The recently announced Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is now in-stock and available to ship out today at most major stores, including B&H, Adorama, and Amazon.
At a price of only $125.00, we’re extremely impressed with the value they’ve delivered in this refresh. They have resolved all of our biggest gripes about the original version, and it is a great upgrade even if you have the original:
- A metal mount, not plastic (the older 50mm f/1.8 Mk I with a metal mount sells for $200+ used!)
- A more accurate and quieter STM focusing motor
- Rounded aperture blades, and 7 of them, for smoother bokeh
- Reduced minimum focusing distance
When readers ask us “I only have a 18-55 kit lens, what’s a good next lens to buy?”, our go-to lenses used to be the 50mm f/1.8 II or 50mm f/1.4 USM. Now it’s this new EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, hands down. It allows an aspiring photographer to experience prime lenses — shooting with wider apertures to achieve shallow depth of field, and moving your feet to re-frame rather than standing and zooming — all without breaking the bank. At $125, a fantastic price point, we’re expecting this lens to be very popular.