RF 50mm vs EF 50mm... worth your money?!

Edit: The examples of the RF and EF from the cameras shoot out got swapped accidentally in editing! The photos labeled "EF" are actually the "RF" and vice versa! Sorry about the confusion!

In today's video we're comparing the Canon EF 50mm 1.2L and RF 50mm 1.2L! I've shot a handful of weddings with the RF version and am excited to share my thoughts on this fantastic (and expensive) lens! If you're looking for a down to earth, practical review of this lens then this is the video for you!

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[ollie]

I deeply appreciate your honesty when saying "I don't think I'd have bought this unless I was doing this for youtube".. no one ever says this. It adds an authentic integrity to your review :)

[lynncobb]

Your honesty is so appreciated. It's so helpful when deciding on large purchases.

[DThomasPorter]

I really appreciate your focus on analyzing equipment. It's often missing in other types of reviews; to wit, you focus upon what actually happens in a shoot, and in purchasing decisions and plans. Thanks.

[DarkstarDarth]

The EF is legendary like a Noctilux lens, I just ordered the R6 and exited to pair it soon to my EF 50 1.2. Great review.

[charbeck]

appreciate the honesty. I'm sticking with the 50 f/1.2 OG L lens. It's so amazing on the R6!

[Jj-ifg]

Wow! This is the greatest 50 1.2 comparison I’ve seen
You’re great, really enjoyed listening to you and being so honest. I own the ef and watching other reviews I started feeling I was missing something, but definitely I’m not upgrading, so thanks a lot, I’m saving 1k 😁

[parmanduke]

I use EF and RF lenses. EF lenses (Sigma 85mm f1.4 and Canon EF 70-200 is ii) work flawlessly for me with the RF adapter. Honestly see no reason to ever upgrade to very expense RF versions. Because mirrorless cameras focus on the sensor it's hard to mess up a shot. Most instances it's user error such as camera shake or shutter speed to slow. I LOVE my R6 with both EF and RF lenses.

[LuisPerez-fyup]

Christopher Frost has a video comparison between these two and the RF is miles years ahead when it comes to sharpness and image quality.

[tomhalbouty]

Thank you for this review and I agree. I have an R5 and use the f/1.2 EF L lens. It produces beautiful images. I've heard wonderful things about the 28-70mm RF lens. I'm still using my 24-70mm f/2.8 EF L ii lens. Mine takes great photos but I believe the 28-70mm RF L would stay on my camera much of the time.

[perrylane]

To get the EF lens to preform perfectly in low light use it in live view. I had a 7dmkii body and turned it one night in a dark bar, was going to use the screen to focus but the iTR locked on and I never went back, 100% hit rate even though the mirror flips up and you get a black out, the rf body must be brilliant. Check it out and you may be surprised.

[maryvannatta]

Loved this! Would love to see a comparison of the RF 50 1.2 and 1.8 😁

[godz]

Why is the rf version looking like it has some magenta on the letters when you zoom in but on ef it doesn’t have that

[LonzosStudios]

I have both the RF and EF but I just hated having to use an adaptor, I made the mistake of forgetting my adaptor on one of my other EF lens and that was it for me, made the decision to purchase the RF in order to keep both my kits complete and separate. One thing I was disappointed in was the fact that they are both loud when focusing. I was under the impression that the RF would be quieter than my EF 50 for some reason...

[amandakane]

I'd love to see a video on your experience/opinion on buying the 28-70 vs the 50mm and 35mm primes. I am considering getting the RF 28-70 to replace both and would love to know your take on it!

[michaelbernabe]

thank you! i know what to do regarding this choice now

[kushannaranwala]

7:57 that green color cast over Canon logo RF lens :o

[yannisvaroufakis]

I'm not a wedding photographer, just an amateur enthusiast who loves travel photography and chronicling my family in the context of key moments in our lives against the backdrop of amazing locations. So the best lenses for me understandably may not be the best choices for you. Like any tools, you pick the ones best suited to the intended task. I'm sure the RF 28-70 f/2 is amazing and perfect for a working wedding photographer, but certainly not for a travel photographer. The 50 1.2, however, is fantastic for anyone who likes that focal length. Last month I got an R6, having sold my longtime 5DMkIII two years ago in favor of a Fuji XT-3 and having regretted doing so. The R6 is really quite amazing. For me, perfect ergonomics, perfect specs, perfect price point for what I shoot. The sensor is absolutely gorgeous and the autofocus technology is almost extraterrestrial. It is the 1DXMkIII with better AF in a smaller body. I got it as a kit with the RF 24-105L f/4, based upon my experience with the EF 24-105L I had with the 5DIII that I found to be just about the perfect travel lens. This one is even better by every metric -- significantly better optics, better OIS and smaller and better build quality with no lens barrel creep (I don't even need to flip the lock switch ever). I fell so much in love with this camera and lens combo that I immediately followed up with the RF 50 1.2. I grew up with a Nikon film camera and 50mm and think that focal length is the most versatile single focal length walk around lens. The RF 50 1.2 is astounding and worth the high price considering I will own it forever. The corner-to-corner sharpness even at 1.2 is remarkable and the rendering, the micro-contrast, makes me shake my head in wonderment. I don't know how Canon managed to do it. Yes it's big for a 50, but it balances perfectly on the R6 and I can carry it all day in comfort, especially with my Peak Design strap. The R6 with the 24-105 and the 50 fit perfectly in my Billingham Hadley Pro bag and those 2 lenses will take care of everything I will ever shoot. I'm so glad I got the R6 instead of the R5 and put the money saved into the 50 instead. I do have one suggestion for you: since there is a lot of controversy surrounding the 20mp sensor of the R6, you might want to make a couple of large prints, say 24 X 36, of images taken with it and with one of the 45mp monsters to show that the difference, even side by side at that size, is negligible from normal viewing distances. For many, photography = gallery prints hung on the wall to be enjoyed, not images viewed on an iPad or instagram.

[mverick]

The 85 and 50 Canon F1.2 lenses were for portraits. They're supposed to be a lil soft. It smooths skin. The sharpness also is supposed to fall off to the edges as it helps the look of a portrait and makes the Bokeh more intense.

It always amazes me that photographers don't know how lenses were made. I guess it's the difference from ordering online and ordering at the camera store where the salesman would tell you what the lens was for.

Why in the world would I want a sharp lens that gets deep into pores that I have to do intense skin smoothing.

Another trick. Use the EF to RF adapter with the variable ND filter. If you're using flash for your portraits you can now adjust the ND filter to bring shutterspeeds down and not go into HSS. ;-) So you get full power from your flash. As in when you're in HSS you're flash loses 2/3rds of it's power because it shoots multiple flashes to make one shot so it has to recycle fast. It can't do that at full power.

[argeve]

Finally I find a wise advise on this decision! It is helpful! Thank you!

[jdsyxx]

Hey, just wanted to let you know that I think your videos are amazing. Very helpful indeed.