Many a photographer has looked to Canon's "nifty fifty"-the EF 50mm f/1.8 II USM ($125.99)-as a first lens due to its attractive price and wide aperture. The first update to the lens in nearly two decades, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM ($125.99), keeps the optics and the price the same, but uses a stepping...

Sharp at f/1.8; Lightweight; Silent, smooth video focus; Very affordable

Modest barrel distortion; Slower focus; Can flare; Some fall-off at wide aperture; Omits stabilization; Narrower field of view on APS-C cameras; Hood not included

Many a photographer has looked to Canon's "nifty fifty"—the EF 50mm f/1.8 II USM ($125.99)—as a first lens due to its attractive price and wide aperture. The first update to the lens in nearly two decades, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM ($125.99), keeps the optics and the price the same, but uses a stepping motor (STM) for focus. The new motor provides smooth, quiet focus when paired with newer Canon cameras, but it's on the slow side. If you're buying on price alone, the 50mm f/1.8 STM is a solid choice, but it's not the best standard-angle prime available for Canon cameras. Editors' Choice honors for fast 50mm lenses stay with the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($948.99 at Amazon) . The Sigma is a larger, heavier, and pricier prime lens, but its optical quality is fantastic. DesignThe EF 50mm f/1.8 ($125.00 at Amazon)  is a small, light lens. It measures 1.6 by 2.7 inches (HD), weighs just 5.7 ounces, and supports 49mm front filters. Canon doesn't include a lens hood, but you can buy the ES-...

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is the company's least expensive lens. It's an excellent value, even if it does have some flaws.

Sharp at f/1.8; Lightweight; Silent, smooth video focus; Very affordable

Modest barrel distortion; Slower focus; Can flare; Some fall-off at wide aperture; Omits stabilization; Narrower field of view on APS-C cameras; Hood not included

: The company's most affordable Rebel camera and also their smallest is a great offering for those that are just getting into photography.

This lens is an update to the popular and inexpensive standard 50mm f/1.8 EF lens , replacing the standard focusing motor with Canon's new stepping motor technology, which promises smoother, quieter autofocus performance, which is especially suited to recording video.

Canon celebrated the 25th year anniversary of the EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens with ... the announcement of its replacement, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens. The 50mm f/1.8 II was an extremely popular lens, primarily because of its introduction-to-prime-wide aperture and good stopped-down image quality at...

"This is simple, lightweight and very sharp lens will bring your pictures on the next level. The same shots I was doing with standard zoom lens look amazing now. This new STM mode is also very fast in focusing. This would be extremely useful if you are making videos."

Ask any Canon user what they think Canon's most popular lenses are, and I can guarantee that most will mention the classic EF 50mm f/1.8. Not only is it the most affordable lens in the EF line-up, it's also well matched to a wide variety of photographic genres.

Ask any Canon user what they think Canon's most popular lenses are, and I can guarantee that most will mention the classic EF 50mm f/1.8. Not only is it the most affordable lens in the EF line-up, it's also well matched to a wide variety of photographic genres.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is an appealingly simple, compact and capable lens that's equally at home on an APS-C or full-frame DSLR camera. It's also very cheap, making it a worthy addition to any EOS user's camera bag.

This lens is an update to the popular and inexpensive standard 50mm f/1.8 EF lens , replacing the standard focusing motor with Canon's new stepping motor technology, which promises smoother, quieter autofocus performance, which is especially suited to recording video.

Very good sharpness in the centre at maximum aperture; Excellent sharpness when stopped down; Lightweight; Silent focusing; Good build quality

Sluggish focus speeds; Sharpness could be better towards the edges at fast apertures