How Tough Are Canon Lenses?

If you’re like most photographers on a budget, you’re instinctively protective of your camera lenses. They seem so delicate. They are meticulously cleaned with air blowers and special microfiber cloths. They are gently placed into padded camera bags. But is all this doting really necessary? Exactly how much abuse can lenses take?

Richard Choi had a non-functioning Canon 50mm f/1.8 II camera lens decided to experiment with the strength of the lens. Here’s his attempt at breaking the glass:

The 50mm f/1.8 lens is wildly popular, thanks to its affordable price tag, wide aperture, and sharp focus. Despite its low cost, Canon doesn’t seem to scrimp on the glass’s durability.

This particular video demonstrates that Canon’s glass is fairly strong, even in a relatively inexpensive lens. Similar videos can be found with varying effort and intensity going into smashing the lens, but all seem to show that it takes a bit of work to break the Nifty Fifty’s glass.

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So, do you really need to be so careful with your gear? Maybe not, but you probably shouldn’t try this at home.

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