If you are looking for a Canon lens that comes with a high-quality design, the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is the best option. But one might ask why should I choose the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens? You will get all the answers from this Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens review post.
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is one of the cheapest lenses on the Canon EF lineup. It is made for a full-frame format and excellent learning tool for amateurs.
With a dimension of 68×41mm and a weight of 130g, this Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is designed mostly from plastic. All plastic and all fantastic.
Contents
What is a Canon 50mm Lens Good For?
As we mentioned earlier, Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is an excellent learning tool and cheap. Besides, handling the lens is not a difficult task at all.
Also, if you are looking for a lens that can take sharp pictures in a low lighting environment, Canon 50mm lens should be your pick.
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens Review
In this section, we hope to discuss Canon 50mm lens’ specifications, key features, pros & cons, and more.
Major Specification I liked
| Date Launched | December 1990 |
| Focal length | 50mm |
| Maximum format size | 35mm full size |
| 35mm equivalent focal length | 80mm |
| Maximum aperture | F1.8 |
| Minimum aperture | F22 |
| Diagonal Angle View (FF) | 47° |
| Diagonal Angle View (APS-C) | 31° |
| Minimum focus | 0.45m (1.5 ft) |
| Lens Construction | 6 elements/ 5 groups |
| Maximum magnification | 0.15x |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 5 |
| Weight | 130g(4.6oz) |
| Dimensions | 68×41mm |
| Lens mount | Canon EF only |
| AF motor type | DC Micro Motor |
Key Features of Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens
With very cheap built quality and sharp images, Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is one of the finest pieces in the Canon EF collection.
The design is 99.99% plastic and highly durable. This lens measure 68×41mm and weighs 130g. Because of this, we can place this lens in the featherweight class. Besides, Canon 50mm lens is the lightest among Canon’s lenses.
Having said that, here are some key features related to Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens.
Mechanism:
The Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is made from plastic. Of course, the optics are glass. Even Canon cannot make optics from plastic.
Anyway, these plastics are highly durable, and light weighted. Here is some detail about the exterior design of the Canon 50mm lens.
- Filter Thread – Plastic
- Focus Ring – Plastic
- Barrel Exterior – Plastic
- Mount – Plastic
- Internals- Probably plastic
- Marking – Paint
Focus:
You don’t have to turn the focus ring for this Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens. This is not a manual focus camera. Everything is designed for autofocusing.
So, keep your finger away from the focus ring. Besides, turning the focus ring into autofocusing mode might damage the auto-focus motor. Remember to avoid such situations.
Manual/Auto Switching:
However, if you still prefer manual focus, you can change the setting easily using the manual/auto switch.
Auto Focus Speed:
Autofocus speed is quite impressive, but the autofocus motor is a little noisy for our liking.
Auto Focus Accuracy:
Canon lens’ autofocus accuracy is always hit the spot. So, when it comes to Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens, there is no difference. Even in low lighting conditions Canon 50mm will give you sharp images.
Manual Focus:
If you use the manual focus on a Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens, you will be able to know how easy it is. However, remember to switch to manual focus mode before turning the focus ring.
Bokeh:
The quality of the areas that are not focused on a photograph is known as bokeh. When it comes to bokeh, Canon 50mm lens performs extremely well.
Most of the time, the backgrounds are further from the focus. But, still, Canon 50mm lens gives fair image quality.
Sharpness:
Without a doubt, Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is one of the sharpest lenses among the Canon cameras. If we compare the 50mm F/2.5 and 50mm F/1.4 USM, both have the same sharpness levels.
However, 50mm F/1.4 is the least impressive lens when it comes to sharpness. This occurs mainly because of the poor focus capabilities.
On the other hand, the 50mm F/1.8 surpasses all the above models. It is sharp in the center & corners and has a small spherical aberration haze.
Super Spectra Coating:
For accurate color balance, Canon 50mm lens uses Super Spectra coating. Apart from that, it enhances the contrast level and reduces ghosting and flare.
These ghosting and flare occur due to the bouncing lights from the camera’s sensor.
Electronics Lens Mount:
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is part of the Canon EF family. Because of that, the AF motor provides fast and accurate auto-focusing performance.
Besides, the camera has an electromagnetic diaphragm which helps find the correct mechanical aperture spot every time.
Pros and Cons of Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens
When we are doing a review canon ef 50mm f 1.8 ii standard autofocus lens , we cannot leave out the pros and cons. So, here are some of the pros and cons.
Pros
- Excellent for low lighting environment
- Light-weighted design
- Cheapest camera among the Canon lenses
- Excellent sharpness
- Offer excellent color balance
- The highly accurate autofocusing process
Cons
- Noisy AF motor
- Rough bokeh
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 Filter Size Concept
When using a camera, filter size refers to the inner diameter of that camera’s lens. During a purchase knowing the filter size of a camera is essential.
Usually, the filter size is printed on the end of the lens barrel. So, when you are buying, you can easily check the filter size. These filters come in different forms.
For instance, you can find naturally density filters, filters that can prevent specific color wavelengths, and many more filters.
However, when it comes to Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens, it has a 52mm filter. It is an excellent filter and equipped with UV and CS filtering capabilities.
UV Filter:
These UV filters are used to block ultraviolet light. When you are filming outdoors, this ultraviolet light can damage the camera lenses. So, having a UV filter is extremely important.
CS Filter:
A Cross screen filter aka CS filter can produce four beam flares on the light position. It is highly effective when you film at night illuminations or water surface reflections, and many more situations.
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II for Astrophotography
Astrophotography refers to capturing night sky images. For instance, when you capture images of cosmos, stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies, or any other starry nightscape, we called it astrophotography.
Choosing a proper astrophotography camera is no easy task at all. Besides, not all cameras come with astrophotography capabilities. So, you will have to be careful when you buy a camera for astrophotography purposes.
However, Canon cameras have a good reputation when it comes to astrophotography. It is a unique feature that most Canon cameras have. But what about the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens?
To answer that question, we will have to investigate some of the specifications of the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens.
- Sharpness
- Aperture
- Focal length
If you are looking for a good astrophotography camera, the above three specifications should be great for that camera. Luckily, Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens comes with all the necessary specifications.
For instance, it has a focal length of 50mm and a maximum aperture of F1.8.
Besides, we don’t have to tell you about the sharpness of the Canon 50mm lens. So, Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens is an excellent choice for astrophotography.
Some Tips for Using Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens
From our Canon EF 50mm Lens, you now have a good idea about the Canon 50mm camera. Knowing these specifications will solve lots of issues that you might encounter during a shooting.
However, the actual filming process is entirely a different thing. So, here are some tips that can help you while filming.
Keep Your Distance
You should keep the minimum focus distance while filming. Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens has a minimum focusing distance of 1.5ft.
Film in Open Spaces
When you use a 50mm camera, you should always shoot in open spaces. Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens has a viewing angle of 47°. So, it is difficult to capture confined spaces.
Shoot According to Minimum and Maximum Aperture
A good understanding of minimum and maximum aperture determines how the camera performs in low light and bright conditions.
Questions Pop Up in My Mind
Should I Pick Canon 50mm 1.8 for Portraits?
Yes. For portraits Canon 50mm 1.8 is a good option. This camera will perform well even in low lighting conditions.
How Much is the Canon 50mm 1.8 Camera?
Canon 50mm 1.8 is one of the cheapest cameras in the Canon collection. It will cost you around $90-125.
Does Canon 50mm 1.8 Have Auto-Focusing?
Yes. Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens has highly accurate auto-focusing capabilities.
My Final Two Cents
Whenever you use a Canon 50mm 1.8, remember to follow our Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens mount lens review. It will eliminate any doubts that you might have.