For years, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM was considered the must-have Canon lens. "If you only own one prime lens, it should be this one," people would say. Heck, some people would even say if you only own one lens, it should be this one.
But is that still the case in 2024?
For my money, the answer is still yes: the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM remains an essential lens. Even though it has effectively been replaced by its mirrorless successor, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM.
Why? Well, first off, I'm one of those people who believes that every camera owner should own a 50mm f/1.8. It doesn't matter if you only use zooms, or whether you use primes but you don't shoot at this focal length; everyone should have a nifty fifty.
The reasons are rather well worn at this point, but essentially it's one of the most versatile lenses that exists. It's the 'standard' focal length and can be used across multiple disciplines. Yadda yadda portraiture, yadda yadda everyday lens, yadda yadda same perspective as the human eye and so on.
Okay, but why the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM – and why not the newer, better, mirrorless RF version?
Hey, the RF 50mm f/1.8 is a great lens. I own that too, and it has snappier autofocus and is slightly sharer. Beyond that, though, I look at pictures taken on both lenses and I genuinely can't tell the difference between them.
I get GAS as bad as the next guy, but the truth is that the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is just as good as the RF. In fact, it's actually better because it does something very important that the RF version cannot: adapt.
I can use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM on my EOS R5 mirrorless camera. I can use it on the 6D Mark II DSLR. I can use it on the old EOS M50. Heck, I can even use it on my Olympus cameras, my Panasonic cameras, my Sony cameras, my film cameras… but the RF version will only work on an RF camera.
So, is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM still worth buying in 2024? You betcha. It shoots just as well as it ever did, and you can shoot with it on more cameras than ever before. It is quite simply the most versatile lens I own.
You might be interested in the best Canon lenses for DSLRs – and if you're an EOS R user, check out the best Canon RF lenses.
