digital zoom on a 50mm 1.8 STM

[stevet1]

I have a Canon T8i.

It has a digital zoom feature.

I am thinking about buying a Canon 50mm 1.8 STM.

Do you think the image quality will suffer much of I use the digital zoom feature of the camera with this lens?.

The zoom can go from 3X to 10X.

Steve Thomas

[rs-eos]

According to this Technical Article, digital zoom is for video only.  Is that what you are asking about?

The higher the magnification, the more artifacts will show up.  Perhaps nearer to the 3x lens, things won't be as bad? No idea.

Personally though, I would avoid digital zoom and instead go for optical (zoom lenses), or move closer to your subject (for prime lenses).

[stevet1]

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@rs-eos wrote:

According to this Technical Article, digital zoom is for video only.  Is that what you are asking about?

The higher the magnification, the more artifacts will show up.  Perhaps nearer to the 3x lens, things won't be as bad? No idea.

Personally though, I would avoid digital zoom and instead go for optical (zoom lenses), or move closer to your subject (for prime lenses).

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Ricky,

Yes, this would be video only.

As a prime lens, I realize that the 50mm lens itself wouldn't move.

I have a 55-250, and the digital zoom feature on the T8i is not half bad. AF doesn't work in that feature, but the T8i also has a Movie Servo mode, so it seems to take care of it.

I haven't used the digital zoom very much yet.

Steve Thomas

[Waddizzle]

The STM zoom lenses were designed for Movie Servo AF.  The STM prime lenses were not.  You may find that you will have limited functionality using an STM prime with Movie Servo AF.

[stevet1]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

The STM zoom lenses were designed for Movie Servo AF.  The STM prime lenses were not.  You may find that you will have limited functionality using an STM prime with Movie Servo AF.

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Waddizzle,

hmmmm... interesting.

Canon's support page says,

Lenses supporting slow focus transition during movie shooting (EOS R)

ID: 8204246200_EN_1

“EOS R’s [Movie Servo AF speed] is settable when [Movie Servo AF] is set to [Enable] and [AF method] is set to [1-point AF]. Additionally, this function is only enabled when using the following lenses compatible with slow focus transition during movie shooting. (USM lenses released in 2009 or later and STM lenses are compatible with this function.”

EF50mm f/1.8 STM

I think as long as I am willing to put up with slow focusing transition speeds, I'll be all right.

No shooting arrows in flight though. "-)

Steve Thomas

[Waddizzle]

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@stevet1 wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

The STM zoom lenses were designed for Movie Servo AF.  The STM prime lenses were not.  You may find that you will have limited functionality using an STM prime with Movie Servo AF.

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Waddizzle,

hmmmm... interesting.

Canon's support page says,

Lenses supporting slow focus transition during movie shooting (EOS R)

ID: 8204246200_EN_1

“EOS R’s [Movie Servo AF speed] is settable when [Movie Servo AF] is set to [Enable] and [AF method] is set to [1-point AF]. Additionally, this function is only enabled when using the following lenses compatible with slow focus transition during movie shooting. (USM lenses released in 2009 or later and STM lenses are compatible with this function.”

EF50mm f/1.8 STM

I think as long as I am willing to put up with slow focusing transition speeds, I'll be all right.

No shooting arrows in flight though. "-)

Steve Thomas

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"I have a Canon T8i. ...."

I find it odd that you cite specs for a camera that you are not even using.  

As far as "slow transition speeds" go, you will experience the exact opposite.  The AF will try to snap to a new focus point.  The Movie Servo AF Speed setting allows you to slow it down, and you are likely to lose that control functionality with an STM prime, instead of a zoom.

[Waddizzle]

You may want to take a look at the document at this link.

https://www.usa.canon.com/CUSA/assets/app/images/cameras/eos/DAF/compatible_lens_chart.pdf 

Like I said, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is not fullly compatible with Dual Pixel AF, the Movie Servo AF speed in particular.

[EDIT] I believe this table could be listing a few lenses released prior to 2009, which would be inaccurate.  Lenses initially released prior to 2009 are not fully compatible with Movie Servo AF Speed..  The focus will "snap" from one subject or AF point to the next, or it will try to.

In fact, I see the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM listed as being compatible, and I know for a fact that it is not fully compatible.

[jrhoffman75]

See here:

Canon Knowledge Base - Lenses supporting slow focus transition during movie shooting (EOS 80D)

[Waddizzle]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

See here:

Canon Knowledge Base - Lenses supporting slow focus transition during movie shooting (EOS 80D)

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This list seems far more accurate than the one I posted.  At least half of the lenses on the list I posted should not be there.

I tried the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM on my 6D2, and it was a no go.  Only STM zooms are listed as compatible with DPAF on my C100, too.  Neither the EF 50mm STM or the EF-S 24mm STM worked on the C100..  But, the EF 35mm f/2 IS USM was a gem.

Compatibility seems to vary from one body to the next.

[stevet1]

I can see that I need to do more reading and studying.

Steve Thomas