On 30 October 2024, Canon announced the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM, a new professional-grade standard prime lens for the RF mount. Released concurrently with the RF24mm f/1.4L VCM, the lens is the latest addition to Canon’s collection of hybrid lenses designed to deliver excellent image quality and user experience to photographers, filmmakers, and content creators.
A new standard lens to meet new demands
RF50mm f/1.4L VCM: A new standard lens to meet new demands
Capturing natural perspectives without exaggerating or compressing distances compared to other focal lengths, the 50mm focal length on a full-frame camera faithfully reflects the scene as seen by one’s bare eyes—one reason why it is also known as a “standard” or “normal” lens. This, combined with its large maximum aperture, makes 50mm prime lenses a quintessential tool for many photographers and filmmakers.
The RF50mm f/1.4L VCM marks the RF mount debut of the classic 50mm f/1.4 focal length-aperture combination—and it’s a debut made with a bang. The new lens now boasts not only professional-grade build and quality, but also a new video-centric design that makes it an excellent hybrid lens.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/250 sec)/ ISO 1600/ WB: Auto
A 50mm lens’ natural perspective and sense of distance make it perfect for documentary and onlooker’s point-of-view shots.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.4, 1/200 sec, EV +0.7)/ ISO 400/ WB: Auto
Move closer to unravel more possibilities: the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM is a natural choice for showcasing food and products. Shapes and details are rendered faithfully without distortion right to the edges of the image even when shooting close-ups.
Expressive f/1.4 bokeh
With its large f/1.4 maximum aperture that matches the other two prime lenses in the lens series (RF24mm f/1.4L VCM and RF35mm f/1.4L VCM), the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM fulfils photographers’ and filmmakers’ creative and practical needs. Its better low light capabilities aid autofocusing as well as allow more flexibility with light setups in dimly lit settings. It also achieves gorgeous, buttery f/1.4 bokeh that creates a cinematic shallow focus effect, elevating visuals and making focus transitions in video more dramatic.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/80 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Manual
The RF50mm f/1.4L VCM’s cutting-edge optical design and manufacturing precision achieve both sharpness in the focus peak and flawless bokeh in the out-of-focus areas. The excellent image quality and clarity with minimal aberrations, combined with the 50mm lens’ sense of distance to the subject, endows subjects with lifelike dimensionality and a stronger presence. The 11-bladed circular aperture structure ensures that the bokeh remains smooth and round even when the situation requires a narrower aperture setting.
Seamless manual aperture and depth of field control
Like its similarly designed hybrid lenses including the concurrently released RF24mm f/1.4L VCM and the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM, the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM features an iris ring that turns smoothly and quietly. This allows seamless and intuitive hands-on aperture adjustments during video shooting, ensuring that depth of field and exposure transitions look more natural.
The RF50mm f/1.4L VCM’s iris ring enables quiet, clickless aperture adjustments1. Simply slide the iris lock switch in the direction of the arrow and turn the ring.
On EOS R series cameras released after June 2024 such as the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II, you can also use the iris ring for aperture control during still shooting.
1: Operation of the iris ring during video shooting might affect AF subject acquisition. The f-stop displayed on the camera may also differ from the actual f-stop.
Seamless AF; focus breathing control built into the optics
Excellent AF performance and focus breathing control
Focus breathing reduction built into the optics
The RF50mm f/1.4L VCM adopts the same electronic floating focus control system as the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM, where the new VCM (Voice Coil Motor) and Nano USM work together to thoroughly suppress focus breathing in all focus positions. The framing and space around the edges stay the way you intended even when racking focus from close-up to the back of the scene, regardless of the camera body! Further reduction is available with a camera body that supports focus breathing correction.
Focus Breathing Correction
RF50mm f/1.4L VCM + EOS R6 Mark II
Smooth, precise autofocus for both stills and video
The new VCM and Nano USM-driven electronic floating focus system also enables faster, more precise control of the heavy focusing lens groups. It works with advanced new control algorithms to enable smoother, quieter focus tracking during video recording, and swifter AF acquisition and “stickier” tracking during still shooting.
Like other large aperture lenses, the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM’s elements are large and heavy. The high-thrust VCM coordinates with the tiny, power-saving Nano USM to move lens groups swiftly and smoothly during focusing.
VCM is a high-thrust drive motor that converts electrical energy into kinetic energy via a magnetic field. The focusing lens unit is fixed to a coil, which is moved linearly along a magnetic field created by drive magnets.
*The illustration shows the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM, but the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM adopts the same system.
The electronic floating focus control system consists of a heavier focusing lens unit and a lighter floating lens unit. The high-thrust VCM moves the former, whereas the smaller, energy-saving Nano USM moves the latter. Moving both groups independently of each other makes it easier for the lenses to be moved to the optimal position, ensuring excellent image resolution regardless of the focal position.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/5000 sec)/ ISO 250/ WB: Auto
The new VCM system makes capturing dynamic moments effortless.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/25 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Manual
Experience amazingly well-resolved details even when shooting close-ups at f/1.4.
Beautiful colours, professional-grade image quality
Beautiful colours with professional-grade image quality
As an L-series lens, the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM is designed to cater to professional needs. It takes full advantage of Canon’s optical technology and the merits of the RF mount, delivering the best possible optical quality even in challenging situations.
A: Aspheric lenses
B: UD lenses
C: ASC
Corner-to-corner image clarity with minimal distortion and colour bleeding is achieved with an optimally placed UD lens that effectively corrects colour aberration, and a GMo (glass-moulded) aspheric lens and replica aspheric lens that correct spherical aberration and image distortion.
Anti-reflective ASC (Air Sphere Coating) prevents ghosting and flaring, keeping images clean and clear even in backlighting.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/30 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Auto
From the image centre
From the image edge
Forms a matched set with existing VCM prime lenses
Seamless interchangeability with existing VCM prime lenses
Compact and lightweight, the RF50mm f/1.4L VCM is highly portable—perfect for travel, and use on gimbals. It also features a unified exterior design, controls, and external dimensions as the RF24mm f/1.4L VCM and the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM, down to the 99.3mm barrel length and 67mm front filter thread. This ensures easy interchangeable use on the same rig or gimbal, minimal readjustments required.
Other notable features
Lens function button
The programmable lens function button on the left side of the lens barrel can be turned into a shortcut for various functions. By default, it functions as an AF stop button.
Weather sealing
Shoot outdoors with peace of mind! The RF50mm f/1.4L VCM features a dust- and drip-resistant construction, with the control rings and switch panel sealed to prevent dust and water from entering.
Fluorine coating
Smudge-resistant fluorine coating on the frontmost element prevents dust and dirt from sticking onto the lens. It allows them to be easily wiped off with a cleaning cloth.
RF50mm f/1.4L VCM: Key specifications
Lens construction: 14 elements in 11 groups
Closest focusing distance: 0.4m
Maximum magnification: 0.15x
No. of aperture blades: 11 (circular blade)
Filter diameter: 67m
Size: φ76.5 x 99.3mm
Weight: approx. 580g
Bundled accessories
Lens Hood ES-73
RF50mm f/1.4L VCM: Sample images
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/250 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Auto
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Aperture-priority AE (f/9, 1/250 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Auto
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.4, 1/500 sec)/ ISO 800/ WB: Auto
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.6, 1/2000 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Auto
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF50mm f/1.4L VCM/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/80 sec)/ ISO 1600/ WB: Manual
