Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

[ahsanford]

A completely random knock of both the current nifty fifty and the 50 f/1.4 USM -- no internal focusing. In general, I hate non-internally-focusing lens as they have a sliding surface I can't seal with a front element filter, so dust/dirt/etc. gets in there over time.

But on a weird side note, I have also screwed around with goofy bokeh stencils draped in front of the front element to generate OOF areas of a specific shape. (Yes. It's as amateur and cheesy as it sounds -- I don't wanna hear it, it's fun ) However, externally telescoping focus movements makes using those stencils an absolute nightmare to use as they are basically rubber banded down to the outer barrel of the lens. Internally focusing lenses would work perfectly with this, but every time I have a focus distance change with my 50 f/1.4 USM, it pushes the stencil off the front element and it's position and overall effectiveness changes.

So... yeah. Internal focusing, please!

- A

 

[TeT]

I think its been mentioned above, but what does this offer over a much older 50mm f/1.8? Specifically, I have a wonderful little EF 50mm f/1.8 Lens, Utsunomiya, Japan, April 1987. What do the STM and new optics provide?

It will focus faster
IQ will be better by accident just on general technological advances alone.

 

[mistaspeedy]

I'm surprised nobody seemed to mention autofocus accuracy. I have a 50mm F1.8 II, and it just seems to be all over the place as far as accuracy is concerned.
My #1 wish for this lens is to have a nice improvement in autofocus accuracy/consistency, even if everything else is the same.
#2 wish is to keep it at or below $150.

But as others have mentioned, it would be good to have quicker and quieter autofocus, more aperture blades, a metal mount, etc.

If Yongnuo can make a nice lens for $50, that seems to be better than the original Canon 50mm F1.8II, then I expect Canon to give me significantly more for $150.

 

[thepancakeman]

Thank god this is clearly a budget lens. No focus scale, no IS, no internal focusing (a guess, but likely), and no USM.

If it had some of those things, I'd be worried about some rumors that this lens was merging the 50 f/1.8 and 50 f/1.4 USM lines.

Thankfully, that's not the case. Nice work, Canon. Now give me the lens I'll actually pay you for.

- A

Seeing as how most of the posts in this thread are quite positive, I don't think you speak for everyone. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but don't believe that everyone else is just like you.

 

[Emil]

"Full time manual focus" => Mechanical or fly-by-wire like the ef-m ones? ???

As far as I know, STM means fly-by-wire ... at least that has been the case for all STM lenses released so far.

That being said, I don't know enough about the technology to know whether it's even possible to get a mechanical coupling with an STM motor. But for this lens, I fully expect fly-by-wire focusing, like the one found in the pancake (i.e. awful).

At first glance I thought full-time manual focus meant it was not fly-by-wire. I did however google a few old reviews of the 40 mm 2.8 STM and found that they used the same "full-time manual focus" phrase :-\ I might have to reconsider then, since I want to have the option of using it to shoot video on my 6D.

 

[Sporgon]

Thank god this is clearly a budget lens. No focus scale

In reality does anyone use the distance scale on a lens for distance ? I find that with modern lens's distance scales they are hopelessly inaccurate for any serious hyper focal focusing.

The only thing I do use them for is checking the lens hasn't focused past infinity, or manually setting the lens to infinity but with better AF systems even this is of dubious benefit now.

 

[EOBeav]

I think its been mentioned above, but what does this offer over a much older 50mm f/1.8? Specifically, I have a wonderful little EF 50mm f/1.8 Lens, Utsunomiya, Japan, April 1987. What do the STM and new optics provide?

If you have the original metal mount lens, hang on to it. Especially if it's in good shape. I was given one last year, and turned around and sold it for $180 USD, considerably more than a NIB mkII version. The guy I sold it to couldn't give me his money fast enough.

 

[Haydn1971]

Good to see this as a cheap lens, now the mystery is with what next, we now have the "pancake'ish" 50mm, will the next one be a f1.4 or a f1.8IS - is image stability even possible at f1.4 ? I'm starting to move to the idea of a f1.8IS in the same package as the 35mm f2.0, followed by a new L f1.4 with no IS at 24/35L a price and the f1.2 becoming a historic memory. Ditto with the 85L becoming f1.4 with a f2.0 IS version.

 

[Maximilian]

Thank god this is clearly a budget lens. No focus scale, no IS, no internal focusing (a guess, but likely), and no USM.

If it had some of those things, I'd be worried about some rumors that this lens was merging the 50 f/1.8 and 50 f/1.4 USM lines.

Thankfully, that's not the case. Nice work, Canon. Now give me the lens I'll actually pay you for.

- A

Seeing as how most of the posts in this thread are quite positive, I don't think you speak for everyone. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but don't believe that everyone else is just like you.

Hi thepancakeman!

I don't know what's the point. Please tell me, because...

I see it similar to ahsanford!

I think it is great that this is a budget lens and that it (hopefully) offers great value for money.
So everyone waiting for this lens is pleased.

But I am also waiting for a successor of the 50/1.4 USM.
Because I want something small, wide aperture, and with fast as can be AF.

Releasing this lens (hopefully) soon, gives Canon the possibility and resources to go on in 50 mm development.
They need to improve the 50/1.4 and will do this only if it does not cannibalize the 50L.
So 50L to be improved soon, to compete against Zeiss and Sigma and then the 50/1.4 (and please leave it 1.4!!!).
Maybe this will take more than 2 years (really hope not so) and maybe the 50 STM will be something to work inbetween.
But what I really want is a new 50/1.4 USM.

 

[jeffa4444]

It is nice to see that it has a metal mount.

Let's hope it is priced at $200 or less.

Metal exterior mounting plate, will still be plastic supports where the metal mounting plate attaches to lens...

But crutially the mount itself is where the friction wear takes place not the plastic supports / housing. Plastic mount is softer material and can tear from grit not the best combo.

 

[ahsanford]

Thank god this is clearly a budget lens. No focus scale

In reality does anyone use the distance scale on a lens for distance ? I find that with modern lens's distance scales they are hopelessly inaccurate for any serious hyper focal focusing.

The only thing I do use them for is checking the lens hasn't focused past infinity, or manually setting the lens to infinity but with better AF systems even this is of dubious benefit now.

100% fair and largely agree with you. I certainly don't think of a distance scale as some L-level luxe feature, though. I'm just building a case that between the distance scale, internal focusing, USM (which is immense for stills shooters) and IS not being in this lens, it implies that Canon will stick with its three-price-point 50 prime market* and offer the non-L 50 f/nooneknows IS USM that many are hoping for.

Had this thread's 'new nifty fifty' design incorporated a few of those features, I'd have been worried that they were merging the low and medium and price points -- and, as it would pertain to me -- I'd have a brutal choice of an inexpensive 50 prime (i.e. this one) or a 50 prime with USM (i.e. the 50L or staying with what I have, the 50 f/1.4).

Thankfully, the relatively stripped down feature set of this thread's announcement seems (to me) to be a clear read that we're still in a three lens market segment, and I can skip this one as what I want is now highly likely to be coming down the road.

- A

*No, I still don't consider the 50 compact macro part of that market.

 

[ahsanford]

Seeing as how most of the posts in this thread are quite positive, I don't think you speak for everyone. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but don't believe that everyone else is just like you.

Hi thepancakeman!

I don't know what's the point. Please tell me, because... I see it similar to ahsanford!

[truncated]

But what I really want is a new 50/1.4 USM.

Thanks, Max. I think Pancakeman is more upset about my tone than my content, and I 100% deserve that -- I've been a brat waiting for the 50 f/nooneknows IS USM for far too long. I simply am reading this 'likely announcement' today as confirmation of what you and I eventually want is indeed coming.

It's not unlikely waiting all summer to see a great concert with a band you love... but the opening act is taking waaaaaay too long and you want them to get on with it. :

- A

 

[jeffa4444]

My guess is they will drop the EF 50mm f1.8 II, introduce this to replace it at a higher price point and at some point in 2016/17 bring out the replacement for the EF 50mm f1.4 as an IS lens packaged like the 24/24/35mm lenses are at a similar price bracket i.e. thereby upselling the 50mm lenses.

 

[ahsanford]

My guess is they will drop the EF 50mm f1.8 II, introduce this to replace it at a higher price point and at some point in 2016/17 bring out the replacement for the EF 50mm f1.4 as an IS lens packaged like the 24/24/35mm lenses are at a similar price bracket i.e. thereby upselling the 50mm lenses.

+1

The current nifty fifty's patents expired long ago so Yongnuo is well within their rights to clone it. So Canon keeping it in production makes little sense. I see this new 50 prime as a straight 1-for-1 replacement & improvement of that lens, so I expect the current nifty fifty to be obsoleted.

Hopefully Yongnuo's cloning of the EF 50 f/1.4 USM will have the same effect and push Canon to replace that as well!

- A

 

[WorkonSunday]

now just need a same-sized 50mm for EFM

 

[cayenne]

Ok.<P>
Now that we have the CHEAP lens out in the 50mm family.

How about getting on the ball and getting the new 50mm L f/1.2 lens out!! I've been saving my pennies...and I want that ultra low light, creamy bokeh goodness out soon!!



cayenne

 

[cellomaster27]

Thank god this is clearly a budget lens. No focus scale

In reality does anyone use the distance scale on a lens for distance ? I find that with modern lens's distance scales they are hopelessly inaccurate for any serious hyper focal focusing.

The only thing I do use them for is checking the lens hasn't focused past infinity, or manually setting the lens to infinity but with better AF systems even this is of dubious benefit now.

I use the distance scale during night photography. It's really difficult otherwise.. or video when im not looking at the back of the camera. just to get a general idea when walking around.

One thing... how many aperture blades does this have?? That's pretty important..

 

[RLPhoto]

W00t! Will be buying one of these until the 50 1.4mm Replacment is released.

 

[thepancakeman]

Seeing as how most of the posts in this thread are quite positive, I don't think you speak for everyone. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but don't believe that everyone else is just like you.

Hi thepancakeman!

I don't know what's the point. Please tell me, because... I see it similar to ahsanford!

[truncated]

But what I really want is a new 50/1.4 USM.

Thanks, Max. I think Pancakeman is more upset about my tone than my content, and I 100% deserve that -- I've been a brat waiting for the 50 f/nooneknows IS USM for far too long. I simply am reading this 'likely announcement' today as confirmation of what you and I eventually want is indeed coming.

It's not unlikely waiting all summer to see a great concert with a band you love... but the opening act is taking waaaaaay too long and you want them to get on with it. :

- A

And I apologize for my tone about your tone. ;-) Been a yucky morning, and I seem to have less patience than normal for the "everyone shoots exactly like me and has exactly the same budget and equipment needs as I do" approach that is often prevalent around here.

Anyhow, there are enough major unknowns about this lens (like IQ and price point) that those of us in the market for a 50 probably can't--or at least shouldn't--jump to any major conclusions.

 

[ScottyP]

NO ONE is going to ask about the photo pointing to the "missing IS switch"?

Could this thing end up having IS? I can't see why not if the kit 18-55's have sported IS forever.

That just seems like it would scratch an irritating itch in the minds of their fan base.