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Gift Guide: Canon 50mm f/1.8 II, an Essential Lens for Under $100

by Thomas Houston on November 21, 2010 at 11:00 AM

Canon 50mm f/1.8 II LensDSLRs have seen dramatic price drops over the past few years, and their capabilities continue to improve. For under $800, you can get HD video, quality sensors, and enough megapixels to satisfy any spec-obsessed gadget fan. It's a great time to get into DSLR photography, and lenses are just as important as the body you buy. If you're new to Canon, or are interested in moving on from the stock kit lens, take a look at the budget-priced Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens.

Many DSLR newbies are thrilled by high-end zoom lenses, but you should take a second to consider the other end of the spectrum. Prime lenses, like the EF 50mm, may not offer the versatility of zoom lenses, but they are much faster and work better in low light conditions because of their fixed focal length. More than any kit lens and anything else under $400, the 50mm truly lets you experiment with depth of field. In other words, this lens gives you fine-grained control over what's in focus, allowing you to keep your subject's face in focus while completely blurring out the foreground and background.

Autofocus isn't perfect, and the plastic body won't survive falls, but the lightweight lens' portability, speed and depth-of-field control are unmatched at this price. You'll find it under $100 online, so mark it as a must for anyone who is new to DSLR photography or is looking for a new lens to develop their skills.

Tags: camera, canon, Canon50mmF1.8IiLens, CanonLens, dslr, hgg, lens, top

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