Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens Review: A Must-Have for Every Canon Shooter

# Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens Review: A Must-Have for Every Canon Shooter

If you are looking for a versatile, affordable, and high-quality lens for your Canon DSLR or mirrorless camera, you should definitely consider the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens. This lens is one of the most popular and best-selling lenses in the Canon lineup, and for good reasons. In this article, we will show you why this lens is a great choice for portraits, landscapes, street photography, and more. We will also compare it with other Canon 50mm lenses and give you some tips on how to use it effectively.

What is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens?

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is a standard prime lens that offers a fixed focal length of 50mm and a wide maximum aperture of f/1.8. This means that it can capture a natural perspective that is similar to what the human eye sees, and it can also create a shallow depth of field that isolates the subject from the background. The lens has a stepping motor (STM) that provides fast, smooth, and quiet autofocus performance, especially when shooting videos. The lens also has a metal mount, a manual focus override, and a seven-blade circular aperture that produces pleasing bokeh.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is compatible with both full-frame and APS-C cameras. On a full-frame camera, such as the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, the lens gives a true 50mm angle of view. On an APS-C camera, such as the Canon EOS Rebel T7i, the lens has an equivalent focal length of 80mm, which makes it ideal for portraits and close-ups.

What are the benefits of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens?

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens has many benefits that make it a valuable addition to your camera bag. Here are some of them:

– It is very affordable. At only $125, this lens is one of the cheapest lenses you can buy for your Canon camera. It offers excellent value for money and delivers impressive image quality.
– It is very sharp. The lens has a simple optical design with six elements in five groups, but it produces sharp and detailed images across the entire aperture range. It performs especially well at f/4 and f/5.6, where it reaches its peak sharpness.
– It is very fast. The lens has a wide maximum aperture of f/1.8, which allows you to shoot in low-light situations without using a flash or a tripod. It also enables you to create beautiful background blur and isolate your subject from the surroundings.
– It is very lightweight and compact. The lens weighs only 5.6 ounces (159 grams) and measures 2.7 by 1.6 inches (69 by 39 millimeters). It is easy to carry around and does not add much bulk to your camera.
– It is very versatile. The lens can be used for various types of photography, such as portraits, landscapes, street photography, weddings, events, and more. It can also be used for video recording, thanks to its smooth and quiet autofocus system.

How does the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens compare with other Canon 50mm lenses?

Canon offers several other 50mm lenses that have different features and prices. Here is a brief comparison of some of them:

As you can see, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is the cheapest and lightest option among these lenses. It also has the same aperture and autofocus motor as the newer Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, which is designed for Canon mirrorless cameras.

The main advantages of the more expensive lenses are that they have wider apertures, which allow more light to enter the lens and create more background blur. They also have ultrasonic motors (USM), which are faster and more accurate than the stepping motors (STM). However, they are also heavier, bulkier, and more costly.

What are some tips on how to use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens effectively?

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is a simple and easy-to-use lens, but there are some tips that can help you get the most out of it. Here are some of them:

– Use a lens hood. The lens does not come with a lens hood, but you can buy one separately for $29. A lens hood can help prevent flare and ghosting caused by stray light, and also protect the front element from scratches and dust.
– Use a polarizing filter. A polarizing filter can help reduce reflections and enhance colors and contrast in your photos. It can also help darken the sky and make clouds pop out. However, be careful not to overdo it, as it can also reduce the amount of light entering the lens and affect the autofocus performance.
– Use a tripod. A tripod can help you stabilize your camera and avoid camera shake, especially when shooting in low-light situations or using slow shutter speeds. It can also help you compose your shots more carefully and creatively.
– Experiment with different apertures. The lens has a wide aperture range from f/1.8 to f/22, which gives you a lot of creative control over the depth of field and the exposure. Try shooting at different apertures and see how they affect the sharpness, the bokeh, and the overall mood of your photos.
– Move closer or farther away from your subject. The lens has a fixed focal length of 50mm, which means that you cannot zoom in or out with it. However, you can still change the perspective and the composition of your shots by moving closer or farther away from your subject. This can also affect the depth of field and the background blur.

What are some representative product reviews of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens?

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens has received many positive reviews from customers and experts alike. Here are some examples of what they have said about it:

– “This lens is fantastic. The pictures are very crisp and clear-great bokeh. The price can’t be beat. A great minimal investment for a lens that gives superb results. A must have and can’t recommend it enough!”
– “I love this lens! It’s the first one I’ve bought new and it has helped improve my photography tremendously! The photo I attached was taken in the bright midday sun.”
– “The real surprise in this budget-friendly lens is just how good it is. Throughout our tests with multiple samples of competing Canon lenses, its autofocus system proved much more accurate and reliable than that of the supposedly superior Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM.”
– “The little lens that could, this nifty-fifty is an affordable marvel that any Canon photographer should own… The lightweight 160g build just goes to seal the deal and make this lens an absolute no-brainer for Canon shooters.”

Conclusion

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is a remarkable lens that offers a lot of benefits for a very low price. It is sharp, fast, lightweight, compact, and versatile. It is suitable for various types of photography, such as portraits, landscapes, street photography, and more. It is also compatible with both full-frame and APS-C cameras.

If you are looking for a standard prime lens that can deliver impressive image quality and creative control, you should definitely consider buying the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens. You will not regret it.

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