Canon5Dtips Photography is more than words.
Content
- Introduction
- Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
- …
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
This prime lens replaced the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 in 1991. It’s built with plastic but very sharp.
Note that on a cropped sensor DSLR body, it’s equivalent to 80mm (i.e. 50mm x 1.6 = 80 mm).
Many photo enthusiasts wonder if the 50mm EF f/1.4 which is more than 3 times the cost of the 50mm EF f/1.8 is really worth the extra money. If you are on a tight budget, then you may have to choose the 50mm EF f/1.8. On the other hand, your decision may depend on your specific photographic requirements and skills. If you plan to use this as your main prime lens for a long period of time, or if you desire a better built lens with a better image quality (including an improved bokeh and more silent motor), then you should consider the Canon 50mm f/1.4 or even the Canon 50mm f/1.2 L lens.
The small focus ring placed on edge this lens is not impressive, because it’s very difficult to manually focus, and your fingers may even get into the frame if you’re not careful. However, a 52mm filter doesn’t rotate with focusing which is a plus. The bokeh is nice if you don’t mind pentagonal shapes, but it can’t compare to lenses with 7 or more blades. It is sharper than the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens and couple of other zoom lenses (such as the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM) fixed on 50mm focal range.
The Canon 50mm EF f/1.8 II is not the best choice for the video, Canon made “addon” lens the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM, which is not perfect but much better choice for video shooting.
Overall, cause of it’s price, 50mm f1.8 II lens has no real competition in this price range and thus it is in our top 10 list as must have lens.
[spoiler style=”2″ title=”Pros & Cons”]
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | Weak casing – plastic mount |
| Easily interchangeable | Focus ring size and location |
| Very sharp stopped down (esp centre) | Corner sharpness |
| Minimal chromatic aberration | Slow AF |
| Relatively low distortion | Sharp bokeh (5 blades) visible blades |
| APS-C – extremely low vignetting | No full-time manual focus override |
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| 35mm equivalent fl (APS-C) | 80mm (50×1.6) |
| Aperture | Maximum: f/1.8 Minimum: f/22 |
| Camera Mount Type | Canon EF |
| Format Compatibility | 35mm Film/Full-Frame Digital Sensor Canon (APS-C) |
| Angle of View | 47° |
| Angle of View (APS-C) | 31° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.45m (1.5ft) |
| Maximum Magnification | 0.15x (1:6.6) |
| Groups / Elements | 5/6 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 5 |
| Features | |
| Image Stabilization | No |
| Autofocus | Yes (Doesn’t rotate on focus) |
| AF motor type | DC Micro Motor |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Physical | |
| Filter Thread | 52mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx 68.6mm x 40.6mm (2.7 x 1.6 in) |
| Weight | 130g (4.6oz) |
| Included accessories | Front and rear caps |
| Optional accessories | ES-62 hood |
- Low light
- Night photography
- Weddings
- Portraits
- Landscape / scenery
| Lens | W | MFD | MM | Filter | DB | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EF 50mm f1.2L USM | 580g 1.28lb |
0.45m 1.47ft |
0.15x | 72mm | 8 | 2006 | $1,619.00 |
| Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM | 290g 0.64lb |
0.45m 1.47ft |
0.15x | 58mm | 8 | 1993 | $350.00 |
| Zeiss Normal 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar MF | 350g 0.77lb |
0.45m 1.47ft |
0.15x | 58mm | 9 | – | $725.00 |
| Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM | 505g 1.11lb |
0.45m 1.47ft |
0.14x | 77mm | 9 | 2008 | $499.00 |
| Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM |
950g 2.09lb |
0.38m 1.24ft |
0.14x | 77mm | 8 | 2002 | $1,399.00 |
| Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM II | 635g 1.40lb |
0.28m 0.92ft |
0.22x | 82mm | 7 | 2007 | $1,499.00 |
| Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II | 201g 0.44lb |
0.25m 0.82ft |
0.34x | 58mm | 6 | 2011 | $199.00 |
| Sigma 30mm f/1.4 | 430g 0.95lb |
0.40m 1.31ft |
0.09x | 62mm | 8 | 2005 | $489.00 |
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM | 580g 1.28lb |
0.30m 0.98ft |
0.18x | 72mm | 8 | – | $1,479.00 |
| Canon EF 35mm f/2.0 AF | 210g 0.46lb |
0.25m 0.82ft |
0.23x | 52mm | 5 | – | $289.00 |
| Zeiss Distagon 35mm T* f/2 ZE | 570g 1.26lb |
0.30m 0.98ft |
0.19x | 58mm | – | – | $1,117.00 |
| Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | 425g 0.94lb |
0.85m 2.79ft |
0.13x | 58mm | 8 | – | $419.00 |
| Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM |
1025g 2.26lb |
0.95m 3.11ft |
0.11x | 72mm | 8 | – | $2,199.00 |
| Zeiss Telephoto 85mm f/1.4 ZE | 700g 1.54lb |
1.00m 3.28ft |
0.10x | 72mm | 9 | – | $1,283.00 |
| Lens | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Same focal range Alternatives | ||
| Canon EF 50mm f1.2L USM | Faster f1.2 Build quality Bokeh (8 blades) Sharpness Fast-accurate AF More constant Weather-resistant |
Price |
| Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM | Faster f1.4 Build quality Bokeh (8 blades) Sharpness Fast-accurate AF More constant |
Price |
| Zeiss Normal 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar MF | Better build quality Nicer bokeh (9 blades) Sharpness (edge to edge) Great colors and contrast |
Manual focus (MF) Min. aperture: f16 Price |
| Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM | Faster lens f1.4 Build quality Fast-accurate AF AF with full-time manual override Sharp (edge to edge) bokeh (9 blades) |
Price Weight |
| Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM |
Higher zoom range Constant pictures (IQ) Build quality |
Slower Heavier Price |
| Same price range Alternatives | ||
| None | Cheapest | |
| Similar focal range Alternatives | ||
| Canon EF 40mm f2.8 STM | Build quality More constant Better for video |
Price Slower (f2.8 vs f1.8) |
| From FF to APS-C Alternatives (50mm->~31mm) | ||
| Sigma 30mm f/1.4 | Faster f1.4 Better AF Build quality HSM autofocus (equivalent to Canon USM) |
Possible AF problems Price Edge sharpness |
| Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM | Faster f1.4 Better AF Build quality USM |
Price |
| Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II | Build quality Zoom range Weather seal Metal mount More accurate AF Constant |
Slower – f2.8 Price |
| Zeiss Distagon 35mm T* f/2 ZE | Build quality Consistent output Sharp edge to edge Nice bokeh Color and contrast |
Price Manual focus Slower f2 |
| From APS-C to FF Alternatives (50mm->80mm) | ||
| Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | Better AF Build quality USM Color |
Price |
| Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM |
Better AF Build quality Faster – f1.2 Color Sharpness Nice bokeh |
Price |
| Zeiss Telephoto 85mm f/1.4 ZE Planar T | Build quality Consistent output Sharp edge to edge Nice bokeh Color and contrast |
Price Manual focus |
* Not all lenses are listed in the alternative list, lenses like Canon EF 24-105mm or Canon EF 15-85mm and similar, reason is very simple. List of alternatives would get too big and unclear. I do recommend having this lens along with the all off the kit lenses provided with camera bodies.
[/su_spoiler]
Bottom line for Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
This is a great lens for indoor low light conditions. The low price (around $100) and sharp optical quality is well received by a number of photographers that they have even given it the nicknames ‘nifty fifty‘ or ‘plastic fantastic‘.
Some people use Extension tube, or reverse adapter to convert the Canon EF 50mm to macro lens.
We have concluded that this is one of the must have lenses for a beginner or entry level photographer.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II – Sample photos:
You can get your copy of EF 50mm f1.8 II in these stores:
