Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM Is a Fast Lightweight Prime for Hybrid Creators

With the new RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM lens, Canon now has three fast f/1.4 L VCM lenses designed for hybrid creators. Alongside the RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM also announced today and the RF 35mm f/1.4 L VCM revealed in June, the new RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM has the same size and shape, differing only in terms of its internal construction and weight (barely).

While the compact and lightweight RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM and RF 35mm f/1.4 L VCM lenses offer wide-angle focal lengths, the new RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM is a “standard” lens that delivers a natural-looking field of view. The longer focal length should work well for portraiture, although 50mm is also well-suited to reportage, street photography, and even landscapes.

The RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM includes 14 elements arranged across 11 groups — one fewer element than the RF 24mm f/1.4. The lens has a single UD lens and two aspherical lens elements. It also features Canon’s ASC (Air Sphere Coating), SSC (Super Spectra Coating), SWC (Subwavelength Coating), and fluorine coating.

Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM

As a lens built for hybrid shooters, the new lens must have fast and smooth autofocus performance. Speed is required for everything, including still photography, but for video, there is an increased need for smooth focus shifts and minimal focus breathing. The RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM promises very little focus breathing thanks to a carefully engineered optical design, and speed is delivered via Canon’s Nano USM (Ultrasonic Motor) and VCM (Voice Coil Motor) actuators. The lens can focus as close as 0.4 meters (15.7 inches), resulting in a max magnification of 0.15x.

With its fast f/1.4 aperture, the lens also promises silky smooth bokeh. The lens has an 11-bladed aperture diaphragm, and the aperture is controllable via a dedicated aperture control ring near the lens mount. This aperture control ring works for photo and video recording on compatible cameras, including the R1 and R5 II, and during video recording on other Canon EOS R system cameras.

As mentioned, the dust and weather-resistant RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM lens is the same size as the RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM and RF 35mm f/1.4 L VCM. All three lenses are 99.3 millimeters (3.9 inches) long, 76.5 millimeters (three inches) in diameter, and utilize 67mm filters. The lenses differ in terms of their weight, but not by much. The RF 24mm is the lightest of the bunch, weighing 515 grams (1.1 pounds), while the RF 35mm is 555 grams (1.2 pounds). The RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM weighs a bit more: 580 grams (1.3 pounds).

While neither the RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM or RF 35mm f/1.4 L VCM lenses have direct competition with the RF lens lineup, the RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM does — stiff competition, in fact. The RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM goes up against the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM, a brilliant prime lens that weighs a hefty 950 grams (2.1 pounds) and costs $2,099 after a $200 instant savings. That extra bit of light-gathering comes at a relatively high cost to a photographer’s wallet. That said, it is a fantastic lens for photography. Canon wants its newest 50mm prime to be a superior hybrid lens while trading a bit of speed for nice weight and price reductions.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM lens is expected to ship in December with a suggested retail price of $1,399, $100 less than the RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM and RF 35mm f/1.4 L VCM prime lenses.

Image credits: Canon