Canon Joins High-Quality 50mm Lens Race

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Finally! Move over, Otus and Sigma, Canon is here:

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/about_canon/newsroom?pageKeyCode=pressreldetail&docId=0901e02480f0929b#&cm_mmc=TW-_-CCD%2FPR%2FCORP-_-2015-05-11_1205AM_TWUSA_New-EF-Lens-Press-Release-_-76241%3A2395852

 

[NancyP]

Canon might be competing for best BARGAIN original-design lens. That's a tough field within Canon itself, as the Shorty Forty (40mm f/2.8 STM at 150 bucks street price) and its cousin the 24mm f/2.8 STM (you try rhyming "twenty four"!) are only 50 bucks more than the old Nifty Fifty (50mm f/1.8 II, at ~100 bucks street price) which this is meant to replace.

No lenses are going to be cheaper than the YongNuo-type knock-offs.

[BJL]

Canon might be competing for best BARGAIN original-design lens. That's a tough field within Canon itself, as the Shorty Forty (40mm f/2.8 STM at 150 bucks street price) and its cousin the 24mm f/2.8 STM (you try rhyming "twenty four"!)

"Sees plenty more"?

[Paulo Bizarro]

It seems like a nice upgrade, going back to a metal lens mount, and adding a step motor for more fluid AF during video.

For more expensive, there is the 1.2 lens.

Now the 50 1.4 lens really needs an upgrade...

[NancyP]

BJL, very good.

I will likely buy this lens if it is as good as the Shorty Forty. I have found that it is very convenient to have a lightweight "just in case" lens with you if you are carrying multiple primes or are working mostly with a heavy telephoto lens. My current full frame lenses in the 50mm range are old AIS Nikkors, the micro 55 f/3/5 and the 50 f/1.2. Both are surprisingly good for old designs, and weigh about 2 to 3 times the Canon Nifty Fifty / Plastic Fantastic.

Good business move for Canon - inexpensive gateway drug to prime lens-dom.