Canon Officially Announces the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM

Childish, just childish!
If you're on this forum to vent your ange5r or frustration, why not consult a specialist?
So an ad-hominem attack is the best you can do? That's also a type of logical fallacy where you attack the person with a personal slur when you can't make a logical argument. Ironically, this is from one of the guys on this forum who believes Canon can never make mistakes, and should never be criticized lol! And that's not an ad-hominem argument, but an observation of your post history:)

I'm not emotionally reacting like you, nice projection there. I'm just calmly and logically deconstructing shi**y arguments and attitudes that are generally unhelpful towards open, informative discussion..

Since you brought up therapy, maybe we should discuss the psychology of fanboyism? Self-reflect and see if you recognize your behavior in here, self-awareness is really helpful in life.

Fanboyism of this kind is often rooted in a mix of psychological needs: the desire for identity, certainty, and social belonging. When someone ties their ego to a product or brand, the brand becomes an extension of the self, so criticism feels threatening not because of the product itself but because it challenges the person’s sense of competence and judgment. This can lead to rigid, simplified worldviews where “my brand is good and all others are bad,” because nuance would introduce uncomfortable ambiguity.

In online forums, this mindset often expresses itself as seeking validation rather than truth - people repeatedly defend their purchases not out of confidence but because their underlying doubts feel too risky to confront openly. As a result, forums become echo chambers where dissent is treated as hostility, because acknowledging flaws would mean reassessing one’s own choices and the identity built around them. This behavior is ultimately self-limiting, because it substitutes emotional reassurance for genuine learning or honest engagement.

Additionally, since you wanted to raise the matter of childishness, this defensive, identity-fused kind of fanboy mindset is generally understood psychologically as a sign of emotional immaturity, not in the sense of age but in the sense of underdeveloped self-regulation and self-concept. When someone cannot tolerate critical information without feeling personally attacked, it suggests that their sense of self is fragile enough that external opinions must be tightly controlled to maintain emotional comfort. Mature psychological functioning allows a person to separate their identity from their possessions, to handle disagreement without defensiveness, and to adjust beliefs when presented with better information. In contrast, this kind of fanboyism reflects a need for certainty, validation, and ego protection that overrides curiosity and rational evaluation.

Happy to discuss it further, but maybe forum members would instead like to discuss this new lens, its positives and negatives, without having self-appointed gatekeepers come down on them and try to shut them down when they mention the negatives because their fragile egos can't handle facts that challenge their illusory worldviews built to psychologically comfort them. You mentioned consulting a specialist to deal with emotional issues. Perhaps I might be such a specialist that can help people overcome their irrational fanboy mindset and liberate them from such a terrible malady lol! :)
 
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So an ad-hominem attack is the best you can do? That's also a type of logical fallacy where you attack the person with a personal slur when you can't make a logical argument. Ironically, this is from one of the guys on this forum who believes Canon can never make mistakes, and should never be criticized lol! And that's not an ad-hominem argument, but an observation of your post history:)

I'm not emotionally reacting like you, nice projection there. I'm just calmly and logically deconstructing shi**y arguments and attitudes that are generally unhelpful towards open, informative discussion..

Since you brought up therapy, maybe we should discuss the psychology of fanboyism? Self-reflect and see if you recognize your behavior in here, self-awareness is really helpful in life.

Fanboyism of this kind is often rooted in a mix of psychological needs: the desire for identity, certainty, and social belonging. When someone ties their ego to a product or brand, the brand becomes an extension of the self, so criticism feels threatening not because of the product itself but because it challenges the person’s sense of competence and judgment. This can lead to rigid, simplified worldviews where “my brand is good and all others are bad,” because nuance would introduce uncomfortable ambiguity.

In online forums, this mindset often expresses itself as seeking validation rather than truth - people repeatedly defend their purchases not out of confidence but because their underlying doubts feel too risky to confront openly. As a result, forums become echo chambers where dissent is treated as hostility, because acknowledging flaws would mean reassessing one’s own choices and the identity built around them. This behavior is ultimately self-limiting, because it substitutes emotional reassurance for genuine learning or honest engagement.

Additionally, since you wanted to raise the matter of childishness, this defensive, identity-fused kind of fanboy mindset is generally understood psychologically as a sign of emotional immaturity, not in the sense of age but in the sense of underdeveloped self-regulation and self-concept. When someone cannot tolerate critical information without feeling personally attacked, it suggests that their sense of self is fragile enough that external opinions must be tightly controlled to maintain emotional comfort. Mature psychological functioning allows a person to separate their identity from their possessions, to handle disagreement without defensiveness, and to adjust beliefs when presented with better information. In contrast, this kind of fanboyism reflects a need for certainty, validation, and ego protection that overrides curiosity and rational evaluation.

Happy to discuss it further, but maybe forum members would instead like to discuss this new lens, its positives and negatives, without having self-appointed gatekeepers come down on them and try to shut them down when they mention the negatives because their fragile egos can't handle facts that challenge their illusory worldviews built to psychologically comfort them. You mentioned consulting a specialist to deal with emotional issues. Perhaps I might be such a specialist that can help people overcome their irrational fanboy mindset and liberate them from such a terrible malady lol! :)
Blah, blah, blah...
 
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Out of my kindness and concern for the inner suffering and torment of fanboys, here are several helpful affirmations and mantras that address the emotional patterns behind fanboyism by reinforcing a healthier sense of self, loosening the link between identity and possessions, and encouraging open-mindedness.

• “My self-worth is not defined by the products I own.”
This helps separate identity from consumption and reduces ego attachment.

• “I can appreciate something without needing it to be perfect.”
This encourages nuanced thinking and reduces the need to defend a brand absolutely.

• “Criticism of a product is not criticism of me.”
This reframes negative information as non-threatening and allows more rational engagement.

• “It’s okay for others to have different preferences and experiences.”
This supports emotional maturity by acknowledging diversity in viewpoints.

• “I value truth and understanding more than validation.”
This shifts the motivation in discussions away from ego protection and toward curiosity.

• “I don’t need agreement to feel secure in my choices.”
This helps break the cycle of seeking constant reassurance from online communities.

• “Changing my mind when presented with better information is a strength, not a weakness.”
This reinforces intellectual humility and adaptability.

If applied consistently, these affirmations can help fanboys detach their identity from brands, reduce defensive behavior, and create room for more open, balanced, and constructive engagement. You're welcome! :)
 
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Yes, I read it. He politely asked "Just stop already?" and then you avoided any responsibility for your actions and replied "You, too? Agreed then."
What difference does that make? I'm calling out your behavior, as you were in the wrong from the outset, for the reasons I explained. At least have the integrity to apologize for the rude remarks. Oh well, it's your public image on this forum, do as you will with it.
Now I ask you "Just stop already?", okay?
 
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Now I ask you "Just stop already?", okay?
Since you asked almost politely, and fairly respectfully, I acknowledge your reasonable request and I'm happy to oblige.

These days I just read these forums in my spare time as I don't have the time to be posting anymore, but it seriously annoys me when people are stifling interesting discussion because of their psychological frailties and not let others say their part. As a reader, I want to see the diversity of opinions and ideas, and not have people gatekeeping. Otherwise I'm happy to just browse the posts from the sidelines. Peace. :)
 
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The 50 mm f/1.4 VCM also has hybrid plastic lens elements in it, a new cost cutting measure in an L-series lens...

A replicated aspherical element is made by applying a thin optical resin layer onto a glass blank and pressing it against a master aspheric mold to replicate the exact aspherical profile so the polymer cures into the exact aspheric shape. The lens is glass underneath, with a thin replicated polymer aspheric surface on top. Canon L-series lenses typically use precision-ground or precision-molded glass aspherical elements, not replicated or plastic-based ones.

Oh, but is really sharp though you may be saying. Yes, somehow sharper than the RF 50mm f/1.2 L lens, which is designed for the best RENDERING and final image. The criticism of many modern Canon lenses being extremely sharp in the center while producing harsh or nervous bokeh, is legitimate. This stems from the optical tradeoffs involved in strongly correcting spherical aberration. Pushing spherical aberration close to zero maximizes resolution and boosts MTF performance on the test charts, but it also removes the slight under-correction that traditionally gives older lenses their smoother blur and softer transitions. When this residual aberration is eliminated in pursuit of sharpness, out-of-focus areas develop harder edges and busier textures, reducing what many photographers call “good rendering.” These effects are an unavoidable tradeoff and consequence of modern high-resolution optical design priorities. Enjoy!
Well, aspherical lenses made by plastic resin is what we all use today - in our smartphones. But many thanks for that explanation. I am not in a hurry to get this lens, I may wait until a review by opticallimits is available. Bryan Carnathan obviously didn't find the lens' bokeh to be harsh or overly busy. I would be more concerned about the question what happens within the resin layer when it ages, because I normally use a lens much longer than a smartphone.

Btw also old undercorrected fast glass can produce a quite busy and harsh bokeh if the background has lot of contrast rich highlights. Here is an example I shot recently with may vintage Canon 1.4/50mm LTM lens (Leica M39 screw mount, model year 1961) adapted on my R5 II, @ f/1.4 (this crop only shows a part of the background since I didn't ask the people in the center for their allowance to post the complete image here). This image is a typical example for a setting in which you either accept such a busy bokeh as part of the composition or just do not use such a lens. I tend to the first decision in such cases, in fact, I have some fun with such effects since they create an interesting graphical quality (but I do come from arts (drawing) when I am photographing what means that I also like non-perfection - if it is in an artistic way interesting).Canon 1_4:50 LTM busy bokeh.png
 
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Thanks, I do hope I this will enable me to carry my camera more often. I absolutely love the images from my RF 85 1.2 but it is certainly a beast to carry and I do end up being very intentional (think twice) when I do take it with me on trips. I am expecting the 45mm to be more of a grab and go without much afterthought, so more opportunities to shoot.

Besides, I don't think anyone is pixel peeping for sharpness or how much CA are in our collectively defining photographs. Heck, likely don't even know which camera/lens was used that took the photos.
"Sharpness is a bourgeois concept."
Henry Cartier Bresson
 
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That quote is clearly silly. It was made by him as a joke but people take it seriously not knowing its context. See for its context: https://www.newsweek.com/opposites-attract-137833
Yes, it was meant provocingly and ironically, and I quoted it that way (irony is always a problem in such threads like this one here, I may better have used a smiley icon showing that). But besides his later problems with holding the camera steady as an old man, this quote contains a deeper wisdom. HCB came from painting and knew that technical perfection isn't automatically good photography. I myself am quite skilled in drawing, in particular fast street drawing (people drawn recognize themselves), and started later with serious photography, so I have a bit deeper knowledge based on that sort of experience. Here is an example of a famous out-of-focus image by HCB: here he couldn't focus so fast precisely on the guy on the bicycle in that short moment (don't forget, he had a fully manual Leica), so the in-focus distance is a bit behind him - but it is gorgeous snapshot and perfectly composed. Well, this is about photograpic art, not nerdy tech talk, so let's stop that discussion, I think this is not an appropriate forum here. My quote was merely meant as a joke. Have a good day!

Velodrome.jpg
 
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So, I tried the RF 45mm f/1.2 today, a production copy of the lens.

I tried it with my R6. This is a low end lens, so I don't think it's fair putting it in a R5. Plus, the R6 is what I work with.

The overall package is lovely. Size, weight, build quality (as good as the RF 35mm f/1.8).

Yes, the AF is slow, I'd say it's just slightly faster than the 85mm f/2. It's really slow, and it's not the smartest, I think the RF 35mm 1.8 is better at subject detection.

Yes, it's soft wide open, but not that awful on a low MP camera. Wide open, I think it's a little softer than the RF 50mm f/1.8 at 1.8, but without the hazy corners. Overall I'd say the 50 1.8 is always sharper.

Now, I'm thinking some reviewers may not have received what became the final version of the lens. Some of them show the lens performing quite decently (soft wide open, but no CA), while others show a real purple festival.

I can't see any CA at all, corner to corner, even on contrasting edges. I'm viewing RAW files on Lightroom, without corrections, and checking at pixel level with the white balance tool.

I didn't test extreme contrast, like the sun (overcast day), but I took photographs at people inside a building, with a large window behind them, and more light on the outside. I see nothing weird. Sometimes there are subtle traces of purple fringing, not enough to create a like, but most of the time there's nothing.



EDIT: looking deeper at the files now, I can see some purple fringing over some surfaces, but nothing major. I'd probably need to test the lens outside, on a sunny day. Most of it it's not visible on jpegs with DLO on standard.
 
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Overall I'd say the 50 1.8 is always sharper.
I'd say this seals the deal (in negative) on the lens, but, as seen in the first reviews, it was to be expected.

I'm waiting, as the final word, for Chris Frost's review, that isn't coming yet, so either Canon didn't give him one to test, or they gave to him but asked to pospone the release until they say so. Either cases speak for themselves.
 
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I'd say this seals the deal (in negative) on the lens, but, as seen in the first reviews, it was to be expected.

I'm waiting, as the final word, for Chris Frost's review, that isn't coming yet, so either Canon didn't give him one to test, or they gave to him but asked to pospone the release until they say so. Either cases speak for themselves.
It's no miracle maker, of course. This will be a fun lens to many people, the focal length is absolutely excellent.
I'm kind of low key considering it. The image quality is not at the level I'm used to, but this would be a secondary lens to me, so requirements wouldn't be quite the same.
Autofocus is slow, and its chromatic aberrations are "questionable" to say the least, but the lens is still pleasant to use.
I'll give it a though when the price drops to 400€ or less.
 
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It's no miracle maker, of course. This will be a fun lens to many people, the focal length is absolutely excellent.
I'm kind of low key considering it. The image quality is not at the level I'm used to, but this would be a secondary lens to me, so requirements wouldn't be quite the same.
Autofocus is slow, and its chromatic aberrations are "questionable" to say the least, but the lens is still pleasant to use.
I'll give it a though when the price drops to 400€ or less.
I'd call "fun" a 30€ lens, not a 500€ one, but of course anyone will decide what "fun" ceiling is, according to they're own income and will to spend
:) the max I spent for a lens is the 1000€ for the 28-70 STM (even if 15yrs ago I spent 800€ for the 70-200 f2.8 which with inflation is surely more then 1k€ today), so a lens that cost 50% of my max budget ever is still pretty expensive.

And the 50 STM is generally better; at f1.8 the two are comparable in the centre (but 45 has worse purple fringing), in midframe 45 is clear winner, but in the corners it falls apart way worse then the 50


Then same story at 2.8 (but here centre is visibly worse on the 45), and it continues; the 45 catch up in the centre and it's better in the midframe up to f4 , at f5.6 the 50 goes even in the midframe, but even at f8 the 45's corners haven't catch up with the 50. This lens is trash, it's worth only when costing no more then the 50 STM, it's as simply as that, it's a 200€ lens, not 2.5x as much.

If I need bright apertures I already have the sharpest std lens on the market, which at f1.4 matches the 45 STM when closed at f8 (because at f5.6 still lags behind)....c'mon! https://www.the-digital-picture.com...eraComp=1697&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=7

Still waiting for Chris Frost review as the final word, which is not happening surely due to Canon wanting to get early orders in before the disaster is shown in full by Chris, even if TDP review is pretty clear.
 
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And the 50 STM is generally better; at f1.8 the two are comparable in the centre (but 45 has worse purple fringing), in midframe 45 is clear winner, but in the corners it falls apart way worse then the 50
From the brief experience I had with the 45, I'd say the RF 50 1.8 is always sharper. Wide open, I think the 45 has more contrast in the corners, but still lower sharpness in the entire frame, while the 50 1.8 has a nice level of sharpness but very low contrast in the corners.
Stopping down both lenses, the 50 wipes the floor with the 45, in terms of resolution. By f/2.8 to f/4, the 50 is brilliant.

The thing is, I already have f/2 in the zoom lens, so the 1.8 primes don't really offer me anything, I mean, it's not attractive swapping lenses from f/2 to f/1.8, even if on my second camera. I need something at least one full f-stop faster. Usually, I don't even carry the 1.8 primes, only the 35 goes to weddings, to photograph the wedding rings but, for every other assignment, I go with the 28-70 f/2 attached to the R6, next to the RP without lens, and then the RF 70-200 2.8 and 16mm 2.8.
I just want something for when f/2 is not enough and flash is not an option. Sometimes, that happens.

If I need bright apertures I already have the sharpest std lens on the market
You know I've met it as well... :) but I also need something that can go in the shoulder bag without being a burden.
At ~350g, this 45 is a feather.
The 40 Art is heavier than my 70-200 :ROFLMAO:

I'm somewhat torn between this and one of the VCMs (most likely, the 50), knowing such lens wouldn't be used often, which makes it somewhat unreasonable investing over €1k, but makes this one slightly attractive.
 
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So, I tried the RF 45mm f/1.2 today, a production copy of the lens.
...
The overall package is lovely. Size, weight, build quality (as good as the RF 35mm f/1.8).
Thanks for your first impressions.
Yes, the AF is slow, I'd say it's just slightly faster than the 85mm f/2. It's really slow, and it's not the smartest, I think the RF 35mm 1.8 is better at subject detection.
TBH: Meh!
Yes, it's soft wide open, but not that awful on a low MP camera. Wide open, I think it's a little softer than the RF 50mm f/1.8 at 1.8, but without the hazy corners. Overall I'd say the 50 1.8 is always sharper.
I don't know. if you compare "wide opten" f/1.2 vs. f/1.8. IMO that wouldn't be fair ;)
When I look at TDP, my opinion is that at f/1.8 for both they are equal in the center (+some purple fringing), RF 45 much better in the midframe.
And let's not talk about the corners of the 45 ;)
What do you think?
 
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When I look at TDP, my opinion is that at f/1.8 for both they are equal in the center (+some purple fringing), RF 45 much better in the midframe.
And let's not talk about the corners of the 45 ;)
What do you think?
That's exactly what I saw at TDP, too; basically equal in the center, midframe the 45 is WAY better up to f5.6 where the 50 catches up, then in the corners the 50 is much better and the 45 never catches up.
They should cost same money, then you go for the 45 if you don't care about corners and never go narrower then f4(let's say location and outdoor), or the 50 if you need more uniformity across the frame and good stopped down corners (studio/products).

Probably the 45 does look much better on my R6 then the 33/45mpx sensors where it was tested by all reviews, but still, for what I would use it for it's not good enough to be a primary lens, and as a backup lens is too expensive; it's better then the 50 STM if you don't look in the corners, but not 2 to 3 times better as the price would suggest (I paid mine 125€ shipped so it's closer to be 4 times cheaper)
 
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They should cost same money, then you go for the 45 if you don't care about corners and never go narrower then f4(let's say location and outdoor), or the 50 if you need more uniformity across the frame and good stopped down corners (studio/products).
45mm f/1.2, 50mm f/1.8. Why do you expect to get a stop of light for free? Or are you suggesting that Canon increase the price of the RF 50/1.8 to match? Please, don’t give them ideas…
 
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if you compare "wide opten" f/1.2 vs. f/1.8. IMO that wouldn't be fair ;)
It’s as far as both lenses can go, I think it’s fair in the sense that none of them is having the advantage of being stopped down.

When I look at TDP, my opinion is that at f/1.8 for both they are equal in the center (+some purple fringing), RF 45 much better in the midframe
I understand, but you’re probably not purchasing the 1.2 to shoot at 1.8, you’re buying the faster lens because you want a wider aperture ;)
The 45, in my experience, always has better contrast, while the 50 has hazy corners in its widest apertures — my 50 is still a little hazy in the corners at 2.8, it’s only at f/4 that it becomes good.
On the other hand, the 45 can make some surfaces completely pink — that seems to mostly disappear in jpegs with DLO, but it’s visible in RAW files.

the 45 is WAY better up to f5.6 where the 50 catches up
I wanted to try the lens for my use case scenario, that’s why I decided to put it in my main camera instead of a R5 II, that I also had available. If I owned this lens, I wouldn’t stop it down beyond f/2 to f/2.8, perhaps f/4, since I have a higher grade zoom that features the same apertures. For that reason, I’m not interested in knowing how it performs, for instance, at f/5.6 or f/8.

They should cost same money
The 45 has a much wider aperture, is a wider angle lens, has a better motor (a newer version of gear type STM, that is smoother), and the build quality is similar to that of the 35mm f/1.8 (with poor-man’s internal focusing, which is nicer). Despite being softer, the 45 is a higher grade product from its roots. The 45 is similar to grabbing the 35 1.8 and sacrificing its IS and macro abilities, solely to have f/1.2, which is an extremely wide aperture and, as such, it’s a very expensive attribute.

Probably the 45 does look much better on my R6 then the 33/45mpx sensors
It’s still not great at 20MP, honestly. It’s perfectly enough to produce good images viewed at “normal viewing sizes”, which is what most users do, specially with social media, and even in fullscreen on my 27” monitor (which I did) but, if you zoom in to 100%, you’ll see its weaknesses; if you don’t, you’ll probably be fine.

it's better then the 50 STM if you don't look in the corners, but not 2 to 3 times better as the price would suggest
At RRP, the 45 costs about twice the price of the 50 (249€ vs 539€ here, 10€ less than the 35), and allows us to drop ISO one entire f-stop.


Guys, do not underestimate how much more expensive having f/1.2 usually is. For many focal lengths, there’s a premium of 50 to 100% over the price of a f/1.4 lens, not a f/1.8. This lens is not great, but it’s dirt cheap for what it is.

I’m inclined to purchase it next year, when the prices drop. It’s compact and extremely light, I could easily carry this in my shoulder bag, with the other lenses and both cameras.
 
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