Today my Canon 50mm f/1.8 II arrived!  This lens is commonly known as the "thrifty fifty" and comes highly recommended.  Because of the low price tag and the superb optics this lens is a must have for Canon photographers.  The lens only costs $70-80, yet the sharpness rivals some of the L series glass. 

I am really looking forward to having an f/1.8 lens so I can use natural lighting (no flash) as much as possible.  Even indoors in a poorly lit room I have been able to get some really sharp shots with this lens.  If you haven't heard of the "thrifty fifty" before I would recommend you check into it. 

One thing I will have to adjust to is the fixed focal length.  The fixed focal length is what gives the lens such great sharpness and large aperture.  The downside of fixed focal length lenses is that you actually have to physically move your camera/body in order to change the shot instead of just being able to zoom in and out.