Pros: Fast focus, wide aperture range f1.8-f22, small in size and weight.
Cons: Plastic camera mount, cheap but reliable construction, no USM.
The Bottom Line: If you are serious about your photography, a versatile 50mm lens definitely belongs in your camera bag. The f1.8 II lens is the best value for the features.
What is it and why did I buy it?
A few months back I purchased my first digital SLR camera, the Canon EOS 10D. Since the camera kit does not include a lens, I had the immediate need to buy compatible lenses. The first lens I purchased was the Sigma 28-200mm. I figured that a do-it-all lens would address most of my shooting needs. But after a few weeks, I realized that my personal shooting habits required a lens with larger apertures and faster speeds. My past experience with a 50mm Minolta lens had been very positive. So I decided to add a 50mm lens, to my Canon 10D camera bag.
There are three 50mm lenses currently offered by Canon. They are as follows:
- EF 50mm f1.8 II, (this review)
- EF 50mm f1.4 with USM
- EF 50mm f2.5 Compact Macro.
There is another EF 50mm f1.0 L series lens available. But at a price of $2500 I’m not going to discuss it here, as I did not test it.
I went to visit my friend at his office in midtown. I had spoken to him the previous week about my intended purchase, so he had all three lenses ready for me to inspect and test. After a week of testing all three lenses, I purchased the f1.8 II lens because it is perfectly suited to my personal shooting habits. As an ardent amateur photographer, I try to take my camera and a few lenses along with me everywhere I go. So weight and size are an important factor for me. Shooting outdoors requires me to adapt to a wide range of light conditions. The wide aperture range and fast speed of the f1.8 II lens, allow me to shoot on bright sunny days, and also capture moving objects in low light conditions.
Why is aperture control so important?
The aperture of a lens is indicated by an f#. The f# and aperture size are inversely related. The smaller the f-number, the larger the size of the aperture. For example, an f2 aperture would be wider than an f10 aperture. A wide aperture is important for evening and night shots as it allows more light to enter into the camera. It locks focus on your main subject while blurring the background by reducing the depth of field(DOF). This is needed in macro photography of insects, flowers and portrait shots of a person. It also highlights and captures the details of your main subject. You can increase the aperture to let in more light, and increase the shutter speed to capture moving object in low light conditions. A smaller aperture increases the depth of field(DOF). This is great for shooting landscapes or groups of people, where you need to focus on many objects at various distances from the camera. A basic understanding of aperture controls and shutter speeds can make your photography much more rewarding.
You can see a macro shot taken with the f1.8 lens, over here:
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/porton/464/id41.htm
The EF 50mm f1.8 II Lens:
This is the smallest and lightest lens made by Canon. It measures 1-5/8” in length and weighs only 4.6oz. Canon kept the weight down by using a hardened plastic camera mount. Many people have complained about the reliability of a plastic mount. I have not noticed any disadvantage or problems with the plastic mount. So far it has seemed very reliable and sturdy. This is particularly important considering the amount of abuse endured by all my photography equipment. On a small lens like the 50mm, the metal/plastic mount is a non-issue. However it is a serious consideration on longer telephoto and zoom lenses. I prefer a metal mount for those types of heavier and larger lenses. The filter size is 52mm, front and rear lens caps are included but the compatible ES-62 lens hood is optional and sold separately. It has a focus control switch on the side, which can be set at AF (auto focus) or MF (manual focus). The auto focus is driven by an internal micro motor(MM). The manual focus ring is at the front end and has a 40-degree range of motion. The lens is made up of 6 elements in 5 groups. The lens is capable of a wide range of apertures between f1.8 to f22. The field of view is a fixed 46 degrees and the lens can focus on objects as close as 1-1/2 ft. The street price on this lens is between $60-$90.
The EF 50mm f1.4 USM Lens:
The f1.4 lens is 2” in length, weighs 10.2oz, has a metal camera mount and an Ultra Sonic motor(USM). The USM uses electronically generated vibrations to move the focusing element. Canon claims the USM motor to be faster, quieter, has precise movement and is more power efficient. However in my testing, I did not perceive any significant advantage to the Ultra Sonic motor over the DC micro motor. The aperture range is between F1.4 to f22. The additional width of the aperture at the widest range is not a significant advantage over the f1.8 lens. Overall the lens seemed to have a slightly sturdier feel over the f1.8 II lens. The internal setup is composed of 7 lens elements in 6 groups. The lens accepts 58mm size filters. It is also included with the front and rear lens caps but the ES-711 lens hood is optional. All the other specifications are identical to the f1.8 II lens. The f1.4 and f1.8 II lenses are both excellent for capturing super-sharp portraits of people. The street price on this lens is around $300.
The EF50mm f2.5 Compact Macro Lens:
The widest aperture of this lens is f2.5 and the smallest aperture is f32. Hence this lens is better suited for people who want to capture images of landscapes and groups of people. Internally it is composed of 9 lens elements in 8 groups. It accepts 52mm filters. Of the three lenses, this one seemed to have the strongest construction. An additional lens element was added to give the lens macro capability. This allows you to lock focus on objects, from as little as 9 inches away. You can capture tack-sharp images of flowers, insects and items to sell on eBay. The f2.5 lens is the largest at 2.5” length and weighs 9.9oz. It has a metal camera mount and uses an AFD(arc form drive) motor. AFD is an older motor technology that has been replaced by USM. The USM is the latest and best in focus motor technology by Canon. The street price for this lens is about $250.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Which one should you buy?
All three of these lenses will perform well under most conditions. Which one to get, depends on your personal shooting habits and cost consciousness. The f2.5 lens will only have marginally improved performance while shooting landscapes. Both the f1.4 and the f1.8 II lenses will give you studio quality portrait shots, with the right lighting conditions. They will give you exceptional quality macro shots from an 18-inch distance. They are also better suited for capturing moving objects in low light conditions. However, the USM motor, the metal mount and slightly larger aperture on the f1.4 lens, DO NOT justify or merit the 5X jump in price over the f1.8 lens. (from $60 to $300) In conclusion, you get the most bang for your buck with the EF 50mm f1.8 II lens.
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