Is it finally happening? Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 USM [CR1]

[Canon Rumors Guy]

I've been droning on about that I'd like to purchase this lens ever since I sold my 'thrifty fifty' RF, which whilst great value for many adds to little if you also own a L-series zoom lens. And indeed I concur that if Canon is not allowing a 3rd party to fill the gap they should offer one themselves.

I have no data on this....

I tend to think that there are more 50 f/1.8 owners that would move to such a lens than 50 f/1.2L owners that would have "settled".

 

[Walrus]

Please make it an L lens with IS

If they're doing it, I'm pretty sure it won't be L (otherwise they're going to totally kill the f1.2), and I seriously doubt (but I'll be happy if I'm proven wrong) it will be with IS, I don't recall any bright 50ish lens from any first or third party manufacturer (Tamron 45 f1.8 VC is not "bright" in the scope of this discussion) to ever having IS. Actually I think that Tamron (for my knowledge; correct me if I'm wrong) is the only 50ish FF (or even not FF) lens of any brightness I can recall having it.

If they do it (and I hope they will!!!) price needs to be at max half (or less) of the f1.2 so 1000/1200€$£ish; an used 50 Art can be found for 400€, for a brand new 40 Art (which is better then the RF 1.2) I just paid 755€, and (if there will be third party RF lenses, which I also especially hope) a brand new 50 Art DN is 900/1000€ new, so if the Canon would cost more then 1300/1400€ (and again, if third party RF will be available soon) it would be much less attractive (given that the optical performance is on par with the Sigma's, which is of course yet to be seen).

Personally, given "1" the price of a comparable third party lens, I'm available to pay "1,2" for a Canon lens, to get proven and everlasting compatibility with all future bodies even in the next 15/20yrs, surely perfect AF algorithms, in camera corrections baked in for video (for RAW's of course no need of in camera correction, as long as I can find them in LR/C1), a supposedly better service and availability of spares, etc; if the price gap, at the same quality, is superior, I'll personally always go with a (proven, like Sigma) third party alternative.

 

[Surab]

How about, simply, having a 50mm Rf that would be weather resistant without having to pay £ 2000? It rains often in the UK...

Totally agree with this. The RF mount needs some weather sealed fast primes that do not cost 1000 USD, let alone 2000 USD and more. For all I care it can be another 50mm F1.8, but I would love a mid-range, sealed version of a subset of the 24, 28, 35, 40, 50, 85 mm primes. (Personally 28 and 50 mm would be my preferences.)

 

[Del Paso]

I'll believe it when I see it. A lot of people will be dissatisfied whatever happens; if it's not released, then they're "ignoring the middle market", if it's optically excellent it'll be too bulky and expensive, if it's more affordable it'll be too compromised (weather sealing, poor corners, maybe software corrections). And if they do release one, then the clamour for mid range lenses at other focal lengths will only increase.

I had the EF 50mm f/1.4 for a while and actually liked the images it produced, but I'm in no hurry to get another; I take very few portraits, however.

You said it !

 

[neuroanatomist]

The RF mount needs some weather sealed fast primes that do not cost 1000 USD, let alone 2000 USD and more.

Canon hasn’t made a non-L lens with weather sealing (unless you want to count the 400/4 DO lenses costing $6.5-7K as non-L). L lenses costing less than $1K are few. So, what you’re asking for seems unlikely.

 

[Snapster]

It's about time Canon announce some interesting lenses. Or Sigma / Tamron / Samyang for RF. 2023 has been very disappointing so far. Just some cheap uninteresting kit lenses, a 100-300mm 2.8 for 10k, and a 28mm 2.8 which is too close to the 35mm 1.8, one of the better STMs.

A 50mm 1.4 would spice things up for sure.

Or any other midrange lens, basically. I don't like the current STM line. I have the 35mm, 50mm and 600mm and I'm ready to sell all of them.

 

[chasingrealness]

I feel like canon needs to decide what the gold ring means for RF mount. Red ring means what it means, but the gold rings were always subpar. The 85 was quirky with terrible chromatic aberration. The 50 was too soft for modern sensors and the focus left a lot to be desired.

My take would be for canon to offer gold rings that have superb image quality, fast accurate autofocus and weather sealing. Make it small and light, and they can shop it as a travel lens - that matters more than ever now with weight restrictions tightening on flights as mentioned in the recent opinion piece on the forum.

Either way, I think that canon needs to focus on image quality and character to protect the brand and keep people “needing” more than just a smartphone for consistently great images.

 

[scyrene]

It's about time Canon announce some interesting lenses. Or Sigma / Tamron / Samyang for RF. 2023 has been very disappointing so far. Just some cheap uninteresting kit lenses, a 100-300mm 2.8 for 10k, and a 28mm 2.8 which is too close to the 35mm 1.8, one of the better STMs.

A 50mm 1.4 would spice things up for sure.

Or any other midrange lens, basically. I don't like the current STM line. I have the 35mm, 50mm and 600mm and I'm ready to sell all of them.

I consider the 100-300 a lot "spicier" than the most generic prime there ever was, a nifty fifty, which is only slightly different from the two existing ones in the RF range, but each to their own.

 

[SNJ Ops]

The benchmark for a RF 1.4/50mm would be the optical performance of the Sigma ART 50.
Performance below that - not interested.

Performance on par - interested if maybe smaller/lighter and/or much faster focussing.

And of course the price point is significant. Can't exceed the Sigma too much.

Sigma’s mirrorless 50mm f1.4 Art DG DN currently goes for £849 here in the UK whereas Sony’s 50mm f1.4 GM goes for £1499 or $1298. I’d be surprised if a Canon RF 50mm f1.4 was cheaper than Sony’s offering if its made an L series lens with IS.

 

[AJ]

I think what would fit the current lineup nicely is this: a RF 50/1.4 with the same type of build and philosophy as the RF 35/1.8 and RF 85/2.
This would be a lightweight lens with close focusing capability. Sharp center wide open, sharp corner-to-corner when stopped down.
I think it would be a mistake to try to compete with Sigma 50/1.4 art. The RF 50/1.2 already does that.

 

[EricN]

A 35-50mm 1.4 zoom lens?? It only costs $3,500 for all you guys and gals wanting to save money!

 

[Marphoto]

A new EF 50mm f/1.4 retails for less than $400 and I’ve seen used, like new ones sell for less than 1/2 that. It’s hard to rationalize buying the RF version if it’s not competitive. Lens IS isn’t essential on a compact 50 and most bodies have sensor IS, so I hope they could create an optically sharp version with a ring and micro-USM at a favorable price point.

 

[fasterquieter]

I am thinking it will come out with IS at US$599. I will buy one when they are US$499.

 

[Quackator]

I have no data on this....

I tend to think that there are more 50 f/1.8 owners that would move to such a lens than 50 f/1.2L owners that would have "settled".

I have two EF 1.8/50mm metal mount, one EF2.5/50mm Compact Macro, and the lens that gets most use is the Sigma ART 50.

The EF 1.2/50 L had too many CA's wide open (and was too soft for my taste), had focus shift when stopping down and was too sluggish in focussing.

The Sigma ART filled that gap.

Since almost all of my lenses see some use on BMPCCs and EOS M cameras, RF mount isn't that attractive for me.

 

[knight427]

A lot of people will be dissatisfied whatever happens;

truth

 

[Quackator]

I’d be surprised if a Canon RF 50mm f1.4 was cheaper than Sony’s offering if its made an L series lens with IS.

I don't see IS in this lens to come, but we will have to wait for Canon to come forward in order to know.

 

[blackcoffee17]

Totally agree with this. The RF mount needs some weather sealed fast primes that do not cost 1000 USD, let alone 2000 USD and more. For all I care it can be another 50mm F1.8, but I would love a mid-range, sealed version of a subset of the 24, 28, 35, 40, 50, 85 mm primes. (Personally 28 and 50 mm would be my preferences.)

It's not only the cost but also size. Why do i need to carry a 1kg brick if i simply want a weathersealed 50mm lens?

 

[EricN]

It's not only the cost but also size. Why do i need to carry a 1kg brick if i simply want a weathersealed 50mm lens?

Of course, this is my opinion only:
You will be fine without weather sealing if you keep a plastic bag with a hole in it to cover your camera and lens in the event of rain and make sure to dry any water droplets before putting it back in your camera backpack (or whatever) and keep some silica gel to absorb moisture in there too.
If you're worried about dropping it in water, don't think weather sealing would save an L lens every time...

 

[SNJ Ops]

I am thinking it will come out with IS at US$599. I will buy one when they are US$499.

Lumix, Sony, Sigma and Zeiss all have 50mm f1.4 lenses available on their respective platforms, none have IS but they are all positioned at the premium ens of the market. Seeing as Canon already have the RF 50mm f1.8 STM as a budget option I think Canon will (in my opinion should) make their 50mm f1.4 an L series lens with USM motors. Make it the faster focusing, smaller, lighter and cheaper sibling of the 50mm f1.2 RF.

 

[scyrene]

I don't see IS in this lens to come, but we will have to wait for Canon to come forward in order to know.

But it would still benefit from IBIS in bodies that have it.