• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Our Websites
  • Contact Us
  • Donations
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube

MirrorLessons

Mirrorless camera reviews right at your virtual doorstep!

  • Home
  • Camera reviews
  • Lens reviews
  • Accessory reviews
  • Galleries
  • IN-DEPTH
    • Mirrorless on the job
    • Tutorials, Tips & Tricks
    • Essays
    • Musings
  • GUEST POSTS
You are here: Home / Lens Reviews / Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Review
canon rf 50mm 1.2 review

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Review

29/11/2018 By Heather Leave a Comment

Earlier this year, Canon announced its first full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS R, as well as the new RF mount, which features a shorter flange distance than the EF DSLR mount. According to Canon, this combination of a wide and short mount should allow for new possibilities in optical design, and the RF 50mm f/1.2 – one of four launch-day lenses – is an excellent example of what Canon has already achieved.


Ethics statement: The 50mm 1.2 was sent to us for a month to test. We were not asked to write anything about the lens nor were we provided with any other compensation of any kind. Within the article, there are affiliate links. If you buy something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. To know more about our ethics, you can visit our full disclosure page. Thank you!


Main Specifications

  • Focal length: 50mm (50mm in 35mm terms)
  • Lens configuration: 15 elements in 9 groups
  • Lens mechanism: Inner focus (USM motor)
  • Angle of view: 46°
  • Closest focusing distance: 40cm
  • Maximum image magnification: 0.19x
  • Aperture blades: 10 blade circular aperture diaphragm
  • Aperture range: 1.2 to 16
  • Coating: Super Spectra
  • Filter diamater: 77mm
  • Weather sealing: Yes
  • Optical stabilisation: No
  • Dimensions: 89.8mm Ø, 108mm
  • Weight: 950g

Video Review


Summary of our findings

canon rf 50mm 1.2 review

canon rf 50mm 1.2 review

canon rf 50mm 1.2 review

  • large and heavy but the build quality is excellent
  • being an L series lens, it is fully weather-sealed
  • comes with a petal-shaped lens hood that is easy to attach and remove thanks to the release button on the side
  • features an accurate fly-by-wire focus ring and a textured control ring to which you can assign a custom function (aperture, ISO, shutter speed, or white balance)
  • there are two switches on the barrel: an AF/MF switch and a focus limiter
  • super sharp at f/1.2 and through the rest of the aperture range up until f/11, both at the centre and in the corners
  • has a smooth and creamy bokeh
  • almost no distortion and very little chromatic aberration
  • flare is well-controlled and vignetting is present up until f/4 (but it can be easily corrected)
  • fast and accurate autofocus system which is also fairly quiet considering the number of elements moving around inside the barrel

Our verdict

If you love super fast, sharp primes, the RF 50mm f/1.2 is the kind of lens that will make you go weak at the knees. Sharpness is exceptional wide open, the bokeh is sublime and the build quality is exactly what you’d expect from an L series lens. Not only does it illustrate the current capabilities of the RF mount, but it also foreshadows what we can expect from future optics – and the future certainly looks bright.

Of course, this kind of quality almost always comes at a price. In the case of the 50mm f/1.2, you can expect to pay as much for this lens as for the EOS R camera itself. It is also larger and heavier than very good alternatives like the EF 50mm 1.2, even with the adapter attached.

So, should you buy one for your EOS R? Well, it’s ultimately up to you and quality you require for your work. Granted, it’s a fantastic lens but it’s definitely worth reflecting on how much you’ll actually use it on a daily basis. Portrait and wedding photographers, for example, could easily find themselves using this lens on every assignment whereas photographers who focus on other genres may not get as much use out of it. Either way, we can pretty much guarantee you’ll fall in love with the look it gives your images – I know we did!

Check price of the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 on B&H Photo


Sample Images

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2

Canon RF 50mm 1.2 sample images
EOS R, 1/2000s, f/1.2, ISO 100 – RF 50mm 1.2
Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 sample images
EOS R, 1/800s, f/1.4, ISO 100 – RF 50mm 1.2
canon eos r sample images
EOS R, 1/320s, f/1.4, ISO 100 – RF 50mm 1.2
RF 50mm 1.2 samples
EOS R, 1/320s, f/1.2, ISO 100 – RF 50mm 1.2
canon eos r sample images
EOS R, 1/160s, f/8, ISO 200 – RF 50mm 1.2
rf 50mm 1.2 samples
EOS R, 1/640s, f/1.2, ISO 100 – RF 50mm 1.2
canon eos r sample photos
EOS R, 1/3200s, f/1.2, ISO 800 – RF 50mm 1.2

Filed Under: Lens Reviews, Reviews

About Heather

Heather Broster was born in Canada, has lived in Japan and Italy but currently calls Wales home. She is a full-time gear tester at MirrorLessons. You can follow her on Google+, Twitter or Facebook!

Primary Sidebar

Reminder

We have moved! Our latest reviews can be found on Mirrorless Comparison and YouTube.

DISCLAIMER & COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Heather Broster is participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Heather Broster is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Heather Broster and Mathieu Gasquet are also participants in the following affiliate programs: B&H Photo Affiliate Program, Ebay Partner Network, Skylum (Impact Radius), Expert Shield, The Inspired Eye, and Mediterranean Photo Tours.

To read more information, visit our full Disclaimer page. Thank you!


© HEATHER BROSTER/MATHIEU GASQUET AND MIRRORLESSONS, 2013-2020

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Heather Broster/Mathieu Gasquet and Mirrorless Comparison with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.