EF 50mm f1.8 II discontinued???

Is that news true? since several of camera store in my city said so. They said it will be discontinued, and it also make the price slighly higher than usuall.

It wouldn't make sense to me for Canon to replace such a popular lens, unless they are making a new Mk III version. I have not heard anything.

Pure speculation here, this is the first I've heard of it - but the Japanese version of the Drebel kit lens has USM - could it be that there is a 50mm f1.8 coming with USM?

It's probably the most common focal length in history--I seriously doubt it will be discontinued. A USM version on the F/1.8? Then there really wouldn't be a reason to go for the F/1.4 version, which wouldn't make sense in their lens lineup.

-hza

Actually, the f/1.4 could use a little update, such as a true ring-type USM motor and a little improvement in wide-open operation.

It does not make sense that Canon would discontinue what is aguably the hottest-selling lens in their history.

That is most unlikely, it's just another rumour, and a good excuse for the store to make the lens more expensive!

The EF 50 f/1.8 mk II has been quite hard to get the past few months - it seems that it has been out of stock at major stores like B&H for a long time now. Probably the lens is so popular that Canon can't meet the demand. Another reason why the shop can put up the price, it's such a popular lens that people will buy it anyway, even if the price is increased.

The 'hot' lenses have been out of stock on and off since the introduction of the 300D/Digital Rebel.

-hza

50mm is a standard (normal) lens in 35mm. Nikon, Minolta, Pentax - they all have cheap 50mm lens. It just does not make sense that Canon will discontinue it. Canon does have trouble keeping up with the demand. May be those stores simply cannot get it from Canon or prefer to sell consumer grade zooms, so the tell you that 50mm is discontinued.

One possible reason that the 50mm f1.8 II is hard to get is that Canon may have the assembly line cranking out its replacement, getting ready for the Photokina announcements and the Christmas season.
Sometimes from a seller's perspective a product that has been such a hot seller for so long needs to be upgraded or improved to increase sales and/or profits. USM would be such an improvement, especially as Canon switches their focus (pun partially intended) from film to digital.