Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM vs. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II focus and sound differences in Video Servo mode

Dustin Abbott posted a short video on YouTube that shows the differences in focus quality and sound between the new Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and the EF 50mm f/1.8 II, both lenses used on a camera in video servo mode. Well, big differences. Congrats Canon for having made another excellent and inexpensive lens.

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

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM sample pics taken with EOS 5DS (Photography Blog)

Ef 50mm f/1.8 STM

Photography Blog posted a set of 42 sample photos shot with the new Canon Ef 50mm f/1.8 STM lens. They used their brand new EOS 5Ds to test shot the lens.

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

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 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

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