Hi everyone
Please … let me share my little story of excitement with you all. 
A few weeks ago I bought the 50mm STM. I was perhaps the first person in my city (Adelaide, South Australia) to get one. During my lunch break I went in to the largest camera store in Adelaide, to check if they had this lens. This store is also usually the first local bricks and mortar store to get new stock. Well, as it was, they had some arrive just the day before.
I asked the sales person (whom I have bought some goods off before) if any people had purchased any 50mm STMs yet. He replied not yet, but one customer had requested one put on hold, and they expected more people would come in on late night trading and the weekend.
Naturally I asked what price the store was selling for… and he indicated the price. Seeing as he knew I had bought goods there before (he looked me up on the system) he was able to work out a discount for me if I was interested (who wouldn’t be). I got a great deal which was equal to the lowest Aus ‘raw’ online price (without shipping) that I’ve seen. Naturally I prefer a bricks and mortar store – as they also have a great returns policy (that I’ve used in the past). The price I was given was cheaper than the current price of the old 50mm f/1.8 II in some other stores, so that’s a no-brainer! :
I have owned two copies of the 50mm f/1.8 II previously – back when I lived in Europe. I exchanged one (which had a consistent front focus issue). My 2nd copy of that lens was better, but AF accuracy was far from perfect. I was never happy with the inconsistent and inaccurate focus – this was my major ‘bug’ with that lens… on both copies I had owned, plus 2 other copies I have tried – one that I borrowed from a friend and 1 that I tried extensively in store.
In addition, I found the 50mm f/1.8 II’s bokeh was quite harsh (busy – and at times ugly at the critical transition points) and pentagon shaped when stopped down. While the image quality was sharp and contrasty (particularly between f2.8 and f8…) the lens just never really cut it for me, causing me more frustration than enjoyment. So seeing as these are systemic issues (and reading what others have written on the interweb with similar experiences about the 50mm f/1.8 II at the time) I eventually sold my 2nd copy (in Australia) – for $100 AUD some years ago.
Anyway… back to ‘now’ (ie early June 2015) – and the 50mm STM. I took about 20 to 30 sample photos using the 760D that was instore. I have only handled the 760D once previously, it’s not bad – but nowhere near as nice as my 7D. The 50mm STM’s focus was smooth, relatively quick, and quiet - but more importantly for me: it appeared to be very accurate.
I had read the technical details of the 50mm STM online before I was in store, as well as a few early reviews that sprung up. So I knew what I was getting. Seeing as the AF was clearly better, as well as the bokeh (7 circular blades vs 5 straight ones) – and a very mild IQ enhancement (a slight yet noticeably sharper and higher contrast wide open…). Plus I remember finding the 50mm f/1.8 II’s minimum focussing distance (MFD) of 45cm somewhat limiting, and I know from experience that a 35mm MFD making a substantial difference (improvement).
While I was surprised that Canon actually released this 50mm STM lens, it does not mean I am disappointed as such. (I was expecting more of a refresh to the current f/1.4, somewhere between f/1.4 and f/2 – USM and IS… like the 35mm f/2 USM IS…). But, as I considered that should Canon release such a ‘better’ 50mm sometime in the future, I could still sell my 50mm STM without much financial loss. For example if Canon releases an improved 50mm f/nooneknows USM IS after 1 or 2 years, the amount I sell for, would I expect, be a minimal amount to own the lens in that time, AND improve my appreciation, composition and skills with a fast 50mm on an APS-C (and potentially a FF in the future).
Therefore I decided to pull the plug, bite the bullet (and any another alliteration… do you see what I did just there) and buy this baby (my bank balance said ‘bonus’ too!)
I haven’t been disappointed
Having had my EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens for a few weeks now, here are some notes (& comparisons to the nifty-fifty EF 50mm f/1.8 II) in summary paired with my 7D:
- Definitely much improved AF…
o slightly faster, with less hunting in low light / low contrast areas
o smoother & quieter (I don’t really need it STM for video, though handy to have available)
o most importantly accurate and consistent
- More pleasing, smoother bokeh (not top quality, but a notable improvement from my old 50mm II’s, particularly between f/2.2 and f/5.6)
- Closer minimum focal distance really appreciated
- Acceptable sharpness wide open across most of the frame (on APS-C)
- Very sharp between f/2.8 and f/8. Capable of extremely great IQ at these apertures
- Contrast between f/1.8 and f/2.2 benefits well from a little boost in post-processing (PP)
- CA’s visible at f/1.8 – but reduce fairly rapidly so by f/2.5 they are no longer there
- Vignetting wide open just noticeable on APS-C (looking forward to the DxO module to correct this and CA’s automatically)
- No apparent de-centring issue at this stage
- Required a AFMA of about -3 (this might not be the final figure… as I have not conducted final testing on this)
Looking forward to your comments, folks!
Paul
Please … let me share my little story of excitement with you all.
A few weeks ago I bought the 50mm STM. I was perhaps the first person in my city (Adelaide, South Australia) to get one. During my lunch break I went in to the largest camera store in Adelaide, to check if they had this lens. This store is also usually the first local bricks and mortar store to get new stock. Well, as it was, they had some arrive just the day before.
I asked the sales person (whom I have bought some goods off before) if any people had purchased any 50mm STMs yet. He replied not yet, but one customer had requested one put on hold, and they expected more people would come in on late night trading and the weekend.
Naturally I asked what price the store was selling for… and he indicated the price. Seeing as he knew I had bought goods there before (he looked me up on the system) he was able to work out a discount for me if I was interested (who wouldn’t be). I got a great deal which was equal to the lowest Aus ‘raw’ online price (without shipping) that I’ve seen. Naturally I prefer a bricks and mortar store – as they also have a great returns policy (that I’ve used in the past). The price I was given was cheaper than the current price of the old 50mm f/1.8 II in some other stores, so that’s a no-brainer! :
I have owned two copies of the 50mm f/1.8 II previously – back when I lived in Europe. I exchanged one (which had a consistent front focus issue). My 2nd copy of that lens was better, but AF accuracy was far from perfect. I was never happy with the inconsistent and inaccurate focus – this was my major ‘bug’ with that lens… on both copies I had owned, plus 2 other copies I have tried – one that I borrowed from a friend and 1 that I tried extensively in store.
In addition, I found the 50mm f/1.8 II’s bokeh was quite harsh (busy – and at times ugly at the critical transition points) and pentagon shaped when stopped down. While the image quality was sharp and contrasty (particularly between f2.8 and f8…) the lens just never really cut it for me, causing me more frustration than enjoyment. So seeing as these are systemic issues (and reading what others have written on the interweb with similar experiences about the 50mm f/1.8 II at the time) I eventually sold my 2nd copy (in Australia) – for $100 AUD some years ago.
Anyway… back to ‘now’ (ie early June 2015) – and the 50mm STM. I took about 20 to 30 sample photos using the 760D that was instore. I have only handled the 760D once previously, it’s not bad – but nowhere near as nice as my 7D. The 50mm STM’s focus was smooth, relatively quick, and quiet - but more importantly for me: it appeared to be very accurate.
I had read the technical details of the 50mm STM online before I was in store, as well as a few early reviews that sprung up. So I knew what I was getting. Seeing as the AF was clearly better, as well as the bokeh (7 circular blades vs 5 straight ones) – and a very mild IQ enhancement (a slight yet noticeably sharper and higher contrast wide open…). Plus I remember finding the 50mm f/1.8 II’s minimum focussing distance (MFD) of 45cm somewhat limiting, and I know from experience that a 35mm MFD making a substantial difference (improvement).
While I was surprised that Canon actually released this 50mm STM lens, it does not mean I am disappointed as such. (I was expecting more of a refresh to the current f/1.4, somewhere between f/1.4 and f/2 – USM and IS… like the 35mm f/2 USM IS…). But, as I considered that should Canon release such a ‘better’ 50mm sometime in the future, I could still sell my 50mm STM without much financial loss. For example if Canon releases an improved 50mm f/nooneknows USM IS after 1 or 2 years, the amount I sell for, would I expect, be a minimal amount to own the lens in that time, AND improve my appreciation, composition and skills with a fast 50mm on an APS-C (and potentially a FF in the future).
Therefore I decided to pull the plug, bite the bullet (and any another alliteration… do you see what I did just there) and buy this baby (my bank balance said ‘bonus’ too!)
I haven’t been disappointed
Having had my EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens for a few weeks now, here are some notes (& comparisons to the nifty-fifty EF 50mm f/1.8 II) in summary paired with my 7D:
- Definitely much improved AF…
o slightly faster, with less hunting in low light / low contrast areas
o smoother & quieter (I don’t really need it STM for video, though handy to have available)
o most importantly accurate and consistent
- More pleasing, smoother bokeh (not top quality, but a notable improvement from my old 50mm II’s, particularly between f/2.2 and f/5.6)
- Closer minimum focal distance really appreciated
- Acceptable sharpness wide open across most of the frame (on APS-C)
- Very sharp between f/2.8 and f/8. Capable of extremely great IQ at these apertures
- Contrast between f/1.8 and f/2.2 benefits well from a little boost in post-processing (PP)
- CA’s visible at f/1.8 – but reduce fairly rapidly so by f/2.5 they are no longer there
- Vignetting wide open just noticeable on APS-C (looking forward to the DxO module to correct this and CA’s automatically)
- No apparent de-centring issue at this stage
- Required a AFMA of about -3 (this might not be the final figure… as I have not conducted final testing on this)
Looking forward to your comments, folks!
Paul
