Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II (Full Format) - Review / Test Report - Sample Images & Verdict
Lens Reviews - Canon EOS (Full Format)

Sample Images

Here're some sample shots taken with the EOS 5D II (converted RAWs).

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Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/1.8
Exposure 1/4000s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/500s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/500s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/250s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/1600s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/1.8
Exposure 1/8000s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/1000s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/100s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure 1/2500s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/160s
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure 1/1000s

Verdict

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II may be a "cheap" lens but it is undoubtedly a capable one. It shares its characteristics with most other 50mm lenses, reads: it's somewhat soft at f/1.8 but at medium aperture settings it is hard to beat with respect to resolution. Distortions as well as lateral CAs are basically non-issues. Vignetting is a significant problem at f/1.8 and even at f/2.8 but that (heavy vignetting at max. aperture) is something to get used to on full format DSLRs anyway. A more significant weakness of the lens is the rather nervous bokeh (out-of-focus blur) which may spoil the game in some shallow depth-of-field situations. At around 100EUR/US$ you can't expect superb build quality but frankly it's "good enough" here anyway and it's certainly one of the value kings out there.

Optical Quality:    
Mechanical Quality:
Price/Performance:
      
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