Lightweight and compact with a bright f/1.4 maximum aperture and classic 50mm focal length, the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM has the perfect mix of features for creators, photographers, and hybrid shooters desiring versatility, high optical quality, and mobility. Street photographer Maiko Fukui shares her impressions of this highly anticipated lens. (Reported by: Maiko Fukui, Digital Camera Magazine)

 

High on quality, portability, and versatility

I use 50mm and f/1.4 very often. The EF50mm f/1.4 USM was released in 1993, and after that, there was no new version for 30 years, so I was delighted when the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM was announced. Compact, lightweight, and equipped with an iris ring that allows direct aperture adjustments during video shooting, the new lens comes in the form of a photo/video hybrid lens—the standard lens in Canon’s new f/1.4 hybrid prime lens series.

Like other lenses in the series, the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM has a sleek exterior design with very few protrusions and recessions. This not only makes it comfortable to hold, cleaning the lens after use is also easier! Like Canon’s other L-series professional lenses, it has a dust- and drip-resistant design that offers peace of mind when you’re using it outdoors. Switches and dials are simple and intuitive to use. The lens is also compact and lightweight enough that you wouldn’t need to think twice about grabbing it when you go out on casual shoots.

The bright f/1.4 maximum aperture is a huge advantage in dim surroundings—you don’t have to raise the ISO speed too high if you want to maintain the same shutter speed.

I was personally glad for the 67mm filter diameter, which is consistent across the series. Larger filters are more expensive, so 67mm helps keep costs low. And you can also use the same filter across the other f/1.4 VCM hybrid prime lenses.

 

 

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 50mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.4, 1/2500 sec, EV+1.7)/ ISO 100/ WB: 5800K (A+4, G+2)

I composed the shot and shot at f/1.4 so that the flowers in the foreground were blurred into bokeh, creating some space in the frame. The lens created a foreground bokeh that was smooth and buttery. I also love the vibrant yet natural colours of the sky and the flowers, which dressed up the simple composition.

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 50mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.4, 1/250 sec, EV+0.3)/ ISO 100/ WB: 5800K (A+4, G+2)

I noticed light falling on some plants and decided to draw attention to it by blurring out the fence in front of me, creating a sub-framing effect. The lens beautifully renders not only the foreground bokeh, but also the in-focus area, which appears sharp with the tiny leaves well-resolved.

 

Outstanding image quality

The lens delivers images that are clear and free of visible aberrations, with rich, pleasing tones from the centre to the edges. The bokeh at f/1.4 is smooth like butter, with the background bokeh clean and free of obvious edges. At the same time, the in-focus area is well-resolved and sharp. The gorgeous rendering makes you feel like your photography improved! I felt that even ordinary scenes took on a cinematic quality when I shot them at f/1.4 on this lens.

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 50mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.4, 1/50 sec, EV+0.7)/ ISO 100/ WB: 5600K (A+7, G+7)

Soft, pleasant-looking bokeh draws more attention to these adorable panda plush toys. The simpler the composition, the more beautiful the bokeh. The lens’ comfortable 40cm closest focusing distance allows you to capture images with a natural perspective even when you’re maximising bokeh by shooting close to the subject.

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 50mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/6.3, 1/80 sec, EV+0.3)/ ISO 500/ WB: 5800K (A+4, G+2)

Resolution is good even at narrower apertures. In this out-of-camera shot, the straight lines in the building show no visible distortion. The textures of the road, and the galvanised iron fence, and the details of the bicycle are all rendered sharp and clear.

 

 

Swift, reliable autofocusing

AF is very smooth and seamless due to the lens’ electronic floating focus control system, where the focusing lenses and floating lenses are respectively driven by a Nano USM (ultrasonic motor ) and linear-driving VCM (Voice Coil Motor). I didn’t experience any issues focusing when shooting backlit subjects or through objects creating foreground bokeh. The lens and camera even managed to track a flying bee I encountered.

I usually switch to manual focusing (MF) for scenes where details matter. The lens’ focusing mode switch makes it convenient to do so.

 

 

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 50mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2, 1/5000 sec, EV+2)/ ISO 100/ WB: 5800K (A+4, G+2)

I intentionally included the sun in this image to test the lens’ performance in backlight. Contrast didn’t suffer and tonal transitions are seamless. Ghosting was kept to a minimum. The very slight ghosting I noticed in the image above looks good: it adds a very subtle accent to the photo.

 

In summary: Amazing quality to fall in love with

The beauty of the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM’s foreground and background bokeh is something you must experience yourself. In addition to that, I’d strongly recommend checking out the amazingly sharp resolution you get at narrower apertures too. Images are clean and practically distortion-free, which makes even objects with straight-line patterns look good. You’ll find many uses for a high-quality 50mm lens like this.

Mounted on the EOS R5 Mark II

 

RF50mm f/1.4L VCM: Key specifications

 

Learn more about Canon’s other f/1.4L VCM hybrid prime lenses in:
RF24mm f/1.4L VCM: Cinematically Versatile
RF35mm f/1.4L VCM: Cinematically Classic
Lens Review: RF24mm f/1.4L VCM in Landscape Photography