Sometimes, picking a favorite is hard. If you ask me to choose a favorite song or movie, it just can’t be done. Lenses; however, are different beasts. Ask most photographers what their favorite lens is, and you’ll probably get little hesitation before they start gushing and waxing lyrical.
At least that’s how I am, and when it comes to picking my favorite, all you have to do is ask which lens is probably on my camera body right now. That is almost always the Canon 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro.
This lens is a gem that offers great quality in terms of sharpness, ease of use, durability and versatility, and even though I’ve acquired some fairly serious glass since I bought it 12 years ago, it’s still my go-to lens.
Making the choice
Regarding lens choice, one of the most common things new photographers are told is to start with a 50mm f/1.8, often referred to as “thrifty fifties”. The logic here is more or less irrefutable. These lenses are cheap, reliable, versatile, and their large aperture makes them much faster than anything else in that price range. Their versatility makes them perfect for portraits and most other subjects outside of the extremes such as landscapes, which favor wide-angle lenses, and sports, which favor telephoto lenses.
When I was starting out, I spent a lot of time photographing things like food, flowers, toys, and other small things with fine details. I had little interest in other types of photography, and no interest in portraiture.
As such, the biggest limitation I got from my kit lenses was the focusing distance. I was forever trying to get closer to my subjects using the long end of kit lenses, and falling short every time.
When it was time to consider upgrading that first lens, research made it clear that neither the thrifty fifty nor the 85mm f/1.8 would do much good towards those aims. On the other hand, a dedicated 100mm macro lens was far out of my price range. Because of all this, I put off upgrading my kit lenses for a long time.
It was only by chance that I eventually found the 50mm Compact Macro while browsing through Canon lenses on a retailer’s site. To be honest, there wasn’t a lot of research involved. I saw the lens, the price, and the focusing distance of nine inches, and I bought it within the week.
Pros and cons
The Canon 50mm Compact Macro is the workhorse of my camera bag and it’s certainly been put through its paces over the past decade. For my purposes, there are no flaws; however, it does have a few qualities that may make it unsuitable for some photographers.
Pro – Build quality
It can’t be helped that the first thing you notice about this lens is the build quality. This is particularly true if your previous experiences are with kit lenses. The solid metal casing makes it feel sturdy and the extra weight feels great in your hand.
It may be worth mentioning that when I did get to use a 50mm f/1.8 a few years ago, I thought that I was being handed a Holga lens. This isn’t in any way an attempt the demean the 50mm f/1.8, but rather as an illustration of how far apart these lenses are in terms of build quality.
Pro – Durability
Durability may fall under build quality, but experience makes me feel it’s worth mentioning separately.
This lens has been dropped on concrete, cobble stone, and Tarmac, and it has been in the ocean. It has been in ash storms, torrential rain, hail storms, and there was one terrifying incident where it was left to stew in a half litre puddle of shower gel for a few hours. Despite all of this, this lens has not once shown any performance issues.
Pro – Sharpness
As should be expected from a lens created for the purpose of macro photography, the Canon 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro cannot be faulted in terms of sharpness. While I’m unable to compare it to the other 50mm offerings from Canon, I can compare it with the excellent 85mm f/1.8 and 70-200 f/4 L IS USM. The differences are almost indistinguishable.
Pro – Large aperture
The compact Macro may have a smaller aperture than Canon’s other 50mm lenses, but it is still a fast lens and works well in all but the dimmest of settings.
In terms of background blur, if you take into account that depth of field is also affected by the distance of the camera from the subject (the closer you are, the shallower the depth of field) you can see that you will achieve a comparable amount of blur to the faster lenses.
Pro – Focusing
Whether it’s in auto focus or manual focus, it’s really hard to find fault with this lens. In normal situations, the auto-focus is fast and accurate. The large aperture of f/2.5 allows for a bright image in the viewfinder, making manual focus easy and quick.
Pro – Focus distance
With a focusing distance of just nine inches (23cm), you can get extremely close to your subjects. Yes, this may be the sole reason for this lens’ existence, but the versatility this adds is wonderful. For example, you are able to take a close-up of someone’s eye, then move a few steps back and take a normal 50mm portrait seconds later.
Cons
As mentioned, it wasn’t easy to come up with any negative aspects of this lens. There are; however, a few considerations that could mean this may not fit your specific photographic needs.
Con – Weight
At 9.88 ounces (280 grams), the Compact Macro weighs more than twice as much as Canon’s 50mm f/1.8 lens (4.6 ounces/ 130g). If you’re trying to keep your kit bag as light as possible, and the macro functionality isn’t that important, then you may want to consider the alternatives.
Con – Price
While I will attest that this lens offers tremendous value for the money, at $ 299 it is a big jump in price from the 50mm f/1.8 at $ 125. If you’re just starting out, and do not yet know what subjects you’re interested in, or whether or not you will stick with photography for long, it may be worth considering a more wallet friendly option.
Editor’s note: at the time of this article the 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro lens is listed on Canon’s site as Out of Stock. You may be able to find it used on Amazon.com or go for the even higher priced 60mm f/2.8 Macro at $ 419 USD.
Con – Light
There is a slight downside to the lens’ closest focusing distance. When you’re standing that close to your subject, you and the camera effectively block any light coming from the front. Often, this is easily countered with side lighting techniques, or by using a dedicated macro ring flash, but it can be tricky to overcome at other times.
Con – Magnification
What may be considered as a deal breaker for a lot of photographers is that the 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro is not a true macro lens. With a magnification ratio of 1:2, it only creates images at half life-size. This can be rectified with a converter that allows for 1:1 magnification.
In the end
I know I’ve been gushing quite a bit, but my experiences with this lens have been outstanding, despite the heavy use and torture I put it through. If you’re in a position where you’re deciding to buy a 50mm, and you like the idea of getting really close your subjects, do consider the Canon 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro. It really is a treat.
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The post Writer’s Favorite Lens – Canon 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro by John McIntire appeared first on Digital Photography School.
– A little $ 7 remote that works for the Sony Alpha line. Great alternative to the expensive Sony option, and it hasn’t let me down yet. Great for long exposures whether it’s 30 seconds or 30 minutes.
– The best flashlight you’ll find for light painting. Puts out a clean, daylight balanced, light source at 339 lumens and runs on AA batteries. Push/pull focus mode let’s you easily focus the beam, or scatter it, and has two brightness modes (full power and low at 56 lumens).
– When I first started and only had a Rebel XS and a kit lens, the Lightscoop was amazing for taking photos inside our house. It was a big improvement over the camera’s flash, and the $ 30 price tag felt do-able even when we were broke newlyweds.
– The only gadget thing I can think of is the plastic hoya lens I bought which I have some fun with from time to time.
– a reflector is just incredibly useful.
– a multi tool has proven itself invaluable over the years for all sorts of tasks.
– proper pegs: they’re not only great for pinning clothes but also hanging backgrounds, reflectors etc.
Tim Gilbreath
– I use these mainly for off-camera flash support and I really like their portability and lightweight.
– Color Checker Passport – I use it mainly for portrait photography, it’s a great help to correct skin tones.
– I use it for on camera flash diffusion and avoid harsh shadows.
– Somebody else mentioned micro-fiber clothes, but I like the clip-on ones because you can attach them to your camera strap so you never have to hunt through your bag to find it.
– 10 stop ND filter: Whenver there is water in the scene, it is a safe bet I have this filter on my camera to smooth it out. Even when there is not water, it creates movement in the skies.
– Well, I’m not really into gear or gadgets. The only gadget I have is a remote shutter release, or “The Clicky Thingy” as we refer to it in the studio. Mainly used to avoid camera shake on long exposures, and occasionally to amuse/relax portrait subjects by telling them I am so confident in them as a portrait subject that I don’t even need to look as I click over my shoulder, with my back to them and the camera.
– I don’t use a lot of gadgets or filters but I always have this one in my bag. I use it to shoot waterfalls, or to get a larger aperture in bright sunlight.
– this thing is a life saver! It is a battery charger on steroids because it has an internal battery itself. Plug it in and charge it up, and you can then charge about 4-5 batteries on the road, while driving, or away from electricity. Great for travellers or back country hikers.
– Another travel must have item, especially if you visit third world countries where your camera is equal to a year’s salary for some people. This strap is slash proof, and locks so they can’t just slide it off without your knowledge. Keeps your camera safe – I have a purse made by the same guys too!
– Great for quick access to the camera on the go. I can attach it to the strap of my shoulder bag, a belt, or to the straps of a backpack. It can be easily attached to almost anything and your camera is always handy.
– One the most clever ways to attach diffusers to any flash without being cumbersome, and they are always ready. I particular use the grids, the color gels and… MagBounce
– Never did I think I would be known as The Lollipop Lady more than a photographer, but the promise of one of these gets me a lot of street creed in the 3-8 year old group.
I still have a love affair with Polaroids, so I bring this for me when I see something and want it NOW, plus kids LOVE this if I can’t win them over with lollipops.
– I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable when the goal is for them to be comfortable, and offering someone a Kleenex seems a lot nicer than saying, “Hey, you totally have something in your nose!”
– Non-mechanical Extension Tubes: They can be a bit finicky since you’re stuck with your lens’ widest aperture and only manual focus but they’re really cheap and so much fun to use.
– I’m normally not a big fan of off-brand stuff, but Amazon Basics is almost always really good quality. So far this remote is no exception.
– This camera strap is a life saver. It keeps your camera secure to your hip, easy to bring up to your face without getting tangled, and you can drop it and it slides right down by your side. It keeps the camera out of your way when not using it, plus your neck will be happy that it’s not sore from shooting and traveling all day long
– I didn’t want a permanent leg wrap for my tripod, and when I found these I was pleasantly surprised by their comfort and easy of adjustment.
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