Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II vs EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lenses shootout

EF 50mm f/1.8 STMEF 50mm f/1.8 STM
EF 50mm f/1.8 II (left), EF 50mm f/1.8 STM (right)

Since the new Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, the successor of the legendary Nifty-Fifty, the EF 50mm f/1.8 II, was readily available and in stock, there are more and more reviews coming up.

PetaPixel posted an exhaustive review that’s also a good read if you want to learn about the differences between the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and its predecessor. A long list of pros for the new EF 50mm f/1.8 STM in the conclusion:

  • Much improved corner sharpness. Usable, even wide open.
  • Overall improved sharpness when shot wide open.
  • Better controlled chromatic aberrations, although still noticeable.
  • Faster and more accurate auto focus.
  • 7 aperture blades and new aperture blade design lead to nearly rounded bokeh lights, even at narrower apertures.
  • Auto focus more silent.
  • All-time manual focus override after half-pressing shutter.
  • Lower minimum focusing distance: 0.35m instead of 0.45m.
  • Metal mount.
  • Thread for lens hood. Compatible lens hood ES-68 available. Lens hood with release button.
  • Non-plastic feel.
  • Overall better build quality.
  • New lens cap design works better with lens hoods.
  • Broader focus ring.
  • Still very light and is a small lens that can stay in your bag.

The review has a lot of sample shots that can be downloaded in original size. Crops and comparison between the two lenses are also not missing, still it is not a review just for pixel peepers. Want to learn everything about Canon’s new Nifty-Fifty? Head over to PetaPixel for the full review.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

50mm f/1.8

The Canon EOS 5DS R image quality “blows you away”

Fro Knows Photo has a pre-production EOS 5DS R in his hands, and he is more than positively impressed by the image quality of the EOS 5DS R. Coming back from a photo shoot in the Grand Canyon, he says:

I am just back from the Grand Canyon and had to share this photo taken with the Canon 5Dsr at 70mm with the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II. This photo was taken at 5am as the sun was coming up over the Grand Canyon.

When I zoomed in 1:1 I was blown away at the quality of the image. My D4s doesn’t hold up nearly as well at 1:1 as this 5Dsr but that is to be expected.

When I zoomed in 3:1 I almost fell out of my chair. Just look at me go from full image to 3:1 to get a feel for how far away Todd [the guy in the photo] actually was.

The Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R will soon start shipping, possibly by next Friday, June 5th. That’s what the product page at Adorama suggests. Orders will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Pre-order the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R:

Canon EOS 5DS availability check for your country: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA, Canon EOS 5DS R availability check for your country: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

EOS 5DS R

[via FKP]

Canon patent for camera system with translucent mirror and EVF

eg

Canon filed a patent for a camera system with translucent mirror and electronic viewfinder (EVF). Looks like a patent for a technology similar to Sony’s translucent mirror. This is not the first time Canon files a patent referring to a translucent mirror (1 | 2).

  • Patent Publication No. 2015-97352
    • Published 2015.5.21
    • Filing date 2013.11.15
  • Canon patents
    • Half mirror and the optical path division by
    • One of the light beam received by the image pickup device
    • The other light flux I receive in AF sensor
    • FPS of the AF sensor, faster than the image pickup device
    • Pixel area of ​​the AF sensor is larger than the image pickup device
    • From the AF sensor and the image sensor to obtain an image to be displayed on the EVF or back display

What’s coming next from Canon’s labs?

[via Egami]

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM review (photozone)

EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Lens testing authority Photozone posted a technically in-depth review of Canon’s new Nifty-Fifty, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a slight improvement over the old EF 50mm f/1.8 II – more so mechanically rather than optically. Now the old EF 50mm f/1.8 II was already a good lens actually especially when stopped down. The EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has a much higher center sharpness at fully open aperture though. The low contrast in the image borders/corners remains an issue but the resolution is quite decent here. Stopping down to f/2.8 helps to lift the overall quality but the lens really shines between f/4 and f/8 where it doesn’t really get any better than that actually. The low [chromatic aberrations]  also contribute to the high sharpness perception at medium aperture settings. Just like its predecessor, it produces a hefty amount of vignetting at fully open aperture. […] Image distortions aren’t completely negligible but still very low. An unfortunate weakness of the lens remains the bokeh.

Read the review at photozone –>

The new Nifty-Fifty is in stock and sells for $125 at Amazon | B&H Photo | Adorama | DigitalRev (ships world-wide). Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM availability check for your country: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA.

EF 50mm f/1.8 STM specifications (taken from Adorama’s product page):

  • Compact, Lightweight Fixed Focal Length Lens: ideal for everyday photos, and with a large f/1.8 aperture, a perfect lens for low-light photography and creative background blur.
  • 80mm effective focal-length: when attached to an APS-C camera optimal for portraits and photos of fast moving subjects such as children and pets.
  • A stepping motor (Gear-type STM): supports the Movie Servo AF function in providing smooth and quiet continuous AF during video recording, as well as when shooting photos.
  • Improved exterior design: includes new focus ring placement making it the most compact Canon 50mm lens.
  • Metal mount: helps provide stability and ruggedness.
  • Optimized lens placement and coatings: help deliver outstanding color balance, while minimizing ghosting and flare.
  • Circular aperture (7 blades): helps deliver beautiful, soft backgrounds. h
  • Minimum focusing distance: of 14in (0.35m); maximum magnification of 0.21x

 

Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R wildlife photography review (video)

Another video by Tony Northrup on YouTube. The new Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R are reviewed to see how well they suite for wildlife photography.

The Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R will soon start shipping, possibly starting by next Friday, June 5th. That’s what the product page at Adorama suggests. Orders will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Pre-order the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R:

Canon EOS 5DS availability check for your country: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA, Canon EOS 5DS R availability check for your country: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

EOS 5DS

Canon PowerShot G7X Sample Movie “City”

New Canon Powershot G7 X sample video by CanonUSA on YouTube.

Specs (taken from B&H’s product page):

  • 20.2MP 1″ High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 6 Image Processor
  • 4.2x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 IS Lens
  • 24-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • 3.0″ 1,040k-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • High-Speed AF with 31 Focus Points
  • Full HD Video Recording at 60p
  • ISO 12,800 & 6.5 fps Continuous Shooting
  • Control Ring, Dials & Built-In ND Filter
  • Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC

Canon Powershot G7 X price check
B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Powershot G7 X
Canon Powershot G7 X