Canon 50mm F1.8 Mark II. The cheapest Canon 50mm prime lens.Thoughts from a pro photographer in 2023

Canon nifty fifty, cheapest canon 50mm, Canon 50mm F1.8 mk II. In my life as a professional photographer I have used most of the Canon 50mm Prime lenses. from the cheapest to some of the most expensive. In this video I talk about the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 mark 2, one of the cheapest prime lenses in the canon line up. I discuss how its light weight make it very usable in this day and age. I talk about some of the good and bad points of this lens and share a few images taken with it.

[@michaellennington1866]

“It’s, kind of, all the best pictures are in my mind.” I am keeping that one - love your channel by the way. Was looking for a pocket camera for an upcoming hiking trip to the Grand Canyon and will be buying a Canon G7 X Mk II because of your videos. Thank you!

[@blackline66]

Simply amazing video. Love the natural open presentation. Perfectly explained. Love your videos. :)

[@RoyRiley]

Thank you BL. Appreciate your support.

[@adriecoot]

Loool that was the best explanation why we should carry the 50 1.8 every time we go to a restaurant… great job Roy, awesome video. Cheers.

[@RoyRiley]

Thanks for this! Really appreciate this positive feedback. RR

[@jefferyryan1219]

Thanks for the video Roy. I have a nifty fifty. It's a very good lens it does exactly what it's supposed to do. A really nice price very affordable. It does very good pictures extremely well. Never regretted buying it.

[@scottporter2513]

Love the idea of paying forward that kindness 😊 👏 Great video and I loved the story about the chef photo. 👌

[@RoyRiley]

Cheers Scott! Glad you enjoyed it. R

[@agubser07]

This lens is very special to me. My first camera was a Rebel T2i (550D) purchased early in the lockdowns to pass some time. I knew NOTHING about cameras at the time. Included in the bundle was the kit lens (which I always disliked), the 55-250 (which is a great lens; just longer than I normally use) and the 50mm f/1.8 II. If that lens was not there, I probably would have given up on photography. The 1.8 aperture really opened up a world of possibility outside of what I could get on my phone that hooked me. Here I am now three bodies and probably a dozen or more lenses later and I still have one photo in my portfolio that I took with that little 50. :)

[@RoyRiley]

That’s such a great story! The nifty fifty gateway drug to the world of photography.. I agree totally and am very pleased you found your way into photography with this little lens… by the way the 550d.. what a great camera! Packs a big punch.. what are you shooting with now?

[@agubser07]

@@RoyRiley I quickly upgraded to an 80D which I loved but knew that eventually I wanted to go full frame. When I made the decision to go full frame, based on my budget I narrowed my choices to a 5D Mark IV or Sony a7iii...I went to the dark side. The Sony ecosystem provides a much more affordable entry to the FF mirrorless world so that's what I did. I'm fully invested into that system now, but am still quite fond of my Canon APS-C shooting days.

[@agubser07]

@@johnsmith1474 Sorry. I will definitely take that into account the next time I write a comment on a video that I take my time to view during my day. I will not make this mistake in the future of my life.

[@RoyRiley]

@@agubser07 Thanks so much for your reply. Interesting to hear of your journey through the cameras and how you ended up where you currently are. I have used Sony quite extensively and totally understand why you would switch.. Really these things are all about personal choice. We each should do and say what is right for us and our own life and not worry too much about what others have to say about it. Thanks again for your comment. I appreciate your support of my channel. Best Wishes. RR

[@ErikB750]

So true about packing for light traveling and there’s always place for the 50mm f/1.8

[@gtpjon]

I had one of these & loved it ... I was using it to take photos of negatives & the focus would just roll out when it tilted down. So, I researched & found a used version one with metal mount ... Ii is 37 years old & works great on my 5DS, R6 MkII & soon on my R5C. Man, I love this lens! Except the focus is too noisy for video. Great Videos Roy!

[@diegodivers]

That little lens gave me so much. I liked the the images always better that the ones from the later stm version. As a camera nostalgic I enjoy your channel very much. Thank you for sharing all your experience with us.

[@RoyRiley]

Glad you enjoy the content! Thanks for your support. RR

[@rentedtux1883]

I have the first version and I adore it. The best 50mm I've ever had...and I've had many.

[@markdandeneau2904]

Cool video I just bought this lens and now I’m even more excited for it to arrive.

[@RoyRiley]

Good luck with it Mark! May all your pictures be beautiful. RR

[@markbaptista478]

Your expressive and humorous narrative build-up abilities, to carry your point across, are superb…..loved the chef story and wish I had taken that picture too! …..add to that your wealth of knowledge acquired over years of experience, and of course I had to subscribe. 😁

[@RoyRiley]

Cheers Mark! Much appreciated. Glad you got something from this. All the best to you and yours. RR

[@hcinaz7915]

Another great video, I always look forward to your new content. As for the nifty fifty, I have the original Mark I version from 1987. Loud as you know what and hunts around quite a bit in low light. I walked into a Bestbuy yesterday and the STM version was on sale for $100 so had to get it. Can’t wait to try it out and see how it compares to the OG. Do you think the f1.8 takes sharper photos than the f1.4?

[@karim8030]

loved the hypothetical

[@scenesnatcher]

LOVE your experience with the lens! I have the STM version.

[@RoyRiley]

A wise choice! Thanks for your support

[@3dPrintedSoup]

Nice video. I used to have allot of funds for photography and video projects. However now I have a family and my priories have shifted to their needs I find myself picking up "budget lenses" and I still enjoy using them as much as the pricey top tier ones I used to own. subbed

[@RoyRiley]

Thank you! Yes, juggling funds when you have a family is a challenge. I feel the pain. The good news is that there are so many low budget / high quality options out there these days. A good picture shot by a talented photographer on a cheap 50mm will always be far superior to a naff picture shot on an expensive lens. Really it’s all about the photographer and the subject and the light. Good luck with it all and many thanks for your subscription. RR

[@rickavery4808]

I got my first 50mm f/1.8 lens in a kit with a Canon FT back in 1972 and have owned several since that time. I frequently use the exact lens featured in this video on a 5D4. It is a great lens and it causes me to see things differently when I’m zooming with my feet rather than a flick of the wrist.

[@RoyRiley]

Hi Rick. Long time 50mm man! Yup moving the feet has to be the best way for a photographer to think. I believe most photographers can learn more from using a 50 with manual mode than anything else.. printing your own work has to be a close second.. third has to be having a hard nosed picture editor shouting at you.. what do you think?

[@rickavery4808]

@@RoyRiley appreciate your reply. As an amateur I can only attest to the 50mm in manual mode (also a 135mm) and printing my own work back in the day when I had a darkroom. Never had a screaming editor but I’m fortunate for having a loving wife who frequently serves that purpose. Love your channel my friend.

[@hywel3143]

Thanks Roy for this entertaining, refreshing and accurate take on the importance of fitness for purpose when considering any given lens. As an amateur who enjoys travelling light, I alternate between this 50mm and the 40mm f/2.8 Canon pancake as my "always on" prime lens because the 6D with the 40mm pancake is really packable and very sharp through the aperture range, and the 50mm is better in lower light and to isolate certain subjects. I'd be interested in your thoughts on the Canon 40mm pancake if you have ever used one...

[@mikafoxx2717]

Yeah, while I can use the 50 1.8, You can throw the 40mm in program or something for a run and gun situation and you can be sure the pictures won't be too soft or whatever. at 5.6 both are plenty sharp. at 2.8, the 40mm is still miles above for landscape where the trees near the edge just go mushy on the 50 1.8. Small things but you notice when you use it long enough. That being said, I'm grabbing sigma art lenses now.. Still using the old camera for now though but the lenses make the image. Being able to take handheld landscape type stuff at f2 or even f1.4 and it be sharp everywhere is kind of amazing. Great foreground blur. That being said, the worst of the primes is better than the mediocre zooms. Takes a lot to compare to even the 40 2.8 in a zoom.

[@AnandaGarden]

Wow, lovely pix. Had to pause the video to say it, resuming now. Grateful for the samples and review. It's down to an EF 35 or RF 50 next for the R6.

[@RoyRiley]

Thank you! Both the lenses you mention are “on my list” .. hope well. RR

[@thomasbunner734]

I liked your channel right away. Thank you for your insights and recommendations.

[@RoyRiley]

Thank you. I just watched your Kingfisher video. Very beautiful. I just had my first glimpse ever of a Kingfisher just a few weeks ago quite randomly on a shoot and now I am keen to explore further. the flash of blue and gold was really very wonderful and very life affirming. Thanks for your kind words. RR

[@thomasbunner734]

@@RoyRiley i acquired the Nifty Fifty recently and am looking forward to trying it out during the golden hours!

[@user-cz6pc5hy8x]

great video, i just used the nifty fifty on a trip to South Korea and I was very very happy with the results the landscapes were great and I even tried a star bust which was great.

[@RoyRiley]

Sounds good! Never been to S Korea. An interesting place to visit I would imagine

[@CaptainJack63]

I love the Nifty Fify! I used it just last Saturday at a Wedding Show. I didn't want use my 3 pound RF 28-70 f2 len because if it's weight and size. It's a freaking big heavy lens! I have my EF 50 (metal mount) adapted to my R5. Which I really like because I bought the Control Ring version of the adapter. I shot two runway shows and it worked amazingly well. I was able to bring up my shutter to 250 and 500. Shooting wide open. ISO was set to auto and it hung around 300 - 600 or so. As long as ISO stays at or below 1600 I'm happy. The lens preformed beautify and was hitting focus perfectly. I had eye autofocus and it was spot on. Which was a challenge for the lens at I was at the front of the runway so I was continually focusing as the models were walking towards me. I've thought about buying the RF version of the 50mm but I would lose out on the second ring. Becuase the RF version is a dual purpose control ring. It has a switch for either focus or control. Not both. With my EF the outer ring I use for focus and the adapter is for my Aperture. Yes, I'm old school. That said, I didn't even use manual focus at the wedding show. With the R5s well performing autofocus, I would only need use of the control ring to adjust my DOF. I find it very strange that with all the expensive glass I have, I still use my Nifty Fify and it's with me all the time. Even if I don't plan on using it, its with me as a backup. Oh and a little fun trick boys and girls. You can flip the lens around and turn it into a simple macro lens. Its fun if you want to shoot something like a bug or tiny flower.

[@nicktheobald6955]

Great story and super pics. There was a reason every film slr came with a 50 - it just works for everything as the fov is close to what we see. My favourite focal length too. And as you say, cheap - even new, the STM is a stellar bargain.

[@RoyRiley]

Thanks Nick! appreciate you thoughts and support. RR

[@richardtierney7724]

Excellent as always.... I have one I use on my Canon 5D Mk11 ( Brilliant! ) and one on my Nikon D300 (F1.4) soooo sharp :-) Yes fabulous lens to always have with you....

[@RoyRiley]

Cheers Richard!

[@donJaneiro]

Way to go Colt! I once lost my peak design camera strap in the forest doing some sketchy mountainbike/nature photography activities. Only to find it one week later hanging from a branch on the same route...it seems there's a lot of good karma related to that camera strap, it seems to bring out the best in people 😆

[@RoyRiley]

What a lovely message. Thank you. Glad you got your strap back. Nice idea I think it’s a fact.

[@TimGanderPhotographer]

Hello Roy! Absolutely gobsmacked to stumble across your excellent channel while I was doing a bit of research on the Canon 5D MKIV (long story, don't ask!) I've subscribed!! On lenses, my 40mm f/2.8 is still my absolute favourite of the lower-end EF lenses. Cheap, light and a lovely character. I bought a 50mm mkii for my wife, and I've used it a handful of times, but mine is a bit soft and reluctant to focus sometimes. Maybe I bought a dud. It'll be good to catch up again soon. Cheers!

[@RoyRiley]

Good to hear from you Mr G! Yes, the channel has been around for a little while now. Lots of plans for the future but have been rather busy lately so not much time. Would be great to catch up at some point soon! Hope life is treating you well. R

[@TimGanderPhotographer]

@@RoyRiley You should have told me, now I have a lot of videos to catch up on! Life is treating me pretty well thanks! Yep, call whenever 🙂

[@jan-martinulvag1953]

I never had a nifty fifty and came across a 400D with this lens on and bought it cos it was almost for free and now I am exploring it.

[@RoyRiley]

I think this might be how lots of people end up with this particular lens.. good luck with your photography

[@zeppale]

As a beginner, I got some great shots with the 50MM. love it

[@RoyRiley]

Great to hear!

[@paullanoue5228]

I have an RF 50 F/1.8 and use it the same way you do. The focus is accurate on the RF. The RF 35 F1.8 is my preferred pocket stuffer, but it is a bit larger than the fifty.

[@RoyRiley]

Thanks for this. Tried the 24mm 1.8?

[@robertlawrence7958]

In the days before standard kit lenses became the norm, the 50mm 1.8 WAS the norm and in reality was a better option. With my first few cameras I had the 50mm on all of them and didn't really appreciate the value of the wide aperture and 'prime' sharpness. That held true until I got my first zoom and thought "where the heck has all the light disappeared too all of a sudden" 50mm 1.8. Great little lens.

[@RoyRiley]

Totally agree. Way way back in the day I had a 28, 50 and 135. That was it..Nice little set up actually

[@robertlawrence7958]

@@johnsmith1474 ha ha, yep it all fell apart there didn't it 🤣. All I can say is I'd had a long long day 😁😁

[@rafael55]

I like it when I get great photos with cheap lenses!!

[@MikiXIII]

Thank you for your review ! I use this lens for two reasons : the light weight and the lack of distortion. The stm and the Canon 50 1.4 have way more distortion and it's something really important to me. And I've never experiences any focusing issue. The flare is also easily seen, which is not a bad thing for creative purpose. (we can see it on the lovely portrait you shoot at 1:30) When I need extra quality and sharpess I use my Sigma Art. For a budget friendly option, I can recommend the Canon 40 2.8, it's super light and cheap, and sharper.

[@RoyRiley]

Thanks for this very intelligent comment! We think the same way I believe

[@MikiXIII]

@@RoyRiley I believe so ! I enjoy your reviews very much ! :)

[@RoyRiley]

@@MikiXIII glad you enjoy the content! Thanks for watching

[@MikiXIII]

@@johnsmith1474 I've used several 50mm, and I've sold some of them over time. ;)

[@FernandoSLima]

I got a newer version.. metal base, and love this lens.. it is always with me. it is the lens I always keep in my camera. The only people which will make a bad face to this lens it will be the others photografers. wish you all the best.

[@musicman8942]

I called this out just now. I'm surprised he didn't mention anything about the noise the focus mechanism makes when in autofocus. A lot of reviewers have mentioned this. Do you find the noise to be a problem especially when shooting video?

[@bruce-le-smith]

yeah I like this lens, that f1.8 makes a huge difference with the light. i was using the 24mm f2.8 quite a bit, so sometimes the 50mm feels a bit tricky because things appear much closer than they are (especially in the forest where it can be hard to back up without new things getting in the way of the composition), but in urban night conditions it's a lot of fun

[@RoyRiley]

Cheers Bruce! You have to be careful shooting in the woods.. all those tree jumping out from everywhere

[@mikefoster6018]

I'm using this lens (well, the Fuji 33mm f1.4 crop, which is pretty much the same equivalent) for hobby street photography. Mainly for a challenge! As it's a tiny bit narrow for street stuff, so I recon it'll keep me honest and seeking strong, streamlined compositions. I was using a 16-55mm (26-84mm equivalent) all summer and loved it (apart from its f2.8 on a crop sensor, in low light), but noticed I was being very lazy with its wider focal lengths. So here I am, with the fixed prime at 33mm (50mm equivalent) in winter, hoping its limitations on the street will firm-up my skills.

[@RoyRiley]

I like your thinking! This will make you strong 💪

[@kendramanuel968]

I have this lens and I love it

[@RoyRiley]

Thanks Kendra! We all love a bit of Nifty Fifty action!

[@kimw994]

...made 30 front page pictures for a big company with it years ago... Just bougth one copy for 10 bucks... crazy times...

[@triem23]

Love my plastic nifty 50. My favorite two photos EVER are taken on it... And I damn well make sure I take it on wedding shoots, because in my style I try to avoid flash, so that extra light between f/2.8 and f/1.8 can make the difference. Now, I'm also a videographer, so I recently picked up the 50mm STM, but solely for the focus ring. Can't attach a follow focus rig to the plastic fantastic when using a gimbal... Often I'll carry the plastic fantastic and a Tokina 100mm f/2.8 macro, which is also very light and plasticity. That's an OK loadout that's easy to carry all day. Round out the trio with a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 rectilinear or Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 fish. Those are heavier lenses than the 50mm or 100mm, but, still, all three together are about the weight of the 24-70mm f/2.8L or my f/2.8 16-35mm. Wow! Nice of Colt to send you a Peak Design strap! I think you'll like it a lot. It's so fast and easy to adjust length if you want to tighten up to hold against your body, or loosen up to get some reach, and, as I said in a different comment, it's great if shifting between handheld, gimbal, or mono/tripod and want to get the strap out of the way fast. I have two straps for six bodies (Canon 5dMKIv, Rebel t3i, Canon SX60hs, 2 BMPCC 4ks and a BMPCC 6k Pro), but just stuck anchors on all the bodies. (Straps are great, cheap stabilizers. The technically most impressive video I shot was on a ship in the Gerlache straight, freaking icebreaking and I'm pulling smooth moves zooming from 24mm to 1200mm with that SX60hs.)

[@RoyRiley]

Thanks for this great comment! Nice light weight set up you are working with. Wowzer..Smooth moves from 24-1200! That is some seriously nice work.. you have to do whatever you need to do get the shots sometimes though right? Shows a true story teller. Thanks again. RR

[@swetstaaled3549]

I have the STM . On my 90D so this transfigures into 80mm. A super lightweight 80 f/1.8. What a treat.

[@RoyRiley]

That’s a punchy set up!

[@swetstaaled3549]

@@RoyRiley It is. 🙏 You make such a strong point on just sticking the nifty 50 in a pocket for the ride and it being so unobtrusive. 👍Exactly how I use it. Secondhand it was 80 € and I still have to pinch myself every now and then.😁

[@justusgovaert]

Personally I own the Canon EF 50mm f2.5 Macro lens and it's definitely recommended and it's better than the f1.8 versions. The 50mm f2.5 has the same design as the 50mm f1.8 mark 1 but with much better close up focus macro features. the autofocus will be a little bit slower and more noise but it's just as accurate as the other versions of this lens. the optical performance is nearly the same as all the f1.8 versions and the f2.5 is just a small difference so that's no problem. I think this f2.5 version is the best version of this 50mm optical design

[@RoyRiley]

@@justusgovaert I found the slower AF annoying for general work but for macro photography is wonderful

[@AndySnap]

I'm old enough to remember when a 50mm lens came with every 35mm film SLR, and everyone wanted anything but that 50mm! But it's a basic essential really. In my Nikon kit, my 50 would be an f2.8 macro, doubly useful. Now with the R5, I've got the f1.8 RF, a pleasingly small lens among the rather hefty RF lens range. The EF 50 I used to have was just as sharp, and half the price (second hand). Way to go...

[@RoyRiley]

Hi Andrew. I remember those days too. It felt like the focal length that everyone wanted to get away from.. I will pick up an RF version when the next gear buying bonanza arrives. How are you getting on with the wobbly R5 hotshoe issue? Mine is still fine but I am watching it like a hawk..

[@AndySnap]

@@RoyRiley the R5 wobbly hotshoe is quite problematic, never sure if the flash will fire, or it seems the ett-l exposure info isn't getting through leading to wild over exposure. Awkward. It has taken 18 months use to get here, so you've got a while...! But still, got a rock solid hotshoe on my Nikon FM...

[@darylcheshire1618]

When I recently (in Sep, 2022) got the Canon R5, Ted’s Camera Store gave me the RF 50mm f/1.8. Cartier-Bresson used the 50mm for his street photography,

[@RoyRiley]

Always been my favourite focal length! Unless shooting birds in flight or the Red Arrows !

[@jasminecarriker7047]

5D mark I or II + 50mm 1.8 is an extremely affordable full frame set up 😊

[@RoyRiley]

And no one on earth will tell that you didn’t shoot with a set up that cost 10x more

[@ashjcoronado]

From a value per money standpoint this is probably one of the better lenses on the market, that said I recently upgraded from it to a 50 mm Sigma f 1.4 lens and I can notice a massive increase in sharpness and bokeh quality.

[@imnguyen6658]

I agree, but it's almost 3x the cost.

[@gurendoxun3465]

Does the chef have a name? 😁 I use this glass every time and didn't know it is called plastic fantastic. Awesome 🤟

[@RoyRiley]

He is Edwardo Fernandez! the world famous asparagus chef. Instantly recognisable to all who who love asparagus

[@braddelaney8628]

I like shooting with manual focus with vintage yashica lenses i have the 50mm in f2 ml , f1.9 ds, f1.7 ml , is the canon 50 mm f1.8 a better sharper lens ?

[@RoyRiley]

If you like shooting with manual lenses and are happy with what you have then stick with what you have. Apart from the autofocus which can really help when shooting at wide apertures..I don’t believe you will see much difference

[@ErikB750]

Another advantage: filters (like an ND, could be usefully wide open on a sunny day) are cheap as well, due to its small diameter. Focussing/sharpness is indeed something that bugs me from time to time.

[@RoyRiley]

Had not thought about the filter advantage. 👍🏻

[@neoaksa]

This is the best lens I owned, comparing the price, weight and quality. It is mounted on my 1ds MK II daily. What do I need from 35 bucks!

[@RoyRiley]

Nice set up!

[@milkyISO]

9:20 gratitude vibes maximus.

[@CanoeToNewOrleans]

Just bought a 50 mm Mark I for $75. It came with Canon Rebel 2000 SLR. The lens is in mint condition. The focusing motor buzzes loudly, but the lens delivers great pictures. I wouldn't recommend it for event photography because the motor noise turns heads and attracts too much attention, but for stills the Mark I is excellent.

[@RoyRiley]

Yes! can be rather noisy.. glad your getting good pictures though

[@fondfarewell2]

The stm version is about 75-100$ and pretty much silent, and is really not any more expensive then the older versions.

[@CanoeToNewOrleans]

@@fondfarewell2 The STM is the better lens, no doubt. They go for about $150 here in Canada. If a person can get one for $75 to $100 it would be hard to say no.

[@gotja]

The plastic back one does have an issue of getting stuck on the mount

[@RoyRiley]

I had not heard of this issue. Thanks for letting me know.

[@marcp.1752]

Seriously, i wouldn't bother with that lens, *unless* it's uber cheap. The reason is, the 50/1.8 STM is so much better, build quality, AF noise, and does cost just a few pennies more. Canon EF since 87 here (EOS 650)

[@LaaganNaSeaman]

Hi. I just bought my first dslr its canon 700d. I hope you make a video of some older camera. Where we low budget photonewbie can relate. Thanks

[@RoyRiley]

Did one on the 650d a few months ago. It’s on my channel

[@LaaganNaSeaman]

@Roy Riley thank you I'll check on that. do think 700d is significant compare to this day photography sir?

[@RoyRiley]

@@LaaganNaSeaman 700d is stills very good and capable camera. So much is down to the photographer. The camera is just a tool. A well taken picture on a 700d will look amazing

[@meadiaconsultants1407]

The newer STM version is A GREAT Lens for Canons EF Film Cameras

[@RoyRiley]

great little lens

[@b991228]

I seem to have gotten into the habit of accumulating piles of lenses costing $1,000 dollars or more yet I decided to buy a refurbished 50mm Canon refurbished lens for $79 and got it today. I see it’s not as durable as my other lenses and I question whether it will hold its value. Then again how many $79 lenses can I replace to equal the expenditure of one of my thousand dollar lenses? I would not be one bit surprised to have my nifty 50 around long after my other lenses have disappeared.

[@RoyRiley]

I’ve got two canon 50mm 1.8 lenses. both are decades old, both have had extensive professional use and neither have ever gone wrong or let me down and yet all I hear from others is that they have questionable durability and build quality… as some English people say “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” only my experience so far! Good luck with your new 50! RR

[@kimberleylouiseprance445]

What about the 50mm vs 40mm on a crop sensor Canon.

[@RoyRiley]

I have limited experience with the 40mm so cannot really comment. I know it’s very small and rather sharp but obviously is f2.8 rather thank 1.8. I guess it depends what you need it for. What are you mostly shooting?

[@godofhope]

I had the version II and the STM version as well as the RF version. All of them are hunting for focus. On mirrorless these lenses are hitting focus pretty much every time. On a DSLR all nifty fifty (except the RF off course) are 30-50% unrealisable at focussing wide open. Even on a high end body like the 7D Mark II. I realised it first on the 5D Mark II. I made than a comparison EOS 50D vs EOS M: the EOS M hit focus every time while the 50D only 50-60% wide open :( 6D Mark II was not better in hit rate with the STM version either, which replaced my version II. So you better shoot 3-4 photos with focussing every time.

[@RoyRiley]

That is a fairly low hit rate! especially with the STM. I wonder if you have been unlucky with your versions..some seem to have high hit rates while others less so. ever try to calibrate with your camera? I had to go through a couple of 50mm f1.4 lenses before i finally got a half decent one! I agree though that they are much better on the mirrorless cameras but everything is better at focusing on the mirrorless cameras. Also I do believe that technique can play a huge part in nailing focus when shooting wide open with any lens. good technique and care can improve the hit rate on even a dodgy lens and camera set up ( im not saying for one moment that you have bad technique.. Just saying it can play a part!) Many thanks for your thoughts and experiences wit this. Very best wishes. RR

[@godofhope]

@@RoyRiley strangely a 5D Mark III I tested recently had better hitrate… But this was not the camera for me ^^ It’s too big and heavy for a EOS RP User like me ;) But the 5D Mark III has even more sensitive AF points than the 7D Mark II (but they are less and the spread across the frame is ridiculously small, beaten only by the 6D Mark II ^^ ) … sigh… every Canon is crippled in his own way

[@godofhope]

… oh just checked the 7D Mark II is even heavier than the 5D Mark III LOL but my 7D II is pretty much glued on my Sigma 150-600; you need a sturdy body for that lens…

[@dimgeo10]

I have this lens and although it has very good picture quality and it is very sharp, I do not like to use it, because it has the exact focus problem that it is described in the video. Half of the pictures, literally, are not focused at the focus point, although the camera indicates that it focused where it was supposed to. A huge autofocus problem. Canon 80D is my camera. This does not happen to any of my other lenses.

[@gohumberto]

It's a great bargain for sure. Just be wary using this for video purposes. The internal motor is very loud and will be picked up by the internal mic. or a hotshoe mic. (Constant click....click...clunk..click... as it hunts focus).

[@RoyRiley]

Good point about the focus noise.. STM has the advantage here

[@martingregory5955]

I hated mine, crap at 1.8 and only better at 5.6 so whats the point? Noisy AF and slow. I tested same settings between the 18-135 to it and the 50mm was worse.

[@RoyRiley]

These things are all subjective and we each have to find what works for our own purposes and taste. Sounds like you know what works best for you. Good luck with your photography and best wishes. RR

[@martingregory5955]

@@RoyRiley I kinda replaced mine with the Sigma 18-35 1.8 which I'm very happy with but a lot more to buy.

[@xxcaseyxxc]

I love my nifty fifty plastic fantastic. It goes everywhere with me. Of course I have better more expensive glass but I still shoot with it quite often.

[@thedanwriter1]

is this lens stm or usm?

[@brandonj8018]

Neither

[@imnguyen6658]

If you pixel peep, these nifty fifties do not resolve as well as L zooms or primes.

[@RoyRiley]

In my experience it depends on so many factors. Get it right, they sing. Get it wrong, they howl. Only you can decide who or what is most to blame

[@harrison00xXx]

To be honest, they are pretty sharp since the STM versions and the 1.8 formula was always somewhat sharp. But yes, on 26MP full frame... it was perfect, the issues began for me with 32MP APS-C, effective 80MP FF, where they noticable lack sharpness for proper usage (RF 50 1.8 STM) But yes, except for the latest STM versions i would not go for it at all, pre-STM generation autofocus motors are super loud and slow. Then i would just go for a robust, higher quality vintage lens instead

[@imnguyen6658]

@@harrison00xXx I had the version 1, 2, and STM. I didn’t do a pixel peep comparison between them but from memory I think the v2 was sharpest, stm, and then v1.

[@harrison00xXx]

@@imnguyen6658 stm version should be the sharpest or on par with the Mk2 non STM, but as said: None of them is somewhat „sharp“, they are all fine on full frame, even the old 1.4 formula from the 90s, but on APS-C they are pretty bad, ALL.

[@mtljmbTUBE]

Construction of the mark II is crap. Older mark I or the newer STM are neither much more expensive but really built much better. Optics of all those are essentially the same. (btw, I once extracted the whole center build by removing the lens cap with the palm of my hand, the whole center thing, lens and all, came along with the cap!)

[@ballkeeper6662]

i dont think the stm 50mm works on full frame

[@RoyRiley]

Can’t speak for everyone but mine certainly does and is as we speak! Obviously EF mount for EF cameras and RF for R cameras or use an appropriate adaptor.

[@ballkeeper6662]

@@RoyRiley i bought the normal one

[@RoyRiley]

@@ballkeeper6662 just for clarity though. the STM EF 50mm f1.8 will work on all the Canon Full frame DSLR EF mount cameras

[@EA-58]

Everyone is a pro photographer these days. Besides the 18-55mm kit lens, this is a nice beginners step up.

[@mikepenney5726]

If you have a bit more money... and want a top rated 50mm lens go for the compact 50mm macro lens f3.5 and sharp as anything canon makes...

[@sammorganmoore]

its not really about money, the 1.8 is fast and physically light - of course other 50mm have other strengths