Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens review

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is one of those lenses known for its remarkable image quality, affordability, and artistic possibilities.

This lens is commonly called the "Nifty Fifty" and for good reason...

To watch the video review I did for the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, you can watch it here:

Quick summary

In short, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a must-have lens for amateur and beginner photographers. The maximum aperture of this lens creates beautiful bokeh, and the price tag of this lens makes it a lens you'll find in most photographer's lens collections.

While this lens should be used primarily for close to mid-range shots (headshots, portrait, street, product, macro) it can also get the job done when you want to capture some landscapes (however, there are better lenses out there for landscapes).

Here are the pros and cons of the 50mm f/1.8 STM

Pros and cons of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM build details

1. Focal length

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a prime lens with a fixed focal length of 50mm. It is an EF lens that can fit on full-frame and APS-C sensor cameras.

Full-frame camera

When using the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM on a full-frame camera, you get a field of view equivalent to 50mm. This is the "true" or "actual" focal length, providing a standard perspective without any crop factor applied.

APS-C camera

When you use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM on an APS-C camera (with a typical crop factor of approximately 1.5x to 1.6x for Canon), the effective field of view is narrower due to the crop factor.

So, with a 1.6x crop factor, the 50mm focal length of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM on an APS-C camera would provide an effective field of view equivalent to about 75-80mm (50mm x 1.6).

2. Aperture

Aperture range

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has a maximum aperture of f/1.8, which is ideal for capturing images with a shallow depth of field. This shallow depth of field is ideal for capturing a beautiful background blur (bokeh) and performing excellently in low-light situations. Here's an example image I took of a flower at its maximum aperture f/1.8; notice the background blur:

Aperture blades

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has a circular aperture and features 7 rounded aperture blades. By having 7 blades, the bokeh that's produced by this lens is very smoother and soft. When using it at wider f-stops such as f/1.8 and f/2.8, you'll notice a very soft and rounded bokeh and aesthetic background blur.

This is particularly nice for portraits, headshots, product photos, or any other types of photos that can benefit from background blur in order to draw emphasis to the subject.

3. Focus mechanism

Stepping Motor (STM)

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM features a focus mechanism that is driven by a Stepping Motor (STM), which is a type of autofocus motor that aims to produce smooth and near-silent operation. This type of motor is helpful when you're recording video or photographing in a quiet environment and want to capture subjects discreetly or without picking up the noise from the motor in your audio recordings.

STM noise

Although the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM features this motor, I did notice that it made quite a noise when auto-focusing. If you watch my video review, I have a section in the video where you can hear the noise of the motor.

Smooth autofocus

While it was noisy, the autofocus was smooth, at least, and the focus was adjusted steadily, making it suitable for quick autofocusing when recording or photographing different subjects quickly.

Manual focus

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM also features a manual focus feature if you prefer to go manual. It also has a manual focus override that lets you manually fine-tune the focus even when in autofocus (AF) mode. This will allow you to have greater control and flexibility when you want to adjust your focus manually without having to switch fully to manual focus mode.

Minimum focusing distance

The lens's minimum focusing distance is 1.15 feet (0.35 meters), which allows it to get close to its subjects. This makes it ideal for portraits, headshots, and products/still life.

Smooth focus ring operation

When using manual focus, you have to turn the manual focus ring. When I used the ring, it was very smooth and complemented the overall user experience of the lens.

4. Optical design

Lens elements and groups

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM consists of six lens elements that are arranged in five groups.

Lens elements:

The size of lens elements within the optical path of the lens is responsible for bending and focusing incoming light to form a sharp image on your camera's image sensor. The elements are arranged in a way that optimizes image quality.

Groups:

The six lens elements are organized into five groups. This is done because grouping elements allows for more precise control over various aspects. Each group can consist of one or more lens elements with unique properties, such as aspherical or low-dispersion elements, to address specific optical aberrations like distortion, chromatic aberration, and spherical aberration.

Aspherical element

Among the lens elements, there is at least one aspherical element incorporated into the optical design. Aspherical elements help reduce spherical aberrations, which can cause image distortion and softness at the edges of the frame. This inclusion enhances overall image sharpness and clarity.

Lens coating

The lens coating on the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM features Canon's Super Spectra coating. This coating technology helps minimize reflections and reduce the occurrence of flares, especially when shooting in challenging lighting conditions.

When testing for flares myself, I noticed that it did fair well in the sun, and you can find that section in my video review:

Chromatic aberration correction

The optical design of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is optimized to minimize chromatic aberration, which is often seen as color fringing or unwanted color dispersion.

Distortion control

The lens's optical formula also addresses distortion, ensuring that straight lines in your photos remain straight without bowing or curving. This is especially important for architectural and product photography.

But essentially, I didn't notice any crazy distortion with this lens, and most editing software has "Profile Corrections" that allow you to adjust for this distortion, so you shouldn't worry about this with this lens.

5. Construction materials

Lens barrel

The main body of the lens barrel is constructed of high-quality plastic, making it very light and easy to carry around for extended periods of shooting, especially on a lighter camera like the Canon Rebel series.

The use of plastic is also another reason why the lens is so affordable. No complaints, though; it feels great and light in the hands.

Mount

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has a metal lens mount that enhances its durability and allows you to attach it securely and precisely to your camera body. Having this type of mount is important, especially if you frequently need to change lenses and attach and detach it from your camera.

Here's a photo of the mount:

Focus ring

The focus ring is also made of plastic. It has a textured surface and a comfortable grip that is also very smooth, as mentioned earlier. While the focus ring isn't made of metal or rubber, it's well-designed to get the job done when manually focusing.

Filter thread

The lens has a filter thread size of 49mm, which is standard for many Canon lenses. The filter thread is typically made of metal, allowing you to securely attach various filters such as UV filters, polarizers, or neutral density (ND) filters.

Here's an image without the lens cap:

6. Weather sealing

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM does not feature any weather sealing. This means that this lens is not built to withstand exposure to dust, moisture, or any other adverse weather conditions.

Have to constantly shoot in challenging environments or inclement weather conditions such as rain or dust? I'd recommend you exercise caution and take the appropriate measures to protect this lens and the camera.

7. Weight

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is known for being compact and portable. It weighs approximately 5.6 ounces (~160 grams), making it very light. Of course, if you add any accessories or filters to the lens, then it might weigh a bit more, but overall, this is one of the lightest lenses out there!

8. Image Stabilization (IS)

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM does not feature built-in image stabilization (IS), which means the lens does not have optical image stabilization technology to compensate for camera shake or vibrations.

This said, if you have to shoot in low-light conditions or with slower shutter speeds, you'll have to increase the ISO or use a tripod to maintain image sharpness. If you have to record a video and don't have a tripod with you, you will most likely have shaky footage, but at least there are many stabilization plugins and programs available in video editing software.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM image quality

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has excellent image quality and a wide maximum aperture of f/1.8, making it suitable for different photography niches.

Portrait photography

Regarding portrait photography, the game's name is background blur. Well, the f/1.8 wide aperture of this lens will allow you to create beautiful background blur (bokeh) that will easily isolate your subject.

This makes the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM a great choice for capturing professional-looking portraits or headshots. Here's an example portrait photo I took with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM:

Street photography

In street photography, quick shots and natural lighting are the norm, and that's where the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM shines. This lens's wide aperture, quick autofocus, compact size, and light weight make it inconspicuous and easy to carry around. Just be wary of the autofocus noise if you are photographing somewhere where you have to be very quiet.

Low-light environments

If you have to photograph in a low-light environment, such as a concert, at night, or in a club, the wide f/1.8 aperture once again makes this lens a great choice. With its aperture, this lens can gather ample light, creating sharp images in challenging lighting conditions.

Just be aware of what camera you use this lens on, as the noise from the high ISO settings could cause grainy images. Here's an example image I took at a concert where the setting was very low-light. As you can see, it held up well, and there wasn't much noise:

Product photography

Product photography also benefits from sharpness and background blur. Once again, this lens's wide aperture makes it the hero in this story, making it advantageous to highlight specific product features while blurring the background.

Here's an example product photo I took with this lens. As you can see, it captures the fine details well:

Landscape photography

While not a typical choice for landscape photography due to its fixed focal length, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM can still produce quality-looking landscape images. It won't produce stunning landscape images, but its sharpness and contrast can capture intricate details in the landscape.

Macro photography

For macro photography, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is not a dedicated macro lens, but you can use extension tubes if you want to achieve macro-like shots. But for the hassle and cost of getting an extension tube, I would just say get a dedicated macro lens, especially if you want to specialize in macro photography.

Here's an example photo I took of a flower at the lens' maximum aperture. I think the shallow depth of field you're able to achieve makes it more capable for macro photography:

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM f-stop ranges

I tested the quality of images at different f-stop ranges. You can find the images here, or be sure to check out that section in my video review. Overall, this lens performs well at all f-stop ranges.

You'll notice some noise at the higher f-stop ranges because the sun was starting to go down, but even then, the noise is not too crazy:

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM video quality

The 50mm f/1.8's video quality is the same as its image quality, except you'll have to remember that this lens is a fixed focal length and does not have image stabilization.

The fixed focal length means you'll need to physically move your positioning and the camera to change your framing.

The lack of built-in image stabilization makes it difficult to achieve stable footage right out of the camera unless you have a tripod, gimbal, or other form of stabilization. This can be limiting if you need to capture video and be mobile.

I tested the quality of the video at different f-stop ranges, so be sure to check out that section in my video review.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM low-light performance

The low-light performance of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is impressive due to its wide aperture. Using lenses with wider apertures like this can help you reduce noise in your images or footage, allowing you to use faster shutter speeds and lower ISO settings for less grainy images.

One thing I did notice was that if you photograph in very dark settings, you can't avoid the noise in the image unless you have a camera that handles high ISO well. For example, taking the example images of the flower above, you can see very minimal noise start to form around ISO 3200.

I was also photographing on a full-frame camera, however, so consider that:

Once you're at ISO 6400 and above, you will definitely see the noise:

I also noticed a little trouble with focusing during low-light settings, so if you find this as well, you may need to manually focus, as the autofocus struggled a bit in extremely dim situations.

I tested the quality of low-light performance at different f-stop ranges; you can find the images above or be sure to check out that section in my video review.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM compatible cameras

In case you are thinking about picking up this lens but unsure if it will fit your camera or you currently have this lens and want to get a new camera, here are the cameras this lens is compatible with:

Canon APS-C DSLRs

This lens is primarily designed for Canon APS-C sensor DSLR cameras, such as the Canon Rebel series (e.g., Canon EOS Rebel T7i, Canon Rebel T6, Canon Rebel T6i, Canon Rebel T5i), the Canon EOS 80D, and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. When mounted on these cameras, the 50mm focal length provides an effective focal length of approximately 80mm due to the crop factor, making it great for portrait photography, street photography, and achieving a beautiful background blur (bokeh).

Canon Full-Frame DSLRs

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is also compatible with full-frame DSLRs, such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EOS 6D, and Canon EOS 1DX Mark II. This lens offers a classic 50mm focal length on full-frame cameras, which is ideal for a wide range of applications, including portraits, landscapes, and low-light photography.

Mirrorless Cameras with EF Mount Adapters

Canon's mirrorless cameras, such as the Canon EOS M series (ex., Canon EOS M50) and the Canon EOS R series, can also use the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens with the appropriate EF to EF-M or EF to RF mount adapter. This compatibility extends the lens's versatility to Canon's mirrorless lineup, allowing photographers to enjoy its benefits on these more compact and lightweight camera bodies.

Third-Party Cameras

While this lens is primarily designed for Canon EOS cameras, third-party manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic, and Blackmagic Design have produced cameras with EF mounts. With the appropriate adapter, you can use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens on these cameras, expanding its compatibility beyond the Canon ecosystem.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM accessories

Want to accessorize your Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM? Here are some of the most popular lens accessories:

Lens hood (Canon ES-68)

A lens hood is essential for reducing lens flare and ghosting caused by stray light. Canon offers the ES-68 lens hood specifically designed for the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens. It helps improve image contrast and quality, especially when shooting in bright or backlit conditions.

UV or Skylight filter

A UV or Skylight filter can protect the front element of your lens from scratches, dust, and moisture. Additionally, it can help reduce the bluish cast that can occur in certain lighting conditions. Ensure you choose a high-quality filter to maintain image quality.

Lens cap keeper

A lens cap keeper is a simple but useful accessory that prevents you from losing your lens cap. It attaches to the lens cap and connects to the lens barrel, ensuring that your lens cap is always readily available when you need it.

Lens cleaning Kit

Keeping your lens clean is essential for image quality. A lens cleaning kit with a blower, microfiber cloth, and cleaning solution can help you remove dust, smudges, and fingerprints from your lens.

Extension tubes

As mentioned earlier, extension tubes allow for macro photography with your 50mm lens, enabling you to capture close-up shots of small subjects. This accessory is particularly useful for photographers interested in macro and product photography.

Lens filters (e.g., ND, Polarizer)

Depending on your photography style and preferences, you may want to consider additional lens filters, such as neutral density (ND) filters for long-exposure photography or polarizing filters for enhancing skies and reducing reflections.

In conclusion, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a must-have lens for beginner and amateur photographers. This was one of the first lenses I bought when I started photographing about 5 years ago, and I still use it to this day.

If you decide to upgrade to a new lens, some great choices include the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM.