be supplied to focus, even in manual. So keep that in mind if you plan to use accessories like extension tubes or other adaptors. Not all of them supply power to the lens.4. Great focal length – On a full frame camera 50mm is what you might call the most “classic” of focal lengths. Very useful for general photography as well as portraits that have a bit of context to them (meaning more of the surroundings are in the photo). It is also the most popular focal length for street photography (though I admit I don’t really get into that). On an APS-C camera it takes on a more specific role. The crop factor narrows this to 80mm equivalent focal length, which is just about perfect for portraits that have that classic “isolated” look. Think in terms of 8×10 portraits on the wall, or even senior portraits. Combined with the F1.8 aperture I would say it is the best choice for portraits on any APS-C camera for shooters on a budget. It will make similar photos on a crop camera as an 85mm will do on a full frame. A note on 85mm lenses – you have probably heard that 85mm is the best portrait lens. This however considers that you are using a full frame camera, where it is one of the most popular choices for portrait work. On a crop camera the 85mm lens is not as ideal for this purpose. One of two things will happen. You will have to frame everything too tightly (mostly headshots and bust ups), or you will have to move further away to correctly frame your subject. The added distance from you to your subject robs the 85mm of all the things that make it special for portraits when used on a crop (background blur). It isn’t just about being able to shoot at 85mm, it’s being able to do it from the distance it takes to frame a classic portrait, while shooting with a wide aperture to gain the background blur that it creates from that distance, while still having enough depth to keep the main subject in sharp focus. Moving further away decreases your compression and also loses detail. For the classic look you want to be close, and the 50mm gives you that on a crop sensor camera so much more than an 85mm will. This is why I recommend the 50mm focal length for portraits if you have a crop sensor/APS-C camera. It is much more about the distance to your subject with portraits, and knowing the length that works best for that based on your sensor size will take you quite far.5. Fast aperture – For those that have only used the lens that came with your camera, this right here is the main reason I think you should get this lens (other than price). The F1.8 aperture is pretty fast for a lens, offering not only a significant increase in light throughput but also will create the coveted bokeh effect for portraits as described previously. If you’ve not experienced what a wide aperture can do, this is one of the least expensive ways to do it, and fortunately it’s also a good one!6. Compatible with all EOS cameras – I am adding this here mostly for people’s info, since I frequently see people asking about “will this fit on my camera?” This lens is EF, so that means that it will work on all of Canon’s EOS cameras. That is the full frame models; 1D, 5D, and 6D. The crop sensor/APS-C models; all the Rebels, the mid-range models from the 10D to the 80D, and the 7D. It is also able to be used on the mirrorless cameras as long as you have the adaptor for EF lenses. It will even work on older film EOS cameras, going back to the very first ones released in 1987!7. Good minimum focus distance – At just over a foot, this lens can be pretty close to a subject and still focus. I find that on crop sensor cameras that makes it pretty good for close up work. Not as good as a true macro or even the EF-S 24mm F2.8 STM, but still pretty good. Add an extension tube and you have a budget macro setup! (I suggest Kenko Extension Tubes)8. Other stuff – 49mm filter thread means cheap filters if you are into that. Not a common size, so it might be better to use a step down ring with a larger filter. Metal lens mount. Full time manual focus override (you have to “wake” the camera by half pressing the shutter button before turning the focus ring). Overall improved over the older model, the EF 50mm F1.8 II (see comparison later). Very lightweight, especially when compared to other fast 50mm primes.Cons. Most of this is for your information and is not worth the removal of a star. I will say why if I remove a star for any reason. Otherwise it is up to the user to know what they are getting and how to use it.1. Not ideal wide open (F1.8) – Even though it is better wide open than the older F1.4 model, it still suffers from a slight loss in clarity when shooting at F1.8. Not a big deal since most shots will need stopped down a little to increase depth of field anyway (meaning shooting at a narrower aperture). I shoot at F2-F2.8 a lot for portraits, and appreciate the increase in sharpness without losing too much exposure or background blur. I think this is more noticeable on a full frame camera than a crop, since it’s around the outer edges where it is the worse (A crop camera doesn’t really see the outer edges of this lens). The center sharpness is still pretty good at F1.8. I didn’t notice any serious chromatic aberration issues either, but then I don’t use the lens in strong backlight scenarios where those problems become the most pronounced. I haven’t heard from others that it is a problem, whereas on the F1.4 model it is. (See comparison for more info)2. A bit soft in the corners – As to be expected on a lens like this, it loses clarity around the outer edges of the frame. This is most noticeable at F1.8, and is more pronounced on a full frame camera than it is on a crop camera. Once you stop down to even F2 you see an improvement, though it really never becomes as sharp on the edges as it is in the center at wider apertures. I don’t see this as a deal breaker though. This would be the biggest difference in image quality when comparing it to lenses like the EF 50mm F1.2, or the Sigma 50mm F1.4, both lenses known for their high level of optical performance. But those lenses are significantly more expensive. The Sigma is 950 USD, and the Canon is 1400! You get the “nifty 50” because the compromises vs price are just worth it, at least until you know if you want to invest more into a higher quality lens.3. Focus by Wire – Since this is an STM lens, there is no mechanical connection to the focusing gears. What this means is that as you turn the focus ring, instead of that tuning the focus, the camera is sent an electronic signal to tune it instead; it’s not as precise as mechanical focus. I don’t use manual focus on this lens so for me it’s not that big a deal. If you do a lot of manual focus, you might prefer the F1.4 model. Again, focus by wire doesn’t bother me, but I do not know even one photographer that prefers it over mechanical.4. No IS – Does not feature image stabilization. This is really only an issue when you want to shoot at shutter speeds slower than 1/50 sec (1/80 on crop). Since this lens has such a fast aperture there are not a lot of times that is going to be an issue. It makes it less ideal for vlogging though, but the focal length already makes it not ideal for that (vlogging is done from wider angles than this). For me this really didn’t matter since there was no scenario where I would be using this lens that having IS would be a benefit. But if someone wants a 50mm lens with IS, then this isn’t it. Canon doesn’t make one, and I don’t know of any third party 50mm lenses that have it either. Even so, adding IS tends to cause a slight loss in overall sharpness due to the floating element that performs the stabilizing, a definite increase in price, and probably a loss in overall max aperture. So I don’t think I would even want it on a lens like this, since the price, fast aperture, and IQ are the main reasons I am suggesting it.5. Other stuff – No hood is included; I suggest Promaster for hoods (cheaper than Canon and work just as well). For the price of the lens I really didn’t expect a hood. Hood is reversible but covers the entire outside of the lens, making it a bit larger in diameter. Mostly plastic design with a metal mount. Not fragile by any means, the casing still feels solid. No weather or dust sealing. STM focus isn’t as quick as USM, so it’s not really ideal for sports, but not impossible either (shoot in continuous focus mode for sports).I really don’t have anything negative to say about this lens that isn’t also washed by its price. Just a great value for the performance you get from it.ConclusionsWhat a great little lens! It’s so good no matter what kind of Canon you have. I have used it on anything from the entry level SL2 to the professional 5DmkIV. Always gives me good images. Sometimes I switch between the Canon F1.8 and the Sigma 50mm F1.4, and there are times when I am going through the photos and I have to check which lens took what shot. It compares pretty well. In the end the Sigma outperforms it in overall image quality, but as I said before that lens is very expensive. I am a pretty serious shooter these days, and sometimes I even get paid for my work. So I can justify the more expensive Sigma lens. But I cut my teeth on the Canon F1.8 to get to that point. If you are someone that is looking to get more serious, or even just wants to improve over the quality of your kit lens, the 50mm F1.8 is probably the best way to go without having to break your budget. Anyone could afford it, and you will see an immediate improvement in image quality. Just know how to use it to its best purpose on your camera as described earlier in the review. I see no reason someone couldn’t use this lens to eventually move into higher levels of shooting, or just keep using it if it does all you need.Compared to the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II – You may have seen this lens around for about the same price as the STM model. I really don’t suggest this lens. It’s the previous version of the “nifty 50” and is outclassed by the STM model in all ways. If you already have it then it probably works well enough. For about the same price I would take the STM model every time. I won’t even bother with a breakdown since the older model has no advantage over the new one; the STM model is the clear choice. Even if you can get the F1.8 II cheaper, the STM model is so inexpensive that I can’t see it being worth saving a few bucks. This is also why I don’t recommend the Yongnuo 50mm F1.8. You can get it as cheap as 45 USD, but you really get what you pay for. If it’s all you can afford then I would think you can make it work, but 100 USD probably isn’t out of reach for anyone that has already spent 400 or more dollars on a camera.Compared to the Canon EF 50mm F1.4 – This is the real battle here. The F1.4 model is a lens people also like, since it is fairly inexpensive for its class (about 300 USD). Side by side, it does have the advantage of the F1.4 aperture, which is 2/3rds stops more than the F1.8 (theoretically 66% more light, though reality is probably more like 33%). What this does is lets you shoot at faster shutter speeds or lower ISO, and also gives a shallower depth of field (DOF), but there are some compromises here. For one, the F1.4 has known soft focus and chromatic aberrations when shot wide open. To avoid these issues, you have to stop down to about F2-F2.8. So really, you don’t get more from the F1.4, since the F1.8 STM is still fairly sharp wide open and without aberrations, and is technically sharper at F2-F2.8 than the F1.4 lens (in testing that is, in the real world there is no obvious difference). For the difference in price, I just don’t see the “advantage” of F1.4 being enough to be worth almost 200 USD in additional cost. However, some people actually like the soft focus look of the F1.4 model, which is something you can’t get from the F1.8 STM without using some kind of software, filter, or other method (I’ve seen chapstick used on a UV filter to do this, LOL). So if you want that, then the 50m F1.4 isn’t a bad choice and is also fairly inexpensive. If you are just looking to add a better lens to your kit for a low cost, then there is no practical advantage the F1.4 has over the F1.8 for the money. I don’t think there is any situation where the additional light or shallow DOF will make a mind blowing difference, and for good quality images you will be shooting at about the same settings anyway. The F1.4 model is just a really old lens (released in 1993), and has never been updated. The F1.8 is much newer and has more recent engineering and lens coatings that make the 50mm F1.4 almost obsolete. I can’t think of one time that I suggested it over the STM model. I do like it more than the 50mm F1.8 II model. From a practical point of view, the EF 50mm F1.8 STM is Canon’s best budget 50mm lens. If you already have the 50mm F1.4 then just keep using it, it is also a good lens as long as you know how to make it work. If you don’t have either, save some money and get the F1.8 STM model instead and put the money into another lens!Other Suggestions – It wouldn’t be a WOFG review without suggestions! I’m going to do this a little differently since really there is no other lens I suggest for a 50mm that is in this price class, for crop or full frame. Instead, I am going to list my “4 lenses to buy first for Canon APS-C/crop cameras”, to help people acquire a more diverse kit of lenses. The list is only good for crop users though, as the 50mm F1.8 is the only one that can mount to a full frame. I really don’t have such a list for full frame users, but I do have a couple suggestions for other lenses that might be useful to full frame shooters on a budget.For crop users – I’m just going to post the whole list, including the 50mm, and the reasons I suggest each lens.1. EF 50mm F1.8 STM – The lens under review. Great for portraits on a crop camera. No other lens with this quality, speed, or sharpness is available at this price. The review should be pretty clear as to why.2. EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM – Best telephoto for less than a grand. Beats the 75-300mm in all categories except overall reach. Can be bundled with new cameras for about 200 USD, or found used/refurbished/white box “bulk packaging” for about 150.3. EF-S 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 IS STM – For landscapes, architecture, large equipment, or whatever needs a wide angle. Good for video too, especially vlogging, not only thanks to the wide angle but also the IS (one of the only wide lenses Canon makes with that feature).4. EF-S 24mm F2.8 STM – Adds F2.8 to your shooting for a low price (130-150 USD). This makes it possible to shoot at faster shutter speeds than the kit lens can, making it better for moving subjects. Nice that it has a wider angle than the 50mm F1.8, so it’s more versatile for framing.Each of these lenses adds something different to your kit, is highly rated, and is affordable (under 300 per lens). If you are a beginner and looking to expand what you can do, this setup adds a lot of diversity to your kit. Always invest in lenses before getting a new camera! If interested in more info on these lenses, just go to my profile and find my reviews of them. Simply click on my name and then scroll until you find the review.For Full Frame1. EF 40mm F2.8 STM – Not as fast as the 50mm, but a little bit wider angle, and a lot more compact. Easy to shove into a pocket or purse when you are out and about. Just a nice lens, for about 150-180 USD.2. EF 24-105mm F4L IS II USM – This is actually a pretty expensive lens, but for those that want one lens that can do the work of a couple lenses this is it. At 105mm you can get pretty good compression, making up for the lack of a wider aperture, so in some ways it can take the place of a portrait lens if you just want to shoot your kids or other family members. Its 24mm wide angle makes it great for most general shooting. It’s basically the kit lens for full frame Canon’s. There are a couple versions, the latest is the best (IS II), but the older model is cheaper and isn’t too bad. Sigma makes one that is nice and is much sharper than the Canon models, but has sketchy AF. Probably fine for most users.I really only list these since I know they are good lenses that people like to use. I still suggest the 50mm F1.8 to all full frame users. I keep mine in spite of having much more expensive lenses, so that I can use it at times that I might be afraid to risk my Sigma or my 24-70mm lens, since I could pretty much throw away my 50mm F1.8 and get a new one. But these other lenses are pretty useful too, and I think someone that can’t really afford a lot of lenses can benefit from them.That is all I got, all that is left is to check out the images. Thanks for reading my review! If you liked this review, be sure to check out my profile for more reviews on other camera gear, and if you found this helpful please remember to click that helpful button. Thanks again!
961 people found this helpful
Sailolau79 –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe it’s user error, but it’s a really good lens
The lens seems to be really clear and crisp when capturing an image. But, could someone help me here, is it slow to focus or am i not in the right lighting environment to have a quicker focus?I’m using this lens on the Canon T7 and it seems to take really clean and clear pictures. I really like the Bokeh or dept of field that comes from this lens. I also like very very much that this was a used lens and i was able to find it for very very cheap as well. And, it’s in mint condition unless the slow focusing is because it’s not really in mint condition. But, really everything looks brand new like it’s never been used.This is the 3rd time i’ve purchased from the Used lot and it’s been successful. I don’t want to push my luck and purchase a defective item, but i’d consider over and over a used piece if they keep coming in excellent condition. Why pay full price?Well, i would definitely recommend this lens to anyone looking for a 50mm 1.8. solid purchase and solid price in the secondary market.
One person found this helpful
Glenn A.Glenn A. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite lens in my bag
This lens is quickly becoming my first pick out of my camera bag. It is such a versatile lens for so many different scenarios. As a walk around in suburban/urban environments this lens rocks. It has a very low profile, sans lens hood, and is fairly light. I use it with my Rebel T3. On a crop sensor, this lens is a go-to, but it won’t be a full time replacement for indoor shooting. I do still keep my 18-55mm kit lens with me.The one major callout that I’m going to give is towards the argument that I kept running into as a beginning amateur photographer: Do you need to buy a prime lens or is the 18-55mm kit lens all you truly need for basic photography? The answer that I have come to is: it depends on how you like to work. I can set my 18-55mm to 50mm and I can tweak a lot of settings on my T3 to get a similar image from this prime lens. However, I tend to rely more on flash, due to the aperture, and I have to do a lot of post processing to clean up the image. With my prime, I do less work. I also have more moments where I may only need to process the image with one go. I also have moments were I look at the picture I captured and deem it to be of good enough quality to let it be without anything more than an onboard jpeg edit.The TL;DR of this story: Its up to you if you want to buy a prime or stick it out with a kit lens. Just know that in my experience, I tend to really work the kit lens and process the image, whereas I can shoot and worry less with my 50mm.The one thing that I would say that you might want to be aware of is the focus. My in depth study of this 50mm and its older brother is that AF is finicky. I have noticed it and overlooked it until I went out on a cold night. Ambient temps were right around 40 degrees and it seemed that this lens body was much colder in a shorter time versus something like my kit. This, I believe, threw the AF off even more. It’s not enough to knock a star off, but it make the expected behavior of the AF to exaggerate itself compared to similar subjects with warmer temps.***TWO YEAR UPDATE***This lens is still awesome. I recently upgraded my camera (Rebel T6) and I have found that this lens is getting better and better. Using a 50mm on a crop sensor presents interesting challenges and rewards. In some cases, the DOF creates some unique bokeh. At other times, the sharpness from this lens surprises me. Each time I push this lens it shows me that it can do more. The one fault that I can say about the lens (not worth knocking a star off because the price point doesn’t allow it) is that it is difficult to work with in astrophotography. The two main issues are: 1) this lens lacks a physical indicator of focus, i.e. hard to find infinity, and 2) The focal length + crop sensor combo doesn’t allow for long exposures before star trails happen. Stopped to f/4, you’d get about a 5 second exposure before trailing is evident. Its enough to capture a fair amount of stars, but not enough to get something like the Milky Way without having a specialized mount that corrects for trailing.
11 people found this helpful
P.K. FraryP.K. Frary –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully sharp, fast focusing and petite
HIGHLIGHTS: excellent image quality, compact form factor and affordable pricing, but with few concessions in build and AF performance.CONSTRUCTION: Slightly smaller and heavier than the prior model, EF 50 1.8 II, aka nifty-fifty, but with significantly better build quality. Improvements include metal mount, sturdier barrel and AF/MF switch, larger focus ring, grippy matte finish and stepping motor (STM). Unfortunately, it has an odd filter size, 49mm, rather than 52 or 58mm common to small Canon lenses.OPTICAL QUALITY: It’s the same optical formula as the nifty-fifty, but with tweaks to lens coatings and improved close focus ability. Wide open it’s tack sharp center frame, sharper than my nifty-fifty. Corners on full frame, e.g., 6D, are darker and softer than center but equalize by F2.8. On APS-C cameras, e.g., 70D and Rebel, there is little corner darkening or softness since nearly half the image circle is cropped out. Optimal sharpness is at F5.6. Chromatic aberration (CA) is mild and reduced over the nifty-fifty. In short, image quality is excellent open wide, even better stopped down and one ups the nifty-fifty in both sharpness and control of CA.BOKEH: I love the soft whirl of a defocused background, and this seven-blade diaphragm does not disappoint, rendering smooth bokeh and pleasantly round specular highlights. The smooth bokeh combined with pin sharp center frame really make subjects pop at larger apertures. This a great portrait lens!AUTO FOCUS speed and reliability is markedly better than the nifty-fifty. It’s accurate and rarely misses focus even in low light. Focus is achieved by front element extension (nested barrel. The STM motor is quieter than the prior model, albeit not completely silent.VIDEO FOCUS on a 70D is not as fast as STM zooms but buttery smooth and great for touchscreen pulls and Movie Servo. Focus noise, while low volume, was recorded by my 70D’s built-in mic during quiet video clips. The workaround is to use an external mic or prefocus.MANUAL FOCUS is focus-by-wire: the ring merely activates the focus motor and is not mechanically coupled to the lens. Manual focus is smooth, but control isn’t as good as a mechanical ring. The MF ring is thin but wider than the nifty-fifty’s ring and better positioned. Like USM lenses, it has Full-Time Manual (FTM), allowing AF override without flipping a switch: simply turn the MF ring. Unlike USM lenses, FTM is only active when the shutter button is half-depressed.HOOD: The groove on the barrel is for the
Canon ES-68
, locking bayonet hood. It attaches to the outer barrel, protecting the protruding inner barrel from frontal impact and flare. It’s pricy but a worthwhile investment. Update (8/16/2015): The
JJC LH-68
, a clone of the ES-68, is now available at less than half the cost of OEM.FINAL BLURB: The natural perspective and fast aperture make the EF 50 1.8 STM ideal for low light, travel and street photography with a full frame camera (6D). On a cropper, e.g., Rebel or 70D, it’s a short telephoto and perfect for portraits, indoor sports and stage. Canon got everything right with this redesign: accurate and snappy AF, sturdy build and, most significantly, vivid and sharp images wide open.
879 people found this helpful
Gaél Guerrero –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I LOVE THIS LENS
Its build qualify is very nice, it’s small so it will fit in bags where other lenses can’t. The pictures I’ve shot with this lens have always come out crisp, highly recommend this lens.
KnightOwl –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend
This is my second favorite lens in my kit, just after the 85mm 1.8 STM. I still use this very frequently and love the results.
EdithEdith –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great lens
My favorite lens to shoot portraits! If you are looking for a good primary lens this is the one!
Chris WinterChris Winter –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A massive upgrade from the 50 1.8 – if you have one, it’s time to upgrade 🙂
BUILD QUALITY: Let’s first talk about the build quality of this new lens. The 50 STM has had a massive upgrade in this area, and feels absolutely fantastic. From the moment I picked up the lens, I knew that it was a complete redesign from the old model, and it sure needed it.On the rear of the lens we now have a metallic mount, something I’m so glad to see. Moving up from the plastic mount has increased it’s weight slightly, but also hugely increases the longevity of this lens. On the front we’ve now got a 49mm filter thread, which is even smaller than the old 52mm thread.And even the little things like the AF/MF switch has gotten an upgrade. It’s no longer a little button that seems like it could break easily. Which is just great to see.FOCUS RING: One of the old nifty fifty’s worst parts was it’s focus ring. It was small, fiddly and in the wrong posititon at the end of the lens.And fortunately on the new 50 stm it’s all been changed. The new focus ring is fantastic. The new focus ring is very similar to the ones used in the 24mm STM and the 40mm STM, and is wider now making it very easy to pull focus with. Something that was almost impossible to do on the old version. It’s still a focus by wire system, but I quite enjoy that these days. Not only that, but it’s now also full time focus which means no more breaking the lens when you forget to take it out of Autofocus.MACRO: Now this is definitely not a macro specific lens, but one area in which they did upgrade this lens is it’s minimum focus distance, which means you can get a little closer to your subject. Where as on the old nifty fifty the closest you could get was 45cm away, now the new model you can take photos from around 35cm. And paired up with a crop sensor body like the Canon 70d, you can really get some nice close up shots with lens before investing in a dedicated macro solution.BOKEH: Now even though the nifty fifty was a cheap lens, it still produced some fantastic images with a very shallow depth of field. It’s bokeh was a little funny though because it only had 5 aperture blade. On the new 50 stm this has now been upgraded to 7 rounded aperture blade and I’ve found that it produces some lovely bokeh. It’s very smooth and very creamy, and because it’s not a funny shape, it’s also not so distracting. Now to me it’s not a huge deal because I didn’t mind the old 50’s bokeh shapes, but I guess it is a nice upgrade.AUTOFOCUS: Of course one of the biggest new changes to this lens is the inclusion of an STM or stepping motor. Now I’ve used the 24 stm, 40 stm, 18-135 stm and I’ve been impressed with them all. And I can safely say the 50mm STM is just as good, it’s very fast and snappy and a massive upgrade from the old version.IMAGE QUALITY AND SAMPLES: So it’s all well and good to talk about the lens, but I always think it’s good to take a look at a few sample images to see just how good it is. Please take a look at the attached images on this review to see. From my testing I’ve got to say I’ve been so impressed with this lens. Especially for $125.The bokeh looks fantastic, chromatic aberation has been greatly reduced compared to the old version, and vignetting if almost no existent.Once you knock it down to around f2.8 this lens is about as sharp as you’d get for any lens around this price range.Colours are handled very well as well and can really pop if you get them in the right conditions.So overall I’ve loved the new 50 STM, what a brilliant lens.
844 people found this helpful
Bre –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful portrait lens
Wonderful quality, easy to use, and one of my staple lenses when I do photography
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bueno
Excellent
Katie Bevacqua –
5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVE this lens
This is such a beautiful lens with amazing abilities – I used it for the first time the other day and the image that I was able to get was incredible. Keep in mind that there’s no zoom on this lens. Maybe more experienced photographers know that, but I didn’t. So I had to back up pretty far to get the frame I wanted. However, every picture I took was mind blowing. I used this on my Canon Rebel t7.
One person found this helpful
Lindsey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It’s a nifty 50
I used this with an ef/ef-s to a canon m adapter on an m50 mark ii. Even with an off brand adapter it worked great, always get amazing shots. I’ve also used it on my rebel t6 to test it without the adapter and it worked wonderfully with that as well.All in all, it’s your standard nifty 50 every portrait photographer should have (in my opinion)
Bob S. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lens
Excellent quality for price.
CustomerCustomer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exactly what I expected
I recently upgraded from a Canon rebel t3i to a gently used Canon 5d Mark iii that I got at a great price off of a friend on a whim. My 50mm 1.8 was my ride or die on my rebel and was my go to lens for a lot of my shooting (concert photography with notorious low light and general portraits). I knew I had to have one for my mark iii.It works as I expected, same as my EF-S 50mm 1.8. It does all the things I loved that lens for. Reasonable focus time when using AF, beautiful depth of field, great in lower light settings. It is noiser than I remember the one for my rebel being, and the focus isn’t lightning fast – but for $125 I dont expect it to be. As someone who shoots as a hobby, it works great for what I need it for without breaking the bank.I will say the packaging from Amazon was horrible. The box for the lens was in one of those plastic white bags you normally get small items or clothes delivered in. The lens, however, was packaged well inside the box and so far is working perfectly fine with no issues. It was bubble wrapped, plastic wrapped, and fitted sturdily inside the box with fitted cardboard and plastic made to fit the lens.All in all, great for what I wanted and needed and was reasonably priced. If you’re a hobby shooter like I am, you can’t go wrong with this lens.
12 people found this helpful
K. Geddings –
5.0 out of 5 stars
now i know why its the BEST Selling lens in the world
update:using the eos m3 i compared the images from this lens to a few i just took with the older canon 85mm 1.8 lens. even though the 85mm cost like nearly 3 times more. the 50mm 1.8 STM in my opinion had both sharper image quality and much better coloring. side by side the 85mm 1.8 seemed washed out, so much that i went back to redo a set a photos i just took with the 50mm 1.8 instead. If you have a newer canon digital camera like the eos m3 , i would highly recommend the 50mm 1.8 , not only will you save money but overall much better image quality and usability as you dont have to step back so far, but still looking very nice![older review:]I was a bit hesitent to buy this lens as i already had the 50mm 1.4 USM which is a great lens but the one i had started having some sluggish autofocusing issues and in some points simply would not autofocus right (more so if the image was fully blurry and you were trying to focus on something sometimes it just would not focus) But i just bought the Canon EOS M3 (on ebay) and decided since it was a nicer faster camera then the M1 maybe it would be worth trying out the 50mm 1.8 STM as i hear it was faster in focusing and lighter weight too and even a bit sharper wide open. After tryng it out i must say it really is very nice VERY fast autofocus compared to the 50mm 1.4 in my opinion. Sharp and produces nice blurry backgrounds. Does not feel cheap. I mean it def doesnt feel “pro like” BUT it doesnt feel like a toy in my opinion just about the “Right” quality for something like this.For non full frame cameras this likely is the BEST Option you can get for starting out with wanting to take more photos of people. as cropped sensors make it more like a 85mm lens so you get a nice flattened image of the person without having to stand too far back (which can be better in many situations).I think after years of trying diffrent things ive found the best solution for photos of people is this lens + the canon eos m3 (with adapter) so that you have a nice compatish camera that is not too heavy or bulky and very fast and sharp!My issue with the 50mm 1.4 was that sometimes inside it didnt “grab” the image good or it took too long or it wasnt quite as sharp or whatever. Much like the EOS-M 22mm 2.0 lens which is a great value for the price, this is as well (if not more so since you really can use this better for pictures of people).If your a bit new to photography and want to take images to stand out vs all these “cell phone selfies” Just get one of these you’ll be amazed at the quality and the possibilities it opens up for a great build and price! I liked it so much i put the box for the 50mm 1.4 in my drawer and proudly put the box for the 50mm 1.8 STM on my dresser because i think for now ive found it is the BEST Lens canon has for the price and what it can do to make great photos of people. Cant wait to use it even more!
8 people found this helpful
Emma D –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Super crisp but super slow af
It’s super crisp and great in low light because of wide aperture BUT the auto focus is slow as molasses (i make do in well lit areas but in dimmer light it’s really slow so I just do MF). If you’re not shooting anything other than portraits or landscapes where things aren’t moving I’d recommend!
2 people found this helpful
Ana Vilas –
5.0 out of 5 stars
excelente lente.
Muy recomendable.
Christian Mclane –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astounding Budget Lens!
The Budget Lens That Provides The Expensive Experience! I Everything About This Lens!
Sandra garciaSandra garcia –
4.0 out of 5 stars
REALLY GOOD FOR PORTRAITS
Really good lens , I shoot on MF . Still learning my camera but this lens doesn’t zoom in, it’s very zoomed when the person is up close to you so it’s more for far portrait sessions , doesn’t shoot wide pictures . Really great , I do recommend for starters on photography great for your starting business .My camera I am shooting on is EOS REBEL T100
2 people found this helpful
Roxy Reed –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect secondary piece
I really like this lens.great quality, little needs to be fixed on the photo
Hair –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lens
It’s nice
Barry S –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great 50mm Lens for Canon
Bought as a birthday gift my daughter loves this 50mm lens which she will now mount on her Canon EOS Rebel SL3.
Efren CastilloEfren Castillo –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Purchase
Great to use in portrait photos
AnyasiAnyasi –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Precint condition
Happy with the purchase and it looks new. I have my camera ready to go with this amazing lens.
JL Spaulding –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Lens
I have used this lens for years and just recently bought this one. For the price I love this lens.
priscilla bone –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Camera Lens
Purchased this for my son. He absolutely loves it.