Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM vs Canon RF 85mm F1.4L VCM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonRF 50mm F1.8 STM | CanonRF 85mm F1.4L VCM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | December 2020 | September 2025 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Prime | Prime |
| Focal length | 50 mm | 85 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.4 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 | f/16 |
| Optical construction | Six elements in five groups | 14 elements in 10 groups |
| Special elements | One aspherical element | One UD and one glass-moulded aspherical element |
| Coatings | Super Spectra anti-reflection coating | ASC and Super Spectra; fluorine coating on the front element |
| Aperture detail | – | f/1.4–16 with stepless iris ring; no click-stop option (Amateur Photographer) |
| Diaphragm | Seven blades | 11 circular aperture blades |
| Angle of view | Full-frame horizontal40°, vertical27°30′ and diagonal46° | 24° horizontal, 16° vertical and 28°30′ diagonal on full frame |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon RF | Canon RF |
| Image circle | Full frame | Full frame |
| Compatibility | Canon EOS R cameras; full-frame RF mount. Distinct from EF50mmF1.8STM and RF50mmF1.2LUSM | Canon EOS R cameras; full-frame image circle; stills iris-ring support is body/firmware dependent |
| Teleconverter support | Canon RF extenders not compatible | Canon RF extenders not compatible |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.3 m | 0.75 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.25× | 0.12× |
| Optical stabilisation | No | No |
| Autofocus detail | STM autofocus; electronic manual focus. Photography Blog reports selection of manual focus through the camera menu | Voice Coil Motor autofocus; electronic manual focus; maker notes movement/noise in unpowered internal VCM components is normal |
| Focus distance detail | Minimum focus distance0.30m; maker table does not distinguish AF and MF figures, so no mode inferred. Extending inner tube during close focusing, as documented by OpticalLimits | – |
| Magnification detail | Maker maximum magnification0.25×; no unpublished AF/MF distinction inferred | – |
| Stabilisation detail | No lens optical IS; compatible cameras may provide body stabilisation separately | No lens optical IS; maker separately lists camera IBIS CIPA-2024 performance of eight stops at the centre and seven at the corners under its camera/test conditions |
| Video features | – | Optically suppressed focus breathing and stepless iris control; UK maker footnote excludes stills iris-ring operation on EOS R/RP/Ra/R3/R5/R6/R6 Mark II/R7/R8/R10/R50/R100/R5 C even with current firmware |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | – | Yes |
| Filter diameter | 43 mm | 67 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 69.2 mm | 76.5 mm |
| Length | 40.5 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Weight | 160 g (better) | 636 g |
| Controls | Shared focus/control ring with focus-control selector; control mode can adjust camera settings | Customisable control ring, focus ring, iris ring with Auto-position lock, function button and AF/MF switch (Amateur Photographer) |
| Filter detail | 43mm front filter thread; maker lists Canon250D/500D close-up lenses and PL-C B circular polariser incompatible | 67 mm front screw-in filter thread; compatible Canon 67 mm Protect and PL-C B circular polarising filters |
| Weather resistance | UK maker dust/moisture resistance entry is a dash; OpticalLimits explicitly reports no weather sealing | Dust and moisture resistant with mount gasket; Canon states protection requires attachment to a camera and cannot prevent all dust or water ingress; no waterproof/IP rating inferred |
| Dimensions detail | Approximately69.2mm maximum diameter ×40.5mm length, measured retracted by Canon | Approximately 76.5 mm maximum diameter × 99.3 mm length |
| Weight detail | Approximately160g lens | Approximately 636 g lens |
| Lens hood | ES-65B, sold separately | ET-73C; maker lists E-67 II cap, Lens Dust Cap RF and LP1219 pouch as accessories |
| In the box | Lens, E-43 front cap and Lens Dust Cap RF; hood and LP1014 pouch are optional according to UK maker specifications | – |
| Release detail | December2020 marketed month in Canon Camera Museum. Canon Canada scheduled mid-December2020 availability; Canon Japan records first sale24December2020. Headline retains month because the exact earliest international retail day is not documented; Japan's later day is not presented as a worldwide date | Canon Japan specifies first sale on 27 September 2025; no UK first-sale day inferred |
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