Announced alongside the new EOS R6 Mark III, Canon has also unveiled a new RF 45mm f/1.2 STM lens that promises to be an affordable prime with an extremely fast maximum aperture and a versatile 35mm focal length.
An ideal partner with the aforementioned new R6 Mark III with its 32.5MP Full-Frame CMOS sensor, this RF 45mm f/1.2 lens seems to be well positioned to be a nice replacement option for any videographer’s favorite nifty-fifty.
But is it actually up to the challenge? Let’s take a look.
Canon 45mm f/1.2 STM Lens
Designed to be compact, lightweight, and extremely fast, this Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM is quite capable and affordable. Canon promises that it will be a perfect lens to take on a long walk around the park or a day in the studio, as it is set to offer exceptionally shallow depth of field and beautiful, expressive bokeh.
Plus, thanks to its wide-aperture capabilities and medium focal length, the lens could also be ideal for portraits, lifestyle content, and low-light work, creating soft images with dramatic focus falloff.
The STM motor at the heart of the lens should allow for quiet and smooth autofocus performance and full-time manual focus override. The optical design further incorporates one aspherical element, which will help reduce spherical aberrations and distortion.
Price and Availability
As someone who has a favorite nifty-fifty that they’ve loved for years, I don’t know if this is a slam-dunk replacement, but it is indeed quite promising and could be a nice option for those who might not have their favorite 50mm range lens just yet.
It’s also obviously a nice option to consider if you’re looking to grab the new EOS R6 Mark III and want an ideal prime lens pairing to go with it (or for any other full-frame RF-mount mirrorless, for that matter).
Here are the full specs and purchase options.
- Full-Frame | f/1.2 Maximum Aperture
- Compact, Lightweight Prime Lens
- STM Stepping AF Motor
- Customizable Control Ring
- Aspherical Element Reduces Aberrations
Canon 45mm f/1.2 STM Lens
Compact and lightweight, the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM is an affordable prime lens with an extremely fast f/1.2 maximum aperture and a versatile 45mm focal length.
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