Used Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II for Sale — From £38 | UsedLens.co.uk

£38.00 Low price

£399.00 High price

121 Listings

4 Retailers

4 New this week

9 Reduced

Great for: portrait street general

Canon's original plastic-mount nifty fifty, iconic but fragile with five straight aperture blades.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II was introduced in December 1990 and remained in production for 25 years, discontinued when the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM replaced it in 2015. It became one of the most widely owned EF lenses, providing f/1.8 aperture on full-frame and APS-C bodies at a price significantly lower than any other Canon EF prime in continuous production. The long production run and low price established it as the standard first prime for Canon DSLR photographers through the DSLR era. The STM replacement addressed the II's three most-cited limitations: plastic mount, noisy AFD motor, and straight aperture blades.

The optical design uses 6 elements in 5 groups. The 52mm filter thread is shared with several Canon EF and EF-S lenses, making filter carry-over practical within a Canon kit. At 130g the lens adds negligible weight to any camera combination. A minimum focus distance of 0.45m suits general portrait and everyday distances. Five straight aperture blades produce a pentagonal aperture shape when stopped down; bokeh highlights take a pentagonal form at mid-apertures, absent at wider apertures where the opening is essentially circular. The AFD autofocus motor is audible during operation and slower than Canon's USM-equipped primes; it is not suited for video recording. Build is plastic throughout, including the mount ring — the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM (2015) replaced the plastic mount with a metal one as a specific upgrade.

As a standard prime on full-frame EOS bodies the 50mm field of view provides near-natural perspective, versatile for portraiture, candid, and street work. Optical quality from the 6-element design is good: at f/1.8 the centre is sharp but the outer frame is soft and chromatic aberration is visible at high-contrast edges; from f/2.8 output is clean and contrasty across the frame. The AFD motor is the defining practical constraint — audible AF noise rules out video use, and AF speed is behind contemporary USM-equipped Canon lenses. On APS-C bodies the 80mm equivalent provides a portrait-length perspective suited to outdoor and event work. At 130g the lens effectively disappears on the camera, useful for candid shooting.

On the used market the EF 50mm f/1.8 II is one of the cheapest capable EF lenses available. Condition checks: AF motor response (confirm it focuses reliably and promptly), aperture blades for oil contamination, and the mount ring for any looseness at the bayonet seat. The EF 50mm f/1.8 STM offers a metal mount, STM motor for quiet video AF, and seven rounded aperture blades at a small price premium — the better choice for any new purchase. For buyers with minimum cost as the primary constraint, the II remains a working EF prime at the lowest available price.

Get Alerts

Email me when a match is listed.

As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase through eBay links on this page.

ProductPriceRetailer

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Park Cameras

Park Cameras

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Park Cameras

Park Cameras

Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Standard Autofocus Lens "In good working condition" eBay

£45.24 £71.24

eBay

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f1.8 Mk II lens 3 Star rating. Has been well cared for with limited use and remains in good working order with slight signs of wear. Castle Cameras

Castle Cameras

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f1.8 Mk II lens 3 Star rating. Has been well cared for with limited use and remains in good working order with slight signs of wear. Castle Cameras

Castle Cameras

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

MPB

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good MPB

£49.00 £57.00