Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM
Canon

RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM

$2,299~
MSRP (prices vary)
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Released: October 25, 2018
50mm
Focal Length
f/1.2
Max Aperture
Full-Frame
Coverage
Stabilized
950g
Weight
77mm
Filter

Who the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM is for

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM is a full-frame 50mm f/1.2 standard prime for Canon RF.

Best for

  • Portraits and low light — a fast f/1.2 aperture for blurred backgrounds.
  • Outdoor and travel use — a weather-sealed build.

How the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM compares to other Canon RF Full-Frame standard lenses

Every figure below is measured against the 14 Canon RF Full-Frame standard lenses in the catalogue, so you can see where this lens actually sits rather than reading its spec sheet in isolation.

SpecThis lensWhere it lands
Weight950g (2.09 lb)4th heaviest of 14
Price (MSRP)$2,299joint 5th most expensive of 14
Maximum aperturef/1.2joint widest of 14

Being both among the fastest and among the heaviest here is physics rather than coincidence: an f/1.2 maximum aperture needs a larger front element and more glass behind it, which is where the 950g (2.09 lb) comes from.

What 50mm at f/1.2 actually gives you

50mm sits close to the way the eye takes in a scene, which is why this range tends to get used as a general-purpose focal length.

The f/1.2 maximum aperture is about as fast as production lenses get: it gathers a lot of light and throws backgrounds well out of focus, at the cost of a depth of field thin enough that focus accuracy starts to matter on close subjects.

Size and filters

At 950g (2.09 lb) it has real presence on the front of a camera, though it stays hand-holdable for a session.

Filters are 77mm — worth checking against what you already own, since polarisers and ND filters at this size are reusable across any other lens sharing the thread.

Autofocus, stabilisation and weather sealing

Autofocus is driven by a Ring USM motor.

There is no optical stabilisation in the lens, so handheld steadiness depends on the body having IBIS, or on keeping the shutter speed up.

The barrel is weather-sealed, so rain and dust are a manageable risk rather than a reason to pack up.

Full Specifications

Optical Design

Focal Length50mm
Lens TypePrime
Optical Elements15
Optical Groups9

Aperture & Iris

Maximum Aperturef/1.2
Minimum Aperturef/16
Aperture Blades10
Rounded ApertureYes

Coverage & Angle

Format CoverageFull-Frame
Lens MountCanon RF
Angle of View46° – 46°
35mm Equivalent

Focus

AutofocusYes
Focus MotorRing USM
Focus LimiterNo
AF/MF SwitchYes
Min Focus Distance40 cm
Max Magnification0.19x

Stabilization & Video

Optical StabilizationNo
Aperture RingNo
Declickable ApertureNo
ParfocalNo
Internal ZoomNo

General

Price (MSRP)$2,299
Filter Size77mm
Diameter89.8mm
Length108mm
Weight950g (2.09 lb)
Weather SealedYes
Tripod CollarNo

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