Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM vs Canon EF-S 18–55mm f/4–5.6 IS STM

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EF 50mm f/1.8 STM compared with EF-S 18–55mm f/4–5.6 IS STM

	CanonEF 50mm f/1.8 STM	CanonEF-S 18–55mm f/4–5.6 IS STM
Overview
Released
Released	May 2015	April 2017
Optics
Lens type
Lens type	Prime	Zoom
Focal length
Focal length	50 mm	18–55 mm
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/1.8	f/4–5.6
Minimum aperture
Minimum aperture	f/22	f/22–32
Optical construction
Optical construction	Six elements in five groups	12 elements in ten groups
Special elements
Special elements	–	Aspherical lens element
Coatings
Coatings	Lens coating optimised for digital cameras to reduce ghosting and flare	Super Spectra coatings
Aperture detail
Aperture detail	Minimum f/22 with one-third-stop camera aperture increments	–
Diaphragm
Diaphragm	Seven blades with a circular aperture	Seven blades with a circular aperture
Angle of view
Angle of view	Full-frame horizontal 40°; vertical 27°; diagonal 46°	Horizontal 64°30′–23°20′; vertical 45°30′–15°40′; diagonal 74°20′–27°50′ according to the exact Canon manual
Mount and compatibility
Mounts
Mounts	Canon EF	Canon EF-S
Image circle
Image circle	Full frame	APS-C
Compatibility
Compatibility	Canon EF cameras, including full-frame and APS-C DSLRs	Canon EF-S compatible APS-C cameras; 29–88 mm equivalent field of view
Teleconverter support
Teleconverter support	–	Canon extenders cannot be used
Adaptor support
Adaptor support	Canon UK supports EOS M cameras with an EF-EOS M mount adaptor	–
Focus and stabilisation
Autofocus
Autofocus	Yes	Yes
Minimum focus distance
Minimum focus distance	0.35 m	0.25 m
Maximum magnification
Maximum magnification	0.21×	0.25×
Optical stabilisation
Optical stabilisation	–	Yes
Autofocus detail
Autofocus detail	Gear-type stepping motor; manual override after autofocus with the camera set to One-Shot AF	Lead-screw STM; electronic manual adjustment after One-Shot autofocus while the shutter button remains half pressed, subject to camera settings
Focus distance detail
Focus distance detail	Electronic focus ring requires camera power; no distance scale (Digital Camera World)	Manual focusing is unavailable with the camera off or lens asleep; internal focusing with a non-rotating front element according to both reviews
Magnification detail
Magnification detail	EF12 II extension tube gives 0.45–0.24×; EF25 II gives 0.74–0.53×	Maximum 0.25× at 55 mm; EF12 II gives 0.82–0.66× at 18 mm and 0.55–0.23× at 55 mm; EF25 II is incompatible at 18 mm and gives 0.91–0.51× at 55 mm
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	–	Four-stop CIPA claim at 55 mm using an EOS 7D Mark II; automatic panning compensation; Canon recommends switching IS off on a tripod to conserve power
Design
Filter diameter
Filter diameter	49 mm	58 mm
Maximum diameter
Maximum diameter	69.2 mm	66.5 mm
Length
Length	39.3 mm	61.8 mm
Weight
Weight	160 g (better)	215 g
Zoom design
Zoom design	–	Barrel extends when zoomed to 55 mm according to The Digital Picture
Dimensions detail
Dimensions detail	69.2 mm maximum diameter × 39.3 mm length in the retracted state	66.5 mm maximum diameter × 61.8 mm retracted length; dimensions and 215 g weight are lens only, excluding caps
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 160 g according to Canon UK specifications and Camera Museum; the UK store dimension panel instead lists 159 g	–
Lens hood
Lens hood	Optional ES-68	EW-63C sold separately; exact manual and Canon Japan list LP1014 optional case, while the UK overview lists LP1016
In the box
In the box	Lens, E-49 front cap, Lens Dust Cap E and user manual	–
Release detail
Release detail	Marketed in May 2015 according to Canon Camera Museum	Canon Japan's exact support specification gives first sale on 7 April 2017; Camera Museum gives April. The day is the Japanese release, not a separately confirmed UK day.