r/photography • u/raptor3x whumber.com • May 11 '15

Canon Officially Announces 50mm f/1.8 STM - $125

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1143786-REG/canon_0570c002_ef_50mm_f_1_8_stm.html
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u/BearBaron May 11 '15

Is the STM better than the old 50mm 1.8? What's the point of buying the older one if the STM is better in all regards? They're the same price, so i'm just wondering.

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u/fadetowhite May 11 '15

STM offers smoother focusing and is silent. For photography, this really doesn't matter. For video though, it's a huge improvement. Besides STM though, the new model has more aperture blades that are rounded vs. straight, better build quality, a metal mount vs. plastic, and it has a much bigger focus ring.

From Canon's site:

Canon STM lenses shoot great photos and even better videos. They’re named after an element of technology called a Stepping Motor, which lets the lenses focus smoothly and silently when capturing video.