EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Mentioned Again

[Canon Rumors]

<p>Our original source for the upcoming Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has let us know that the previously “leaked” image of the lens was definitely a fake, which is something that was figured out relatively quickly by folks on the forum.</p>
<p>Our source says about the physical design of the new lens:</p>
<blockquote><p>The diameter of the lens body is the same, not variable like in the picture. The focus ring is also not as wide as in the fake picture.</p></blockquote>
<p>We’re still expecting to see this announced sometime in April, with availability coming soon after.</p>

 

[lintoni]

Yes, but when will the Yongnuo clone arrive?

 

[kirbyzhou]

So, no IS and keep the old optics design?

 

[mrzero]

Does your source have any thoughts on why we aren't getting the 50mm IS version yet? It seems like this is way overdue, and an STM 1.8 isn't going to entice many of us waiting for the IS version.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

It seems to me that the Canon 50mm F1.8 STM will compete with YONGNUO, and should be priced below $ 300. It would be difficult to keep the price below $ 300 if Canon includes Image Stabilizer.

 

[ahsanford]

So, no IS and keep the old optics design?

Possible, but I think the story was more referring to the shape of the body of the lens -- sounds like it will have a constant outer diameter (like we might expect in a budget lens) and not flare out around the focus ring as the fake photo showed.

No IS is a fair guess but we're not sure yet. We don't know. If there will only* be this lens and the 50L in our future, then this lens will have IS. But most would argue that it's a three layer cake with (current --> future):

• 50 f/1.8 --> this rumored new lens, likely a 50 f/1.8 STM without IS
• 50 f/1.4 USM --> 50 f/nooneknows IS USM
• 50 f/1.2L USM --> 50 f/1.2L II

(*No, the Canon 50 f/2.5 Macro is 50 by coincidence. I don't really consider it one of Canon's 50 primes. Yep, I said it. )

But you bring up a fair question about the lens formula: for cost reasons, can Canon just dump the vast majority of the same lens elements and such into a new body with STM focusing? Or does STM (or possibly Yongnuo's penchant for cloning) mean that Canon must tweak the optical design?

- A

 

[ahsanford]

It seems to me that the Canon 50mm F1.8 STM will compete with YONGNUO, and should be priced below $ 300. It would be difficult to keep the price below $ 300 if Canon includes Image Stabilizer.

It'll be under $300 for sure. Keep in mind that the current nifty fifty that this STM lens would replace only costs about $115. So I think this lens will be a modernization of the nifty fifty to STM and not include IS, and run about $150 or so.

But even though I don't think it will have IS, remember some IS lenses are cheap as hell due to manufacturing volume and elimination of some creature comforts (like a metal mount, internal focusing, non-rotating front element, etc.). Canon's been making different versions of 18-55 IS kit lenses for non-kit sale around $150 for quite some time.

- A

 

[Haydn1971]

Sounding more like a 50mm pancake every time it's mentioned - £150, bargain... Then a f1.8 IS as the replacement to the f1.4, at say £400 boo hiss !

 

[Haydn1971]

Although, Lensbaby are popping a f1.6 55mm prime out onto the market tomorrow for probably about £300 - I'd imagine that it will be manual focus though :-/

 

[lintoni]

Sounding more like a 50mm pancake every time it's mentioned - £150, bargain... Then a f1.8 IS as the replacement to the f1.4, at say £400 boo hiss !

I don't see where you're getting a pancake from???

 

[ahsanford]

Sounding more like a 50mm pancake every time it's mentioned - £150, bargain... Then a f1.8 IS as the replacement to the f1.4, at say £400 boo hiss !

I don't see where you're getting a pancake from???

Speculation to be sure, but in fairness, every STM prime Canon has ever produced -- EF-S 24 STM, EF 40 STM, EF-M 22 STM -- is a pancake. This 50 could be as well.

That said, this lens is a 'gateway prime' to buying more expensive primes. In that light, I think it should have roughly similar ergonomics/handling/form factor as a more expensive lens, so that:

• Once you've been shooting with the 50 f/1.8 STM, other primes will feel familiar in your hands
• Comparing your 50 f/1.8 STM to other lenses will logically geometrically make sense -- "oh, that's a nicer focus ring", "Oh, there's a switch for IS on that nicer lens?"

And then there's the notion that Canon might not change the lens optical setup too much because they've been making it forever at a very low cost.

So -- all things considered -- my money is on this lens having some kind of short barrel like the current nifty fifty. I don't think it will be a pancake. But I could be wrong here.

- A

 

[Haydn1971]

I don't see where you're getting a pancake from???

The nifty fifty replacement has to be cheap, why tool up with a bespoke lens body when you already have a cheap body in the 24/40mm pancakes that you could share tooling costs with. There's no IS, so you don't need a larger body like the 24/28/35mm IS primes, the lens also features STM, which has been put to good use and fits in the existing 22/24/40mm pancakes that Canon produce.

 

[lintoni]

I don't see where you're getting a pancake from???

The nifty fifty replacement has to be cheap, why tool up with a bespoke lens body when you already have a cheap body in the 24/40mm pancakes that you could share tooling costs with. There's no IS, so you don't need a larger body like the 24/28/35mm IS primes, the lens also features STM, which has been put to good use and fits in the existing 22/24/40mm pancakes that Canon produce.

From the initial post in this thread, it would appear that CR's source has physically seen the lens (or at least an image of it). If it was a pancake lens, do you not think it would have been described as such?

 

[Haydn1971]

From the initial post in this thread, it would appear that CR's source has physically seen the lens (or at least an image of it). If it was a pancake lens, do you not think it would have been described as such?

Not necessarily - the source may be tied into a non-disclosure contract, or perhaps isn't as well informed as they would like to think they are. My views are purely speculation, just as everyone else's, it's called fun !

 

[lintoni]

From the initial post in this thread, it would appear that CR's source has physically seen the lens (or at least an image of it). If it was a pancake lens, do you not think it would have been described as such?

Not necessarily - the source may be tied into a non-disclosure contract, or perhaps isn't as well informed as they would like to think they are. My views are purely speculation, just as everyone else's, it's called fun !

Sounds more like a semi-disclosure contract.

 

[ahsanford]

From the initial post in this thread, it would appear that CR's source has physically seen the lens (or at least an image of it). If it was a pancake lens, do you not think it would have been described as such?

Not necessarily - the source may be tied into a non-disclosure contract, or perhaps isn't as well informed as they would like to think they are. My views are purely speculation, just as everyone else's, it's called fun !

+1. Super fun to speculate. That's why I'm here!

This gets into who is leaking info here at CR, Northlight, Digicame, Photo Rumors, etc. I'm sure it's a mixed bag of sources, but my money would be on a combination of early adopter test photographers and large internet storefront folks (who have access to marketing materials before items get listed). And some may be legit Canon-approved leaks to keep folks believing that the item they really want is right around the corner.

I'd be really surprised if a North American based rumor site has a source in Canon in Japan somewhere (corporate, in a factory, a Canon supplier partner, etc.). Leaks from those sources are professional death sentences, and most leading tech companies don't make it easy to do. A lot of companies protect leaks a manner not far off from counter-intelligence movie: codified false leaks are dropped to specific folks, and whichever leaks get out walks right back to the very small list of people who saw the original item. Apple has been reported to use such tactics, and it appears to work quite well.

- A

 

[Frage]

How will it compare to the 40mm stm?
I can not be cheaper. So, I asume it could replace the 50mm 1,4. because it will be certainly sharper wide open.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

Using only the logic (I'm not optical engineer) I would say this 50mm F1.8 STM will have similar mechanics to 40mm pancake, but it should be higher, because F1.8 requires more optical elements.

I would not call it pancake, but it could be something like a pancake with yeast, which would be about the size of the current Canon 50mm F1.8. Perhaps 4 centimeter in length, and a barrel extending over the focus.

 

[Joey]

As I understand it, there are no 50mm pancake lenses on the market for SLR cameras. A 50mm lens must have its optical centre 50mm from the focal plane at infinity focus. That's rather a thick pancake. 40mm lenses can be made very flat because 40mm from the focal plane is not far beyond the lens throat. The EFS 24mm pancake lens has its rear element recessed into the lens throat. Wider angle lenses use complex retrofocus design, resulting in an optical centre of the lens beyond the rear element of the lens. Conversely telephoto lenses are designed so that the optical centre of the lens is beyond the outer element of the lens. Both techniques require additional lens elements and complex distortion correction strategies. A pancake lens doesn't have the space or, usually, the budget, to incorporate such technology, so for full frame or cropped sensor SLR cameras, pancake lenses are going to continue to be around the 24-40mm focal length range.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

As I understand it, there are no 50mm pancake lenses on the market for SLR cameras. A 50mm lens must have its optical centre 50mm from the focal plane at infinity focus. That's rather a thick pancake. 40mm lenses can be made very flat because 40mm from the focal plane is not far beyond the lens throat. The EFS 24mm pancake lens has its rear element recessed into the lens throat. Wider angle lenses use complex retrofocus design, resulting in an optical centre of the lens beyond the rear element of the lens. Conversely telephoto lenses are designed so that the optical centre of the lens is beyond the outer element of the lens. Both techniques require additional lens elements and complex distortion correction strategies. A pancake lens doesn't have the space or, usually, the budget, to incorporate such technology, so for full frame or cropped sensor SLR cameras, pancake lenses are going to continue to be around the 24-40mm focal length range.

I believe it would be technically possible to make a pancake lens 50mm, if the maximum aperture was just F2.8. But such hypothetical lens would be unnecessary when there is already a 40mm F2.8.