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50mm 1.8 STM AF Noise... Really?!

Started Jan 22, 2018 | Discussions thread
OP XeroJay Senior Member • Posts: 2,341
Re: 50mm 1.8 STM AF Noise... Really?!

Steve Balcombe wrote:

XeroJay wrote:

I just picked up a 50mm 1.8 STM for my EOS M6, since I just gave away my trusty old 50mm 1.4 to one of my assistants. I was thinking that the 1.8 STM AF would be a better fit for the M6, since canon claims the STM motor is smooth and silent...

Have a look at the video here, and please let me know if this is "smooth & silent" : 50mm 1.8 STM AF Noise

Is this normal for this lens?! I have the 22mm EF-M, and it literally is smooth and silent, but the 50mm seems anything but. It also feels extremely slow.

I don't have any personal experience of it so I can't comment on whether it's normal for that lens. However there are two types of STM mechanism, "lead screw STM" which is used in the STM zoom lenses, and gear-type STM which is used in the shorter lenses where lead screw STM wouldn't fit. See https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/tech-guide/focusing/ - doesn't give a lot of information, just the basics, but the animations (Flash required) illustrate the mechanisms quite nicely.

This was helpful, as it specifically mentions the 50 1.8 STM. Looks like it's just the way this lens is.

 XeroJay's gear list:XeroJay's gear list
Canon EOS M6 Sony a9 Sony a7 III Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM +7 more
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