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Customer Reviews for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Compact and high-performance, standard lens at a mere 4.6 oz. (130g)
Gaussian optics provide sharp delineation from near to far focusing distances
Excellent color balance
6 elements in 5 groups
Average Customer Rating:
(68 Reviews) 68
Rating Snapshot (68 reviews)
5 stars
35
4 stars
23
3 stars
6
2 stars
0
1 star
4
59 out of 68(87%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Review 1 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: linear
Location: Sacramento, CA
Used this product for: 6 to 12 months
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Mostly used for: Family & Friends
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Great little lens
Overall Rating
Features
3
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:May 6, 2013
I bought this to experiment with and didn't have any long terms plans with it. After shooting with it on a Rebel T3 and an EOS 50D I can say this is a staple in my kit now. I love it.
It's color, detail, and sharpness are amazing for the price. On an APS-C camera it can be used as a portrait lens. It does not rely on software later to fix the image; corners, edges, all sharp and not distorted; no CA that I can find.
CONS: noisy motor and hunts in low light. Otherwise, none.
That aside, this is one of my favorite lenses now.
That aside, this is one of my favorite lenses now.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Just me and my 7D
Location: Michigan
Used this product for: 6 to 12 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: Less than 1 year
Product replacement: No
A must have lens.
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:April 11, 2013
Pros: Super-sharp images
I love this lens. The good: Tack sharp images effortlessly, light and compact, super affordable. The bad: The auto focus is laggish.. especially in low light conditions. This is easily avoided by using manual focus. The build is very plasticy.. but honestly, who cares? Its not a con, more of a fact. I have no complaints about this lens, it keeps right up with my much more expensive lenses.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: wv_kid
Location: West Virginia
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Family & Friends
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Totally satisfied
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:March 21, 2013
Pros: Super-sharp images
Takes wonderful indoor photo's. All of my other lenses have IS in them, and i was concerned that this lens didn't have it . It takes great pictures hand held even without the IS in the lens. I couldn't be happier. Great price too!!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: SjaakdeSloper
Location: The Netherlands
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Best bang-for-your-buck lens EVER!
Overall Rating
Features
2
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
2
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:January 10, 2013
Pros: aperture of 1.8, decently sharp pictures, dirt cheap, it's a 50mm, lightweight, versatile, did i mention an aperture of 1.8 yet?
Cons: Slow auto-focus, Poor build quality, af may hunt occasionally, lightweight
I've had my copy for about 3 years now and it never ceases to amaze me...
It just works wonders on a full frame camera and (especially considering the price) it can really producre some fantastic images!
f/1.8 on a full frame is all you ever need for throwing the background out of focus in most cases, unless your subject is really far away...
The build quality is nothing to rave about and some caution while using is advised, it won't survive whenever you drop it for example. I don't find it as flimsy as suggested by some people, but keep in mind that it's plastic with not-so-tightly assembled moving parts ;)
The AF is generally slow and may hunt occasionally, but only when it's really dark...
All things considered this is certainly a must buy lens if you don't own anything similar or when you cannot afford to spend a ton on another lens!
22 of 22 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: M.Mania
Location: California
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Landscape/Nature
Canon Enthusiast: 11 to 20 years
Product replacement: Yes
Excellent lens
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:December 19, 2012
Pros: Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, light, cheap
Cons: poor macro
This is perfect lens. Good price, light and wonderful.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Anonymous
Location: Chicago, IL
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Mostly used for: Family & Friends
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
50mm F1.8 or 1.4 or 1.2 ??
Overall Rating
Features
3
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
2
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:December 18, 2012
Pros: Super-sharp images, great bokeh
Cons: Poor build quality, noisy
Honestly, F1.8 is fast enough for most occasion. If you're not making money from your photos, this nifty fifty F1.8 will do.
Sure, its light, plastic feels cheap, loud but I still believe its a steal for the sharp images I get out of it.
I have to say thou, the focus ring is a little weird being at the very end.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Ole Timer
Used this product for: 1 to 3 months
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: more than 20 years
Product replacement: No
Good but not great
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:December 8, 2012
Pros: great bargain
Cons: Semi-sharp images
I bought this lens to have something smaller in the 50mm range. I have the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM but needed something less intrusive without spending too much for another L lens. I found the image quality was close but not quiet as good as my 24-105 so since I'm a stickler for sharpness, I returned it. If I had purchased this lens first, I probably would have kept it.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Manolis
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Great lens, little features.
Overall Rating
Features
1
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
3
out of
5
Date:November 18, 2012
Pros: Super-sharp images, cheap
Cons: Slow auto-focus, Poor build quality
The quality of this lens is very sharp. The pictures come out really well but the body is lacking. Not too plasticy however. No features on it besides af switch. Focuses slow and sometimes can't catch a focus but it is usually due to low light. Over all great buy.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: ultrafox
Location: Somerset, KY
Used this product for: 6 to 12 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Fantastic Plastic!
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:November 9, 2012
Pros: Super-sharp images, great bokeh, super light
Cons: Slow auto-focus, Poor build quality
There is a reason this lens is called the "nifty fifty" and "the fantastic plastic." This is the best lens you can buy for the money you pay. L-lens quality images in a tiny, plastic lens. If you want a great portrait lens, but don't want to spend a lot of money, this is for you. Yes, the build quality is cheap and it doesn't have an ultrasonic motor (which means it can be noisy when focusing), but at 1.8 it produces great bokeh and sharp images. The autofocus isn't the best and tends to "hunt" in low light. You need to have this lens if you are on a tight budget.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: David
Location: Chicago, IL
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Mostly used for: Landscape/Nature
Canon Enthusiast: Less than 1 year
Product replacement: No
Amazing lens!
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:October 6, 2012
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images
I love this lens. I bought this lens when I bought my Canon 60D. This is my go to lens. Every picture I take is with this lens. Every single picture that was taken with this lens came out spectacular! There are no cons about this lens. It takes amazing pictures. And it's definantly well worth the money!
14 of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: norm
Location: new haven, ct
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Casual User
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Awesome
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:September 4, 2012
Pros: Super-sharp images, compact size
Cons: Slow auto-focus, not for video
Had this for about 5 months now and this is my go to lens. I always try to use this first unless I need a telephoto lens or am doing action shots or video. My wife is blown away every time I show her a picture taken with this lens. It's super clear and brings out better definition than any other lens I've used. Can't use this for video or action shots as it blurs up, but for portraits it can't be beat, for the price you need one. Haven't had an issue with the threads as some reviewers have noted. Don't be afraid of a fixed lens if you're a casual user, the clarity is amazing!
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: thephotogirl
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Travel
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Why didn't I buy it sooner?
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:June 25, 2012
Pros: Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, lightweight, versatile
Cons: Slow auto-focus
I love this lens! It's a good, standard type that's perfect for taking along on day trips, or for if you're a street photographer, like me. It works for pretty much any subject matter, so you don't need to lug around a ton of different lenses. While the auto-focus is a little slow, I'm a manual type of gal, so it really doesn't bother me much. It's lightweight, of decent quality, versatile, and is one of my favorite lenses. Overall, it was a great purchase.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: jcolo
Location: Houston, TX
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Unbeatable value
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
4
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:June 5, 2012
Pros: great value
Unless you're investing in a similar focal length prime with a wider aperture, there's no excuse for not having this lens in your bag. The price is unbeatable, and the image quality is plenty good enough to justify it. If nothing else, it's a versatile lens that you can bring somewhere demanding and not worry too much about damaging it since it's rather inexpensive.
I've used this lens for about 5 months now and I have no complaints. Sure it's super plastic, but it's lightweight and takes sharp images. Excellent for portraits - you almost can't take a bad one.
I've used this lens for about 5 months now and I have no complaints. Sure it's super plastic, but it's lightweight and takes sharp images. Excellent for portraits - you almost can't take a bad one.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Zee
Product replacement: Yes
Inexpensive starter lens
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
3
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
3
out of
5
Date:February 14, 2012
Pros: resolution, inexpensive
Cons: af problems, build
Very good lens for its price, image quality is excellent. However it suffers from front-back focusing problems.
Using it for portraits (cropped sensor) with shallow depth of field makes it worse. You will never know what part of your subject will be in focus. Manual focus is OK, but the focus ring is terrible.
Still, an affordable lens to start with.
Using it for portraits (cropped sensor) with shallow depth of field makes it worse. You will never know what part of your subject will be in focus. Manual focus is OK, but the focus ring is terrible.
Still, an affordable lens to start with.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Dave
Location: Oregon
Used this product for: 6 to 12 months
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
Price/performance > any other
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:January 9, 2012
Pros: super sharp, great price, lightweight and small, wide aperture
Cons: plastic body and mount
No problems with this lens. On a APS-C camera like my T1i, the view angle is a bit narrow for much use indoors. It is superb in low light situations, but unless you have a lot of room inside it becomes a little difficult to compose shots. Mind you I'm shooting super active kids. Perfect for outdoors and on the go shooting.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: turtle
Location: San Diego, CA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: No
plastic miracle
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:January 6, 2012
Pros: astounding value, beautiful pictures, super fast
Cons: plastic could break
I have access to a very wide variety of canon and off brand lenses including the 85mm 1.8 usm and i still reach for this lens whenever i leave the studio. This lens may be plastic but it will take some insane abuse; i know of one that is in a high school photography classroom and it has so far survived 5 years of torture and hasn't skipped a beat. As a film photography addict using a canon A-1 and the old fd mount 50mm 1.8 i find myself gravitating twards this lens wherever i go anywhere and i need the convenience of digital. With a 20 or 40d this lens is masterful in the studio, perfect for portraits or full and 3/4 shots. All in all this is an absolute steal
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Film Fan
Location: worcester, MA
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Canon Enthusiast: Less than 1 year
Product replacement: No
The Plastic Fantastic
Overall Rating
Features
4
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
4
out of
5
Date:December 24, 2011
Pros: image quality
Cons: build quality
This is a great piece of glass, my 1st prime for my Canon Rebel G. Yes, it is plastic, and maybe almost too plastic. But it is razor sharp, and almost made for the Rebel G.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: Broken Lens
Location: NY
Used this product for: 1 to 3 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: more than 20 years
Product replacement: No
Canon 50d and 50mm 1.8 usa
Overall Rating
Features
3
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
1
out of
5
Satisfaction
3
out of
5
Date:October 31, 2011
Pros: Super-sharp images, bokeh
Cons: Poor build quality
The lens optics just fell out while shooting pics of my newborn. Lens was less than 2 months old and only 100 or so images taken. I treat all of my equiptment like gold.
I know its an inexpensive lens but I really loved the results.
I know its an inexpensive lens but I really loved the results.
3 of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: rebel1
Location: New England
Used this product for: 6 to 12 months
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
love this little guy!
Overall Rating
Features
2
out of
5
Performance
4
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
3
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:October 27, 2011
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Super-sharp images
Cons: plastic mount
I shoot a lot in crowds at live shows, usually at iso1600 with the aperture wide open, and get sharp photos every time! Best thing of all, if it gets smashed in the pit, it's cheap replace!
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Nickname: G
Location: Montreal, Canada
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Mostly used for: Portraits
Canon Enthusiast: 6 to 10 years
Product replacement: No
I love It
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:October 5, 2011
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Super-sharp images
It is a real good lens, i use it for wedding and portrait and it is simply amazing.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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