With the introduction of Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS R, an important challenge arose: releasing spectacular lenses that convinced photographers of the new system’s potential. The first two “crown jewel” lenses in the new lineup were the RF 28-70mm f/2 L zoom and the RF 50mm f/1.2 L – the second of which we will be reviewing today.
Note: This review has been updated in September 2024 with full lab tests and comparisons against other lenses available today. It was originally published in 2019.
Although the RF 50mm f/1.2 L has impressive specifications – and a $2299 price tag to match – it actually fits into a very familiar spot in Canon’s lineup. The company’s history of ultra-fast-aperture 50mm autofocus lenses dates back to 1987, when the Canon 50mm f/1 L USM was announced. It didn’t see the light of day until 1989, but it soon became one of the most iconic lenses for the Canon EF mount.
By the early 2000s, the Canon EF 50mm f/1 L USM’s hefty price tag had taken a toll on sales, and Canon stopped producing it. However, in 2006, Canon released something similar: the smaller, less expensive, and slightly slower EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM. Although that lens was coveted for its wide aperture, its optical characteristics were lacking in many ways. So, with the new RF version, Canon clearly had to make some major gains in image quality.
As a result, the new 50mm has been completely redesigned, with no fewer than three aspherical elements and one UD-glass element. It’s a much larger and heavier lens than the EF version. Like all L lenses, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM is built to a professional standard with a mix of metal and high-quality plastics, and it also features internal weather seals to prevent dust and water from intruding.
The RF 50mm f/1.2 uses Canon’s fast and accurate Ring USM focus motor (different from the RF 24-105mm f/4 L USM zoom lens, which uses Canon’s Nano USM focus motor) which promises a snappy and quiet focus operation. There is no in-lens optical image stabilization, however, so it pairs best with one of Canon’s newer EOS R cameras that has in-body image stabilization.
Build Quality and Handling
The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM is part of Canon’s L series, so it’s no surprise that the lens is built to a professional standard. In hand, it has a reassuring heft, but it doesn’t feel out of place on cameras like the EOS R5 or EOS R6 series, thanks to the cameras’ sizable grips. If you have a smaller Canon mirrorless camera like the older EOS RP, you will find to be somewhat imbalanced.
The lens features internal seals to prevent dust and water from intruding, and a quick look at the back of the lens shows a generous rubber gasket around the metal bayonet mount. Our team has tested three copies of the lens, putting it through rain, cold, and windy/sandy conditions. We did not experience issues with any copy.
Measuring 89.8 mm in diameter and 108 mm in length, and weighing 950 grams, this is not a small lens. It is in the same weight category as the now-vintage Canon EF 50mm f/1L USM (989 grams) and the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 (970 grams). It’s also 370 grams heavier than the DSLR-oriented Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM.
The RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM features two rings on its lens barrel. The larger of the two is the excellent manual focus ring, which offers ideal resistance and smooth adjustments. The additional ring at the front of the lens is a knurled, programmable “Control Ring,” which is customizable via the camera menu. It lets you quickly access many different settings, including aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation. The control ring clicks when turned, which is useful for knowing how many 1/3 stops you have gone, but note that it is audible when recording sound through the camera.
The front element features a fluorine coating to help prevent dirt and fingerprints from sticking, as well as making the glass easier to clean. At the front of the lens is a non-rotating 77mm filter thread, surrounded by a bayonet mount for the Canon ES-83 lens hood supplied with the lens. The hood is made of a semi-rigid plastic, and it is relatively large for a lens of this type.
The lens also comes with Canon’s somewhat quirky rear lens cap – the Canon Lens Dust Cap RF – whose design is different in a few ways from the previous Canon EF rear lens cap. You need to align the lens cap properly with the lens mount (a small notch on the cap with the red dash on the lens mount), or the cap doesn’t attach to the lens at all. This design does offer a tighter and more dust-resistant hold onto the back of the lens, although it can take a little more time to attach compared to the old design.
The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM has two switches which adorn the side of the lens barrel. The first switch is a simple AF/MF switch, while the second is a Focus Limiter switch (0.8m – Infinity) which helps to speed up focus acquisition.
Copyright © Spencer Cox
Vibration Reduction
The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM doesn’t have in-lens optical image stabilization. This is fine if you’re using the lens on a current Canon mirrorless camera with in-body image stabilization, but it means this lens is a questionable choice with (for example) the original EOS R or EOS RP. During my time with the lens, I shot with my EOS R, and there were times when I would have liked IBIS. However, the solution to that was to simply shoot at f/1.2, where there was more than enough light to go around.
Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L Specifications
- Full Name: Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM
- Mount Type: Canon RF Mount
- Focal Length: 50mm prime
- Angle of View (Full Frame): 46°
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.2
- Minimum Aperture: f/16
- Aperture Blades: 10, rounded
- Filter Size: 77mm
- Lens Elements: 15
- Lens Groups: 9
- Special Elements: 3 aspherical, 1 ultra-low dispersion (UD) glass elements
- Anti-Reflection Coatings: ASC (Air-Sphere Coating)
- Fluorine Coated Front Element: Yes (and rear element)
- Image Stabilization: No
- Internal Focusing: Yes
- Control Rings: Focus and custom
- Function Button: No
- Switches: AF/MF and focus limiter
- Focus Motor: Ring-Type USM
- Minimum Focus Distance: 40 cm (15.7 inches)
- Maximum Magnification: 0.19× (1:5.3)
- Mount Material: Metal
- Weather/Dust Sealing: Yes
- Dimensions (Length × Diameter): 108 × 90 mm (4.3 × 3.5 inches)
- Weight: 950 g (2.09 lbs)
- MSRP: $2299 (check current new price and check used price + availability)
And here is the optical construction of the lens:
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