Hands-on Canon RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM review: the niftiest fifty of all?

The hybrid Canon RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM lens might just be the niftiest fifty of them all

Canon RF 50mm F1.4L VCM
(Image: © Future)

Early Verdict

The new Canon RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM is more affordable than the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, yet packs in more desirable video features. It’s also only a third of a stop slower, yet is lighter and more portable. Currently, the aperture ring only works for stills on the EOS R1 and R5 Mark II, though it works for video with all EOS R bodies. The super-wide f/1.4 aperture will be great for anyone looking to shoot in low light, or blur backgrounds with a shallow depth of field, regardless of whether it's for stills or video.

Pros

  • +

    Small, light and compact

  • +

    L-series weather sealing

  • +

    Uniform size with other hybrids

  • +

    Super wide f/1.4 aperture

  • +

    Fast and quiet VCM autofocus motor

Cons

  • -

    Expensive

  • -

    Limited Iris ring compatibility

  • -

    Rings are all fly-by-wire

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The Canon RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM doesn't just complete Canon's trifecta of hybrid lenses, it also completes the trio of RF nifty fifties – sitting between the budget RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and the top tier RF 50mm f/1.2L USM

While it certainly fills a gap, in my opinion I think there’s a large hole in the lens range for premium non-video lenses around the thousand-buck mark – a space that would usually be filled by third-party lens manufacturers, though Canon has been slow at opening the mount to other brands.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
MountCanon RF
AutofocusYes, Nano USM and VCM
Image stabilizationNo
Aperture rangef/1.4 - f/16
Close focus distance40cm
CoatingsAir Sphere and Super Spectra
Aperture blades11
Filter67mm
Size (DxL)76.5 x 99.3mm
Weight580g
Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 IS STM

Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 IS STM – Canon's must-have prime is also its cheapest. It's nowhere near as advanced or optically impressive, but it's truly tiny and is also stabilized – helpful if you don't have a camera with IBIS.

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM – The first ever L-series RF prime lens, the 50mm f/1.2 is huge, heavy and a low-light monster – but it's also a heck of a lot heavier, isn't stabilized,  and is too chunky to be a go-to video lens.

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Dan Mold
Deputy Editor

Deputy Editor on PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Dan also brings his technical wizardry and editing skills to Digital Camera World. He has been writing about all aspects of photography for over 10 years, having previously served as technical writer and technical editor for Practical Photography magazine, as well as Photoshop editor on Digital Photo

Dan is an Adobe-certified Photoshop guru, making him officially a beast at post-processing – so he’s the perfect person to share tips and tricks both in-camera and in post. Able to shoot all genres, Dan provides news, techniques and tutorials on everything from portraits and landscapes to macro and wildlife, helping photographers get the most out of their cameras, lenses, filters, lighting, tripods, and, of course, editing software.