Digital Camera: Canon EF 50 mm f18 II Lens

I use this lens on a Canon 50d, it was my first prime and I could not have been more impressed. The picture quality is pin sharp and an absolute pleasure when reviewing your results. Bear in mind that a 50mm on a cropped sensor is more like 80mm. This is a GOOD thing, 80mm makes a fab focal length for portraiture; face and head&shoulder shots are easily taken to a professional standard. The rough equivalent(on full frame) is the 85mm 1.8 and that costs £300!

Also when you later move onto a full frame camera(which the EF mount will fit) 50mm is a great length for candids and snapshots - so win/win.

I understand that some are not impressed by its build quality but you really are paying eighty quid for some fantastic optics. Autofocus is fast but not rapid and manual focus can be a little fiddly at times BUT these are almost enjoyable traits when you see the results obtained. I have recently spent hundreds of pounds on a lens that is rather soft at 2.8 across the focal range, its build quality feels fantastic but whats build quality if the optics arent quite there?

I am a big fan of this lens for other reasons. Its light gathering abilities are fantastic whether wide open or stopped down a little. I have had pictures come out looking like day with next to no light available at the time!

At 1.8 it is very fast but has a devilishly narrow depth of field, use at your peril! This lens helped me understand more about (digital)photography than any course, book and tutorial had before it. I learned to appreciate light more, how to move around a subject quickly and easily(I am naturally quite clumbsy!) to get the shot I want. It is not a telephoto! No standing still with this little baby, it wont let you and I love it for that.

Lastly...
I have this in my bag and get it out especially for taking portrait type shots. I generally use a 24-70 which is also a fab lens BUT primes really do excel at their dedicated focal length. Buy this and you will not regret it!

BUY THIS LENS! posted on 2010-07-23

If you use a Canon EOS DSLR, you should have this lens in your gadget bag. If you don't, you are really missing out on a whole lot of fun. I use mine on a Canon 40d, so the 1.6x APS conversion factor brings it up to the equivelant of an 80mm f1.8 lens, which weighs virtually nothing! I recently took it along to a family wedding and used it a lot in the evening for available light shots without a flash, turning the ISO up to 800 or even 1600, shooting at f1.8 hand held. Every shot was in focus and pin sharp.
If you have only used a zoom lens on your Canon DSLR, do yourself a favour, Buy This Lens, NOW! You will not regret it, and you will finally see what your camera is capable of. It is the best upgrade you could make, and a toptal bargain!

Wow posted on 2010-07-18

so i just brought this direct from amazon (great next day delivery!)
cannot fault the product one bit :)
yes its a very light / flimsy lens, but it has amazing optics and at f/1.8 you cannot go wrong for this price.
5/5 from me
definitely worth buying whether your a holiday snapshotter or professional photographer!

Cracking little lens posted on 2010-07-16

After reading alot of reviews on here about this lens I decided to buy one, it arrived this morning full marks to Amazon for a speedy service. for what this item cost which in todays terms for a lens, it's peanuts. the build qaulity is not that bad as some reviews make out, ok so the mount is plastic so what!! you just handle it abit more carefully. picture quality is very good, great for portraits, gives good colour results. if your on a budget like most people I'd say you cant go far wrong with this lens.

Awesome lens posted on 2010-07-13

I didn't get this from Amazon as a friend offered it to me second hand, but what can be said that's not already be said? Sure, it feels flimsy, but as long as you're not juggling or playing football with your lenses, then it'll be fine.

I use mine on a 5D Mark 2, and the results at 2.8 are better than those taken with my 24-70L in terms of sharpness. I've grown out of pixel-peeping thankfully, but this makes you want to, simply because it's so sharp.

Results at 1.8 are extremely satisfactory too; especially coupled with the ISO capability of the 5D Mk 2. I can't honestly find a reason for ditching this to buy the 50mm 1.4.

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