Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Review of Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II standard lens. Review created 2004, latest update 2013.
Facts
- a hobbyist's dream-come-true: the perfect second lens right after the perfect first lens
- estimated retail price 105 EUR
- in my use from 9/2004 to 7/2006
- the lens that revolutionized my view on photography and lenses
Pros
- beats the living hell out of the cheapest zooms with good image quality and large aperture
- gives more sharpness, better colors and more contrast than mid-priced zooms
- fast (f/1.8) so you'll love it indoors and it can open up new possibilities what and where to shoot without a flash
- cheap
- small
- lightweight
Cons
- harsh background blur compared to more expensive primes
- all plastic including the mount
- not usable for manual focusing due to short movement range of the focusing ring
- focusing causes noises that sounds like the lens was broken