Performance
We tested the 50mm STM lens on a Canon EOS 6D body. The lens does not have internal focussing and hence the front element protrudes while focussing. Autofocus was fast, though not as fast as some of the best lenses we have reviewed. The system did not have any problem locking on to the subjects, even under reasonably low light. The AF operation was near-silent, though audible to the photographer in a quiet room. We observed prominent darkening of corners at the widest aperture, vanishing at around f/4. Flare and ghosting were evident in strong against-the-light shots with the lens wide open. The lens also produced prominent purple fringing.
Overall sharpness was impressive. The sweet spot was found to be f/4 and the lens produced reasonably good sharpness from f/2.8 to 16. It produced slight barrel distortion.
Value for Money
The 50mm f/1.8 STM lens retails at an MRP of Rs.8995. This is good value for money for this lens. |SP
FINAL SCORE 81%
Design and Build Quality 17/20
Key Features 17/20
Ergonomics 18/20
Performance
Autofocus 4/5
Sharpness 4/5
Distortion control 3/5
Aberrations 3/5
Darkening
of corners 3/5
Extra features 3/5
Sub-Total 20/30
Value for Money 9/10
PLUS
• Good value for money
• Compact dimensions
• Near-silent operation
• Sharp images
MINUS
• No internal focussing
• No special elements used
• Coatings are not the best
VERDICT
The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a normal lens offering full-time manual focus and near-silent operation. At an affordable price, this lens is certainly a good buy.
Sujith Gopinath
