Canon RF 50mm F1.2L Review
Released in 2018, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a flagship prime lens for Canon’s RF-mount mirrorless system. As part of the L-series lineup, it offers exceptional optical performance, premium build quality, and an ultra-wide f/1.2 aperture for outstanding low-light performance and subject isolation. Designed for professional photographers, this lens excels in portrait, wedding, fashion, and fine art photography, delivering some of the sharpest and most beautiful image rendering available in Canon’s RF lens lineup.
Build and Design
The RF 50mm f/1.2L USM is built to professional standards, featuring a robust, weather-sealed construction that ensures durability in harsh conditions. It weighs 950g, making it significantly larger and heavier than standard 50mm lenses, but this is expected given its high-end optics and bright aperture.
The lens includes a customizable control ring in addition to the standard focus ring, allowing for adjustments to exposure settings like ISO, aperture, or shutter speed. The 77mm front filter thread is a common size, making it easy to find ND and polarizing filters.
Its weather sealing protects against dust and moisture, making it a reliable choice for outdoor shooting. However, it does not have built-in image stabilization, relying instead on Canon’s in-body stabilization (IBIS) in newer RF cameras.
Optical Performance
The RF 50mm f/1.2L USM delivers some of the best image quality of any 50mm lens on the market. Sharpness is outstanding even wide open at f/1.2, with excellent contrast and minimal optical flaws. Stopping down slightly improves corner sharpness, but the difference is barely noticeable since the lens is already highly detailed at its widest aperture.
Bokeh is one of the standout features of this lens. Thanks to its f/1.2 aperture and carefully designed optics, background blur is incredibly smooth and pleasing, creating a beautiful subject separation that is ideal for portraits.
Chromatic aberration is minimal, and Canon’s advanced coatings effectively reduce flare and ghosting. There is some natural vignetting at f/1.2, but this is often desirable for portraits and can be corrected in post-processing if necessary.
Autofocus Performance
The RF 50mm f/1.2L USM features Canon’s ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for fast, precise, and near-silent autofocus. It performs exceptionally well in both still photography and video, locking onto subjects quickly with high accuracy.
While autofocus is generally excellent, it is not quite as fast as some of Canon’s smaller RF primes, mainly due to the large amount of glass being moved inside the lens. However, this does not significantly impact real-world use unless shooting fast-moving subjects in low light.
For videographers, the lens provides smooth and silent focusing, with minimal focus breathing. The lack of stabilization means handheld video shooting benefits from pairing the lens with an IBIS-equipped camera or using a gimbal.
Handling and Versatility
Despite being a 50mm lens, the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM is relatively large and heavy. It balances best on Canon’s higher-end mirrorless bodies, such as the EOS R5 and R3, though it can still be used on smaller RF-mount cameras like the EOS R6 or R8.
Its 40cm minimum focusing distance allows for reasonably close-up shots, making it useful for detail-oriented photography like food and product shots. While it is primarily a portrait lens, it also works well for street photography, event coverage, and even landscapes where a shallower depth of field is desired.
Drawbacks
- Large and heavy compared to other 50mm lenses
- No optical image stabilization, requiring steady hands or IBIS-equipped cameras
- Autofocus, while fast, is not the absolute quickest in Canon’s RF lineup
- Premium price makes it a significant investment
Conclusion
The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM is one of the best standard primes available for Canon’s RF system, offering exceptional sharpness, stunning bokeh, and a professional-grade build. It is an ideal choice for photographers who need top-tier image quality, especially for portrait and low-light work.
While its size, weight, and price may be limiting for some users, those who invest in this lens will be rewarded with some of the best image rendering possible in a 50mm focal length. For professionals and serious enthusiasts, this is a lens that delivers truly outstanding results.
Samples
Here are some recent photos I captured using the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens. These sample shots highlight the lens’s performance across different conditions, settings, and subjects. To view the complete collection of photos taken with this lens, the link.
