Last Updated & Fact Checked: March 21, 2026
Are you trying to decide between the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II and the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM?
Product Versus will provide you with all the product details so you can quickly compare the facts to find which product is right for you – the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II or the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM – and find out exactly what the differences are.
Both the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II and the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM are quality products, so read on to find out which one is best for your needs!
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II quick facts
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM quick facts
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II product details
Bestseller No. 1
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, Black
- 50 millimeter focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8
- Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography; Angle of view (horizontal, vertical, diagonal): 40º, 27º,46º
- Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 feet (0.35 meter) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x
- Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continuous move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills
- 80 millimetre effective focal length on APS C cameras, 50 millimetre on full frame cameras. Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
Bestseller No. 2
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens International Version (No warranty)
- 50mm focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8
- Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography
- Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x
- Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continous Move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills
- 80mm effective focal-length on APS-C cameras, 50mm on full-frame cameras
Bestseller No. 3
Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM Lens, Fixed Focal Length Prime Lens, Compatible with EOS R Series Mirrorless Cameras, Black
- Compact, Lightweight Fixed 50 millimeter Focal Length Lens.
- Large F, 1.8 Aperture for Low-Light Photography and Creative Background Blur
- A Stepping Motor (Gear-Type STM) Provides Smooth and Quiet Continuous AF During Video Recording, As Well As When Shooting Photos
- Control Ring for Direct Setting Changes
- Optimized Lens Placement and Coatings Help Deliver Outstanding Color Balance, While Minimizing Ghosting and Flare
Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM product details
Bestseller No. 1
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, Black
- 50 millimeter focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8
- Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography; Angle of view (horizontal, vertical, diagonal): 40º, 27º,46º
- Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 feet (0.35 meter) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x
- Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continuous move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills
- 80 millimetre effective focal length on APS C cameras, 50 millimetre on full frame cameras. Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
Bestseller No. 2
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens International Version (No warranty)
- 50mm focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8
- Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography
- Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x
- Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continous Move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills
- 80mm effective focal-length on APS-C cameras, 50mm on full-frame cameras
Bestseller No. 3
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens (Renewed)
- 50mm focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8
- Great for portraits, action, and nighttime photography
- Minimum focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x
- Stepping motor (STM) delivers near silent, continous Move Servo AF for movies and smooth AF for stills
New products & alternatives to the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II and the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM
New
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens | Professional L-Series Prime with Ultra-Fast f/1.2 Aperture, Advanced Optics & Fast USM Autofocus | for Portraits & Creative Photos (1257B002) + Adapter EF-EOS R + More
- Canon USA Authorized. Items Include: Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens, Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, 64GB Memory Card, Camera Bag
- Designed as a premium normal-length prime, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM delivers a natural perspective that excels for portraits, weddings, street photography, and creative everyday use. Its field of view closely matches human vision, making compositions feel intuitive while offering exceptional subject emphasis and visual separation.
- The exceptionally bright f/1.2 maximum aperture enables powerful low-light performance and extreme depth-of-field control, allowing photographers to isolate subjects with smooth, dramatic background blur. This wide aperture supports faster shutter speeds in dim environments and gives creatives refined control over focus transitions and selective emphasis.
- Image quality is driven by an advanced optical design that incorporates a precision-molded aspherical element to reduce spherical aberrations and distortion. Canon’s Super Spectra coating further minimizes flare and ghosting, delivering improved contrast, accurate color reproduction, and consistent clarity even when shooting in challenging lighting conditions.
- Built for professional reliability, this L-series lens features weather sealing to resist dust and moisture during demanding shoots. A ring-type Ultrasonic Motor provides fast, silent autofocus with full-time manual override, while the rounded eight-blade diaphragm enhances background rendering for smooth, aesthetically pleasing bokeh.
New
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens | Professional L-Series Prime with Ultra-Fast f/1.2 Aperture, Advanced Optics & Fast USM Autofocus | for Portraits & Creative Photography (1257B002) + 64GB Card + Bag
- Canon USA Authorized. Items Include: Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens, 64GB Memory Card, Camera Bag
- Designed as a premium normal-length prime, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM delivers a natural perspective that excels for portraits, weddings, street photography, and creative everyday use. Its field of view closely matches human vision, making compositions feel intuitive while offering exceptional subject emphasis and visual separation.
- The exceptionally bright f/1.2 maximum aperture enables powerful low-light performance and extreme depth-of-field control, allowing photographers to isolate subjects with smooth, dramatic background blur. This wide aperture supports faster shutter speeds in dim environments and gives creatives refined control over focus transitions and selective emphasis.
- Image quality is driven by an advanced optical design that incorporates a precision-molded aspherical element to reduce spherical aberrations and distortion. Canon’s Super Spectra coating further minimizes flare and ghosting, delivering improved contrast, accurate color reproduction, and consistent clarity even when shooting in challenging lighting conditions.
- Built for professional reliability, this L-series lens features weather sealing to resist dust and moisture during demanding shoots. A ring-type Ultrasonic Motor provides fast, silent autofocus with full-time manual override, while the rounded eight-blade diaphragm enhances background rendering for smooth, aesthetically pleasing bokeh.
New
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens (Renewed) (Lens w/PIXIBYTES Travel Accessories Bundle)
- A unique and indispensable addition to Canon's series of EF lenses, the 50 millimeter focal length and maximum aperture of f/1.8. It is a standard lens type.
New
Canon EOS 90D DSLR Camera with 18-135mm Lens | 32.5MP APS-C Sensor, Dual Pixel AF & 4K Video | for Wildlife, Sports & Travel Photography (3616C016) + Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens + Bag + 64GB Card
- Canon USA Authorized. Items Include: Canon EOS 90D DSLR Camera with 18-135mm Lens, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, Canon EOS 200ES Shoulder Bag, 64GB Memory Card
- Capture exceptional detail with the Canon EOS 90D’s 32.5MP APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 8 processor, offering a wide ISO 100–25600 range for low-light performance. Shoot continuously at 10 fps or record crisp UHD 4K30p and Full HD 120p video for cinematic flexibility in any scenario.
- Enjoy precision focus with Dual Pixel CMOS AF featuring 5481 selectable points for smooth, accurate performance in live view and video. The 45-point all cross-type AF system ensures fast, reliable subject tracking through the optical viewfinder, even in dim light.
- The 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen LCD and bright optical pentaprism viewfinder deliver intuitive composition and control. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make image sharing, remote shooting, and mobile RAW editing effortless with Canon’s Camera Connect app.
- Paired with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, the 90D offers versatility from wide-angle to telephoto. NANO USM provides fast, silent autofocus for stills and video, while the 4-stop Optical Image Stabilizer ensures sharp handheld results in every situation.
New
Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR Camera | 22.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor, DIGIC 5+ Processor & Full HD Video | Great for Weddings, Portraits & Events (5260B002) + Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens + Bag + More
- Canon USA Authorized. Items Include: Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR Camera (Body Only), Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, Canon EOS 200ES Shoulder Bag, 64GB Memory Card
- The Canon EOS 5D Mark III features a 22.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+ processor, delivering stunning detail, rich color, and exceptional low-light performance with an expanded ISO range up to 102400. It supports 6 fps continuous shooting and 14-bit A/D conversion for smooth tonal gradation and lifelike depth.
- Its advanced 61-point High Density Reticular AF system includes 41 cross-type and 5 dual diagonal points for precise focusing even in low light. The 63-zone dual-layer iFCL metering system integrates focus, color, and luminance data for highly accurate exposures across varied lighting conditions.
- Built for professionals, the rugged magnesium-alloy body provides enhanced weather and dust resistance, dual CF and SD card slots, and customizable controls for efficient operation. The 3.2" Clear View II LCD with 1.04M dots and 100% coverage optical viewfinder ensure clear composition and playback in any environment.
- Includes EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens: Bundled with Canon’s EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, this kit offers a bright, compact prime that delivers excellent sharpness, smooth background blur, and strong low-light performance. Ideal for portraits, street photography, and everyday shooting, it’s a lightweight yet powerful creative tool.
Our conclusion on the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II vs Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM
Both the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II and the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM are high quality products and we are sure you will be happy with either one. In the end it comes down to your budget and the value for money you are looking for.
Either way, the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II and the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM are both excellent products that will more than do their job!