Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM
Canon

RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM

$1,799~
MSRP (prices vary)
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Released: October 19, 2023
50mm
Focal Length
f/1.4
Max Aperture
Full-Frame
Coverage
Stabilized
770g
Weight
77mm
Filter

Who the Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM is for

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM is a full-frame 50mm f/1.4 standard prime for Canon RF.

Best for

  • Portraits and low light — a fast f/1.4 aperture for blurred backgrounds.
  • Outdoor and travel use — a weather-sealed build.

How the Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM 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
Weight770g (1.70 lb)6th heaviest of 14
Price (MSRP)$1,7996th most expensive of 14
Maximum aperturef/1.4joint 5th widest of 14

What 50mm at f/1.4 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/1.4 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 770g (1.70 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 VCM 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 Groups11

Aperture & Iris

Maximum Aperturef/1.4
Minimum Aperturef/16
Aperture Blades10
Rounded ApertureYes

Coverage & Angle

Format CoverageFull-Frame
Lens MountCanon RF
Angle of View47°
35mm Equivalent

Focus

AutofocusYes
Focus MotorVCM
Focus LimiterNo
AF/MF SwitchYes
Min Focus Distance40 cm
Max Magnification0.18x

Stabilization & Video

Optical StabilizationNo
Aperture RingNo
Declickable ApertureNo
ParfocalNo
Internal ZoomNo

General

Price (MSRP)$1,799
Filter Size77mm
Diameter84.4mm
Length107.9mm
Weight770g (1.70 lb)
Weather SealedYes
Tripod CollarNo

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