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So ultimately this is a lens which we'd encourage any Canon DSLR owner currently shooting with 'kit' zooms to try. The overall image quality when stopped down a bit is very impressive indeed, and the fast maximum aperture offers creative options which are well worth exploring.

There's no getting around it, this is an inexpensive lens, which is immediately evident the moment you pick it up and feel its feather-light largely plastic construction. That said, it delivers surprising performance at a very reasonable price.

The 50mm f/1.4 USM may be a tad better at large aperture settings and surely regarding build quality but at quite hefty extra costs. If you're on a budget the 50mm f/1.8 II is a good alternative here.

The sharpness this lens can produce is impressive, especially when stopped down a little. Although the build quality and basic design may fall short of that offered by more expensive lenses, the low price point makes this optic excellent value.

One should consider Canon EF 1.8/50 lens actually. For less than 400 PLN we can have a lens which is a very good supplement to the kit lens in its weak focal length range.