photography
Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L Photoshoot + Review
Are you looking to take your photography to the next level? Look no further than the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens. This highly anticipated lens from Canon’s RF line delivers exceptional image quality, making it an ideal choice for professional photographers and enthusiasts alike. In this blog post, we will take you on a journey through a photoshoot using the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L, showcasing its capabilities and discussing its features. Additionally, we will provide a comprehensive review, detailing its performance and highlighting why it deserves a spot in your camera bag. Get ready to be amazed by the breathtaking results this lens can achieve.
Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L Photoshoot + Review
Introduction
Today I’m taking a little peek at Canon’s first RF lens, the 50 millimeter 1.2 L. So yes, I am a little bit late to this one; however, recently my good friend TK North was kind enough to let me borrow this behemoth of a lens and try it out on a shoot. It’s not necessarily my go-to focal length, but I do enjoy shooting on a 50 from time to time. TK and I roamed around the back streets of Sydney city, looking for some nice locations to take some pictures of my friend Marsha. So I will be rolling the behind the scenes of this shoot while I talk a little bit more about this lens, what I like about it, and who I think it’s for.
Aperture
First off, I want to talk about the 1.2 maximum aperture of this lens because it is one of the most notable features. It will allow you to get extremely shallow depth of field. It’s also amazing in low light. A 1.4 lens is already pretty much seeing in the dark at high ISOs, but when you go to 1.2, you’re actually letting in 30% more light than you are at 1.4, which makes it very useful in some situations. Honestly though, with the high ISO capabilities of most modern cameras nowadays, a third stop of ISO is usually pretty negligible, so it’s more of a luxury than a necessity to have 1.2 over 1.4 in my opinion.
Build Quality
Talking about the build quality, I think the build quality of this lens is very good. A lot of people have talked about this lens being plastic versus metal and therefore it being worse in terms of build quality, but I just don’t think that’s true. I’ve owned a lot of Canon lenses in the past, they have been making plastic lenses for a long time now. Honestly, I don’t care if a lens is plastic or metal. It really all depends on the thickness and the quality of the materials used. A flimsy lens is honestly going to break no matter what material it’s made from. I’ve had metal lenses that have been dropped and they’ve been dented beyond repair. It definitely does not make sense to construct a lens like this out of metal because you’re going to be pushing the two kilo mark in terms of weight, whereas realistically this lens is just over one kilo, which is still massive, but I just feel like if they built it out of metal, it would be unmanageable.
Autofocus and Sharpness
The focus speed of the 51.2 is extremely fast, considering how much glass you’re actually moving around. Accuracy is very, very good with this lens, but it’s very hard for me to differentiate between lenses on these new RF bodies. The R5 and the R6 are just so good at focusing, even my third party lenses are just so accurate. I’m barely ever missing focus, so I really think it has more to do with the camera body than the lens itself. But I gotta say, in this shoot, it was very, very rare that I missed a shot, if at all. Sharpness is where this lens absolutely shines. At 1.2, this lens is sharper than a lot of other lenses that I’ve tried. Even stopped down one or two stops, it really is astonishing. I would go out on a limb and say this is probably the sharpest lens I’ve ever used.
Size and Weight
The last thing I want to talk about is size and weight. This is the elephant in the room, more specifically the 51 2 is an elephant in the room. When you try to make a lens that’s optically better than anything that’s ever been made before, it’s really hard to do it without adding more complexity to the lens. So what Canon has done with this lens is to make image quality its top priority and they’ve added a lot of glass elements in order to make this happen. The issue with adding more glass to an already wide maximum aperture lens is it just becomes an escalating problem because more glass means you need stronger motors to drive that glass. And if you care about focusing speed, you need some really strong motors which also take up more space obviously. So you kind of have this escalating problem of lenses getting bigger and bigger as they become optically better.
Who is this Lens For?
Overall, when it comes to lenses, this is my theory. I am willing to have one big and heavy lens if it’s the lens that I’m going to be using for 90% of my work. A good example of this is my Tamron 35 millimeter 1.4 SP. This lens hardly ever leaves my camera and for that reason, I don’t mind that it’s a little bit bigger, a little bit heavier because what I’m getting in return for that is superior image quality. But if all the other lenses in my bag were as big and as heavy and I’m not even using them that often, I’m just carrying around dead weight.
When it comes to thinking about who this lens is for, I think that if 50 millimeters is your focal length of choice and you shoot 90% of your work on that, whether you’re a portrait photographer who likes a little bit more of a wide field of view, or you’re shooting food or products or family photography and 50 millimeters is your go-to, then I would definitely recommend spending the money and going for this lens because you’re going to be getting absolutely incredible image quality. If 50 millimeters is a lens that you use from time to time, just like me, I would go for a little bit more of a cheaper and lighter option. Also, if you guys are interested in pixel peeping for yourself and seeing just how sharp this lens is, I have left some raw files down in the description below.
Unlike some of my other reviews, I didn’t really go into any nitty-gritty detail and shoot any tests of this lens. It was more of like a real-world use. I want to say a big thank you to TK for filming the behind-the-scenes of this episode and also for loaning me the lens. And obviously, to Marsha for being in front of the camera. Also, I did edit all of the photos in this video with my Authentic Film Lightroom preset pack, and if you do want to check that out, I’ve left a link to download in the description down below. Make sure you get out and shoot!
Frequently Asked Questions – Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L Photoshoot + Review
1. What is the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens?
The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens is a high-performance prime lens designed for Canon’s RF-mount mirrorless cameras. It offers a focal length of 50mm and a fast maximum aperture of F1.2. It is part of Canon’s esteemed L-series lenses known for their exceptional image quality and build.
2. Is the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L suitable for a professional photoshoot?
Absolutely! The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L is a highly regarded lens among professional photographers. Its wide aperture allows for excellent low-light performance and stunning bokeh, making it a perfect choice for portrait, wedding, and event photography. The lens also produces incredibly sharp images with rich colors and remarkable details.
3. Can I use the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens on my Canon DSLR?
No, the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens is specifically designed for Canon’s RF-mount mirrorless cameras. It will not directly mount on Canon DSLRs with EF-mount or EF-S-mount. However, you can use it with Canon’s EOS R-series mirrorless cameras, which are compatible with RF lenses through an adapter.
4. What are the key features of the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens?
The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens boasts several impressive features, including:
- Large maximum aperture of F1.2, allowing for exceptional low-light performance and beautiful background blur.
- Advanced optical design with aspherical and UD lens elements to minimize aberrations and ensure superb image quality.
- Fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus system for precise focusing even in challenging shooting conditions.
- Dust and weather-sealed construction, making it durable and suitable for outdoor photography.
5. Are there any drawbacks to using the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens?
While the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L lens offers exceptional image quality, it has a few potential drawbacks to consider:
- The lens is quite large and heavy, which may not be ideal for photographers looking for a compact setup.
- Due to its wide aperture, the depth of field can be very shallow, requiring precise focusing techniques in certain situations.
- The lens is also relatively expensive compared to other options, making it more suitable for professionals or serious enthusiasts.
I hope you find useful my article Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L Photoshoot + Review, I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.
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