Canon 50mm f/1.8 EF MKi Metal Mount. If you’re looking to purchase this lens I always check Adorama and Ebay for good deals. It helps me if you purchase it through one of these links here in this review. When you purchase through these links it financially enables me to devote time to develop this site further. Thanks for the help! -Todd

Barrel
Plastic

Weight
6.6 oz (186g)

Focus Type
Auto Focus.

 

Focus Ring
Plastic.

Close Focus
1.5 feet (0.45 meters).

 

Filter Threads
52mm, Plastic.

Aperture Ring
None.

Diaphragm
5 blades stopping down to f/22.

Mount
EOS Metal.

Made in
Japan.

 

 

 

Sharpness
f/1.8: Decently sharp but quite a bit of chromatic and spherical aberration creating a haze. Also a little coma is present.
f/2: Sharpens up a little with better contrast but still a fair bit of chromatic and spherical aberration.
f/2.8: Very sharp with great contrast and only a tiny bit of chromatic aberration.
f/3.5: Sharper yet with great contrast.
f/4: Just gets better.
f/8: Even better yet with a the tiniest hint of diffusion starting.

Vignetting
Quite a bit of vignette at f/1.8 but immediately begins to clear at f/2.8 and basically gone at f/4.

Bokeh
The blur is not too bad but a little distracting for a portrait lens.

Distortion
Has a moderate amount of barrel distortion but not too bad.

Recommendations
Optics:         ★ ★ ★ ★
Mechanics:  ★ ★ ★ ★
Usefulness: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Availability:  ★ ★ ★
Overall:        ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Out of 5

This is an easy one! Want one of the cheapest Auto Focus f/1.8 full frame lenses available today? This lens is a really good deal considering what you’re getting. I always tell my friends grab one even if they don’t use a 50mm often. Simply going with a 35mm f/1.4 or a 85mm f/1.4 will land you easily another $1,000.00.

This is NOT the Canon 50mm f/1.8 MKii which is still an extremely great lens but is built very cheap and is not a shock when yours breaks. Optically there is no difference so if you have the time to hunt around you can find the MKi with the metal mount for LESS the the cheaply built MKii. Either lens is worth buying but if you can find a MKi metal mount version for the same price they are the best.

The 50mm f/1.8 MKi is a really well built lens. The construction is plastic but you rarely see them broken because they were so solidly built. They also consist of a metal mount and the focus ring which is a little easier to grab even though it is in the middle of the lens. The only thing I don’t really like about the build is the AF/MF switch. It can be a little hard to move since it’s flush with the body.

Optically this lens is amazing for the price! The lens is sharp at all stops with very little distortion. Wide open there is a fair bit of chromatic and spherical aberration. Stopping the lens down to f/2.2-f/2.5 cleans the lens up amazingly well. The bokeh is a little distracting but this is expected.

I personally don’t like the idea of using a 50mm that often but I can’t seem to get myself away from them. For what I shoot I find myself using a 50mm a huge amount of time so I finally stopped fighting it. The 50mm f/1.4 is a better lens in many ways but this lens also beats the f/1.4 in some ways. If you are on a budget the f/1.8 is hands down a amazing deal, but if you can put more down for a f/1.4 either is great.

MKi vs MKii? If you are rough with your gear then go with the MKi for tougher construction. People sell them for a lot more money so you might have to pay more. However if you keep watch there are many deals out there and I found a few of them for less then a used MKii. If you’re not rough with your gear then the MKii is the same lens but just constructed a little cheaper with a plastic mount. Optically these 2 lenses are the same so if you want a MKii don’t worry, you are getting the same lens in a different wrapper.

 

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My hopes are to take the time to continue developing this website with more test photo based reviews. If you are ever interested in purchasing this lens or other photography equipment please do so through these links here in this review. I always check Adorama and Ebay for good deals. This helps support my family and allows me to take more time for the site. The best part is this site is free for you and I link good deals I find!

Sometimes these links will actually give you better deals then typical retail prices! I personally buy from the links I have listed whether looking for new gear or fun old stuff. I can personally attest to their good & safe service from years of experience. Thanks again to you, our readers, for supporting us! -Todd