Canon RF 50mm f1.4L VCM REVIEW - NEW standard lens

as r8 shooter with 50/1.8, probably gonna wait for sigma rf ff lenses.
I will wrap a red ring over my rf 1.8 primes😂

I'm a full-time professional shooting on 4x RF bodies. I don't own a single RF lens. I'm using all adapted EF glass, and have been waiting for small & compact 1.4 primes to finally update my lens line-up. This is not the lens I was waiting for. I've always found the RF control ring to a terrible feature, and now having a non-clicky aperture dial (i.e. useless for photo) in addition to that control ring just adds insult to injury. The Sony G Master 50 1.4 is smaller, lighter, cheaper, and more functional. I think I'm going to change brands. Ironically, I'd likely stay with Canon if the Sigma lenses (also smaller, lighter, etc.) came in RF mount.

I’m hoping someone will compare this to the ef 501.2. I bought the 35 of this and it’s ok not breathtaking but not sure 50 would be a big upgrade

Another good review ❤.

looks like an stm body with L glass

I love how people vote for more inflation and then cry when some good remains consistently priced over years 😂 But they are okay paying a smartphone 1000$.

Great review! This new hybrid video series of lenses is pretty cool! But, no aperture on all canon bodies is a very Canon thing to do. The gold stripe 50mm 1.4 had a blue shift to it and the old 50mm L lens had a problem, unlike the 50mm CNE cine lens. I'm glad Canon is making these lenses the same size, great for follow focus, etc. I guess this is why Canon kept suing everyone who came out with autofocus RF lenses. It seems like there are only a couple of Canon RF lenses that are quality and reasonably priced, the rest are garbage or too expensive. That is impressive that how small they are without focus breathing. Nice review!

How does this compare to the glass quality in the 50mm CNE 1.3? Are they two completely separate classes?

Obviously there is different functionality, I’m just wondering about glass quality.

I wish you a splendid evening Gordon.

This could be interesting, my RF 50mm f1.8 is probably the most needed upgrade, the EF 50mm f1.4 doesn't fair so well on the R5 and, I think optically it has roots in the 1970s FD mount, so it's stood the test of time well! :)
I don't think I care for the aperture ring, and would probably remain redundant for me, I would rather not have it, and I think it is probably pointless for photos, just much easier to use the dial.
I've noticed that recent L series Canon lens hoods are ribbed inside instead of the cloth, I think the cloth material eliminated stray reflections better, and the 67mm thread, so that's all my 77mm filters unusable with the hood! Other than that it looks like a great option, £1500 ish on WeX, still quite painful! 😄...

Thank you for the great review and the valuable information. Is there a problem with the noise of the voice coil motor when there is no power flowing? Has Canon changed anything here compared to the 35mm?

Did you check the uncorrected look of the lens? I’m curious if it’s as bad as the 35 and the 24 to 105F 2.8.

I love your channel, and I have watched a lot of your videos.
I have a question, and I hope you can help
Dose using crop mode and clear image zoom in sony cameras affects the actual focal length of the lens ( changes the depth of field and specially the lens distortion ) or it is just a cropping in the image like cropping in post ( cropping on the computer ) ?
I hope you can give me an answer or test this in a video. because it will help me in decisions buying my upcoming lenses

Another excellent review!

I’d really like to move on from my M43 equipment, but these prices are ridiculous. The canon ergonomics and colors are superior to Sony, but still…

Sony’s 50mm f1.4 ftw!

Canon is very, very shrewd. The minimum for a canon 1.4 lens of any quality on RF is1400.00!

Ok, take another route...blocked! The old Ef 85 1.4...is 1450.00! The old ef 35mkii..is 1800(!!!!). That's prices right now at BH. Holy mutha.

They are lucky i love my old gear and my r5. I hated the r6ii, and i hate their lens prices. And i hate thier lazy crop strategy.

Sony gobbled up a ton of marketshare but canon is staying the course...flooding each price point with 'almost there' lenses. Something is ALWAYS missing or off. Yes the bodies are good or great even...but bodies need sensible lenses that dont start at 1400 to be decent quality.

MY beautiful old gear notwithstanding - I cant wait to start using the s5ii and have access to other lenses. This is absolute nonsense.

Price point is interesting, optically it's really good but contrast is somewhat lacking against de 1.2L. It's certainly good, but it's a tad less wow-y than the 50/85 1.2's which are almost perfect (they better should be at that price). Only "flaws" I found with those is the drop in contrast with a backlit scene.

for that kind of money, poor sharpness at the edges and medium sharpness in the center in the open. Canon, are you crazy or something? I understand that fans will spend their money buying up these crafts in boxes, but it's just garbage, given such a high price. I will continue to stay on my Canon RF 50 1.2 there, I understand what I paid for - for impeccable quality on an open diafragm

just what we need: another $2000 range Canon lens

At this price, no IS?

That said, Canon clearly sees the future is hybrid shoorers. For working creators and professionals. On the other hand, I’m not quite sure they understand the economic situation around the world. Perhaps they don’t intend to sell that many.

Still too expensive for me.
50 1.8 is all I need.

These lenses are $2k in Canada. I think if the IQ is great at 1.4 (and from your review it seems it is), I’d love to put this on my R7 for a variety of purposes (portrait and landscape come to mind)…but I can’t help think that for the price of two of these, I can just get the nearly $4k 28-70 F2 that is fantastic through its zoom range at F2 (though, heavy to carry for a full day!). I really wish Canon could’ve got these prices down at least $500. The aperature ring is mostly a waste for me (just my opinion). Thanks for the review as usual!

At Wex UK there is only a difference of £40 between the Sony 50mm 1.4 Gmaster and this lens.

I do 100% agree about Canon doing wrong in blocking 3rd party manufacturers and also their pricing overall. But I dont understand why people are so mad about their pricing in this exactly case. At least here in Austria the pricing seems in line with the competition:

Canon RF 50mm 1.4 L - 1.600€
Sony 50mm 1.4 GM - 1.700€
Lumix 50mm 1.4 S Pro 1.800€
Leica 50mm 1.4 Summilux SL 5.900€
Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art DG DN - 970€ but that’s 3rd party
Nikon Z 50mm 1.4 - 540€ but not in the same league

Hi Gordon, I've noticed you switched from MacBook Pro to Air, what are your impressions? Maybe you could make a video about this change?

I love the form factor of these new lenses! I bought the 50mm rf 1.2 the day before these were announced haha.

When they’re making an RF 24-50 2.8 just like Sony?

I am sure it is a great lens but I don't understand the price tag. The EF 50 mm with f1.4 costs only a quarter of the RF version - why this extreme difference?

The only Canon lenses I insert on my R6 mark2 are my RF 28mm F2.8 pancake and an old 135mm F2, and not because they are cheaper. The lenses only have so few interesting lenses in their RF line-up.

What we’re seeing from the top camera/lens makers these days is that they’re coming out with the very best they can do. The epitome of the state if the art in lens making. I’ve seen it described in several places as the golden age of lens making. So, they’ve large, heavier and more expensive. Sigma makes some excellent lenses too, and are generally less expensive, though not always. But often, they’re even larger and heavier. That comes from a less expensive bill of materials and simp,er manufacturing. But while they can make excellent lenses, they’re also known for greater variability in output. You have a greater chance of getting a “bad” Sigma than from more premium lens makers. There’s a trade off to everything. Fortunately, for a lot of lens buyers, they can’t tell whether their sample is better or worse.

Pretty sure wex have the RRP at 1540 quid not 1800, the 35mm is 1800 can be found for 1600. 

If the prices are problem for people the lenses are generally quite a bit cheaper second hand (tbh I dont know you why you would by new). They (the RF lenses) do not keep there value at all. Picked up the 50mm 1.2 pretty much brand new for 1100 and now this 50 is about ill expect to start seeing the 1.2 around the 900 mark on ebay

Would it kill them to make a 50mm with IS? This isn't 1986 anymore.

Best decision i made was switching to Sony because of their pricing & third party support. Sony knows Sigma and Tamron are on their tail both in terms of price and optical performance so they deliver 😅what they charge. Canon and Nikon still playing monopoly on lenses. Free market is your friend. More competition, more options and always better bang for your buck whether you buy that shiny Sony GM or that Sigma art or that AF Samyang.

This video could have been 4 minutes

Canon pricing is making Leica look affordable

Does this lense suits Canon R50?

All three lenses almost identical in size/weight? Can't help but speculate that rather arbitrary design constraint (in my view) needlessly causes performance compromises across the different focal lengths. Other than my 100-300 RF 2.8, I've not been impressed at all with RF glass. There seems to be an obsession with sharpness and little else. Returned my RF 50 1.2 and RF 85 1.2 for the equivalent EF versions—due to preference, not cost. I intentionally purchased the EF versions new concerned I may be forced to buy RF versions one day before I died—that's how much I dislike RF glass. The RF 85 1.2 is the worst rending lens I've ever used—by far—and that's across Sony, Nikon and Canon. Given my history with RF glass don't think I'll give these new RF lenses a try. But I must admit, the 100-300 2.8 RF is absolutely the best rendering lens I've ever owned; was totally blown away by the images it produces.

I am learning that with both Canon and Nikon (and possibly other makers) we amateurs in the UK have zero chance of getting any of these cameras or lenses before they are almost being pensioned off, as other markets (for wjhich read the USA) get priority. I find that frustrating, unacceptable and niot a game I am willing to play any more.

I’m really not interested in the vcm line that much. Hope they’ll add a normal 35 and 50 1.4.😢

im glad i waited for this to come out, it confirmed that ill be getting an EF 50mm 1.4 and adapting it.

At some point Canon owners must say enough is enough and leave for Sony or even Nikon.

I got the canon 50mm EF 1.2L lens

Comedy lens, late to market, high price, and useless aperture lens on most Canon cameras. Thank goodness I am in the Sony system.

Thank you. Now that Canon has finally offering 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm f/1.4 RF mount L primes how do these lenses compare head to head in quality to Sony’s GM primes? Better, worse, or really just the same? I shoot both Canon RF L and Sony GM | GM II and it looks like I can finally get equivalent primes in both family where the f/1.4 primes are about the same. Which do you prefer? Let us know. Take care.

Any 85 f1.4 ?

I'm really not sure how I feel about Canon excusing their aperture ring not being in communication on older bodies. I can take the newest fuji or Sony lens with that ring and slap it on the oldest crustiest body and that ring will work. For the money Canon charges, they should be able to keep up with the rest of the pack on something this straightforward

Made the decision to part with my Canon gear / R5 a month ago based on the crazy prices of RF lenses. Updating would've been very expensive or required pretty serious downsizing from my old EF lineup. Glad I made that move after seeing this latest bunch of lenses released.