Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...
 A definate must have for any Canon DSLR owner September 3, 2008
Jonathan Synnott (Northern Ireland)
If you're currently undecided as to whether you should buy this lens or not, then stop. Just buy this lens right now! It is one of (if not the) cheapest lens you can get for a Canon DSLR, yet the quality is absolutely amazing.
The image quality is great, very sharp. Bokeh is superb. It's a very fast lens, and works very well in low light. It's also very small and light, too. You'll be amazed at how much smaller it is compared to your kit lens. The portait pictures that this lens produces are fantastic, and the wide aperture provides really bright images with shallow DoF.
There are a few downsides with it, but they really aren't anything major at all - just minor points. The lens doesn't feel like it would widthstand being dropped, as it is very light and the casing is made out of plastic. Don't let this fool you though, the actual business side of the lens is superb. The auto focus is also quite loud, but once again this isn't a big deal and I'm trying hard to think of negatives.
Beginners may be thinking that the fact that this lens doesn't zoom is a downside. However, it's quite the opposite, as "prime" lenses such as this one are far sharper than lenses which have adjustable zoom. The fixed length will also make you a better photographer by forcing you to get more creative with your angles and positioning.
So in conclusion, if you've played about with your kit lens for awhile and you're looking for something new - get this lens! There is no way you'll regret it.
What a bargain August 29, 2008
A. Tapsell
For less than 60 this has got to be the buy of the century. I brought one for my 400D and I must say I am very impressed. The build quality may not be the best, but the images are crisp and sharp with vivid colours. Every camera bag should have one.
Dramatic Results August 5, 2008
A. T. Mark (England)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is the second lens I have bought for use with my 400D. (The other being a 28-135USM.)
I read quite a few reviews of this lens before I decided to take the plunge and buy my first prime.
The rave reviews that this little lens gets are very deserved. I love taking pictures with it, particularly at parties. I tend to wonder around snapping spontaneous unposed photos - being able to take these photos without a flash is a real boon, as friends rarely notice that I've taken their photo, and I get some very natural looking smiles and laughter!
If like me you've been wavering for a few months wondering how much you'll really use a lens like this - Take the plune and you won't regret it, it produces some simply stunning pictures.
Unbeatable piece of glass for this price July 31, 2008
G. Gaonkar (Leeds, UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This lens is probably the cheapest lens in the Canon lineup and is an absolute must-have if you are looking for a very good fast prime lens. This being a 50mm isn't exactly wide angle so might not be great for group photos or in a tight area but with f1.8, you can not only get photos which you never could before with slower lenses but you can also use it in normal light to get amazingly shallow depth of field (blurred background). Being a prime lens, it is also very nice and sharp.
I've seen a lot of reviews which list the only disadvantage of this lens as being made of plastic. Personally, I think it is a non-issue because the plastic isn't obviously the same one used for your soap dishes and is quite sturdy. It should easily last for quite a few years unless you insist on using it as your backup football every now and then. The plastic body also helps it remain really light so if you fit this on a small SLR like the EOS400D/Rebel XTi, you get a really light, really fast and really sharp piece of equipment that you can carry around easily.
Prime value July 29, 2008
I. D. Watson (UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This 50mm standard lens has probably the best price/performance ratio of all the Canon lenses. Although it has a plastic body and lens mount and no USM focusing, the optics are excellent and a revelation after using the 18-55mm 'kit' zoom lens. Because of the smaller APS-C sensor used on an EOS 450D compared to a full frame 35mm camera, there is a crop factor of 1.6. This means that on the EOS the lens has the same effect as a 80mm short telephoto lens on a full frame camera and is ideal for portraits, especially with the F1.8 aperture and shallow depth of field. Highly recommended.
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