Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L vs Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH Comparison

A comparison between the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L and Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH lenses, both pretty expensive lenses.

While Canon’s “boutique lens” RF 50mm f/1.2L, a highly regarded lens, is everything but a budget lens, selling at $2,300, the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH is even more expensive, going over the counter at $5,000.

So can the “less expensive” Canon RF 50mm f/1.2, which is for the Canon EOS R system, hold up to a truly high-ende lens as the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH? The 14 minutes video below by Alex Barrera tells more.

The is an optical masterpiece and we covered it extensively.

Key features and description:

• RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
• Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
• One UD Element, One Aspherical Element
• Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System

Distinguished by its speed, the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM from Canon is a desirable normal-length prime due to its versatile focal length and bright f/1.2 maximum aperture. This fast design excels in difficult lighting conditions and also benefits working with shallow depth of field and selective focus techniques. The optical layout incorporates one UD element and one aspherical element, which help to reduce both chromatic and spherical aberrations in order to produce greater clarity and sharpness. A rounded 10-blade diaphragm also benefits bokeh quality to suit isolating subjects with depth of field. Complementing the imaging capabilities is an apt ring-type Ultrasonic Motor, which delivers fast, near-silent autofocus and full-time manual focus override. Additionally, a unique Control Ring is integrated into the lens design for intuitive control over exposure settings from the lens itself.