Review: Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM

Review: Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM

Conclusion

Pros

  • Solid build quality and good handling despite the size
  • Very accurate autofocus
  • Exceptional sharpness right from f/1.2
  • Beautiful, creamy bokeh
  • Very good control of chromatic aberration
  • Almost no distortion
  • Excellent color and contrast

Cons

  • Very expensive
  • Large and heavy
  • High vignetting

Canon came out swinging with the RF 50mm f/1.2L, and managed to produce an exceptional optic. The lens is extremely sharp right from f/1.2, with beautiful bokeh, and makes for an outstanding lens for portraiture, event photography and more.

I was really impressed with the lens in the time I had with it. It consistently produced images that were pleasing and impactful, and I loved picking up the camera every time I went to shoot with it. The high cost is going to limit appeal for the general consumer, but this is a staple lens for any portrait or event photographer who uses the RF system.

The RF 50mm f/1.2L is big and heavy, and it is extremely expensive at $2,299 US, but it is also the best normal lens I’ve ever had the pleasure to shoot with. A truly outstanding lens.

Image Samples

Click on an image to enlarge.

Snow Portrait – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L @ f/1.2, 1/1250s, ISO 100
Deer in the City Lights – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/8s, ISO 200
Morning in the City – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/2.8, 1s, ISO 200
Winter Morning – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/11, 10s, ISO 100
Snow Portrait – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/1000s, ISO 100
Deer Viewing Lights – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/10s, ISO 200
On the iPad – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/60s, ISO 640
Snowy Bench – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/15s, ISO 125
Winter Reflections – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/11, 30s, ISO 100
Morning Mist – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/4s, ISO 200
Snow Portrait – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/1600s, ISO 100
Bike Rack – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/30s, ISO 200
Columbus at Night – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/2.5, 1/2s, ISO 200
Winter Grass – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/25s, ISO 400
Nyx – Canon EOS R6 with Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM @ f/1.2, 1/50s, ISO 400
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other reviews in the Review Index

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Comments

4 responses to “Review: Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM”

  1. J Avatar
    J

    Are you still planning on reviewing the Voightlander 50mm F2 APO ?

    1. Jordan Steele Avatar

      Thank you for the reminder! I had been unable to locate a copy for review for so long, and LensRentals didn’t have one for quite some time, so it sort of dropped off my radar. Yes, I very much want to review that lens. It looks like I can rent it now, so will look to get that for review here soon!

  2. Karl Avatar
    Karl

    Do you think that the 50mm f/1.2 outresolves the R6 or R6 Mark II? In other words, would this be a better fit for the R5?

    1. Jordan Steele Avatar

      It definitely outresolves the R6/R6 II. However, I don’t think that means that it is necessarily a ‘better fit’ on the R5. The lens is brilliant on either body. The R5 will take advantage of the full resolution the lens can deliver, but the rendering is of course equally brilliant on both, and it is sharp on both. You’re not ‘missing out’ using this lens on an R6, just creating wonderful images whatever the resolution is.

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