Fast-aperture lenses have always been among the most expensive purchases for any photographer. If you were a pro getting started, you’d have to make serious sacrifices or concessions when building out your first kit – a top-of-the-line lens or camera? Buy that F2.8 zoom lens or make do with an F1.8 prime? Canon’s RF 45mm F1.2 STM helps photographers avoid some of that purchase anxiety, promising photographers a super-fast F1.2 maximum aperture prime for under $500. After spending a month with this lens, did I find that it delivered the goods or left me wishing I’d spent my money on a more “professional” lens?
Table of Contents
The Big Picture: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM Review Conclusions
When it comes to building out a kit that prioritizes impact over technical perfection, there are very few lenses that can do what the Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM can. While it lacks solid weather-sealing (yes, I know, the industry prefers we call it “weather-resistance”) and it may not be the sharpest at the edges, the truth is that unless you’re pixel-peeping, that doesn’t matter. It’s as pedantic as saying that all the pepperoni on your pizza should be equally as crispy in the center and on the edges of the slices. In reality, I’ll never take this lens out into a harsh environment, and I don’t think it was ever intended for that purpose. But it also means that it won’t last as long either because it will eventually weather away. This lens adds lots of character to Canon RF-mount cameras and, more importantly, offers starting professionals a shortcut to a portfolio with images that could’ve been shot with an L-series lens for under the $2600 that they’d need for an RF 50mm F1.2 L USM.
We’re giving the Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM three out of five stars. Want one for yourself? Check it out on Amazon ($469).
- Lack of weather-resistance is this lens’s Achillies’s Heel.
- Fast, F1.2 maximum aperture puts it in a class of its own.
- Autofocusing lenses with an F1.2 aperture under $500 don’t really exist for any camera system, much less direct from the camera’s manufacturer.
- Sharpness falls off as you move away from the center at F1.2, and vignetting could be a deterrent for some.
- Extremely lightweight, great as a set-and-forget lens.
Experience
For this review, I purchased this lens and used it with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, which was on loan from LensRentals, and the Canon EOS R and EOS R8, which we own. Additionally, we used this lens with the Flashpoint XPLOR 100 Pro and Godox X3 Pro, which we also own.
The Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM lens is something that, on paper, appears too good to be true. I come from a generation and photography background where a standard prime from one of the big manufacturers with an F1.2 aperture shouldn’t cost less than $1000; forget about a sub-$500 lens, yet it’s sitting here on my desk as I write this. And unlike some of the more impatient Canon photographers out there, I waited for it to be restocked at my local camera store instead of paying double on eBay.
Once I received it, a few things became obvious – it was way lighter than I had ever expected, especially given the large F1.2 aperture. Yes, I’ve sung on this feature quite a bit, and for good reason, the only other F1.2 in this standard prime focal length that Canon makes is the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM – a $2300 lens. Additionally, the Canon RF 45mm F1.2 weighs nearly half at only 0.76 lb, and is comparably minuscule at 3 x 3.1 x 3.1 inches. I can’t understate how much smaller this lens is when compared to the RF 50mm F1.2 L; this lens can sit on your camera and become your new walk-around lens (your back will thank you for it).
In terms of controls, there isn’t much to speak of here, as the lens design is extremely minimal. Canon included two control rings – one for focus, and the front-most ring is a customizable ring (I keep mine set to aperture control) – and on the left of the barrel, an AF-MF switch.
I waited for it to be restocked at my local camera store instead of paying double on eBay.
Unfortunately, the minimal approach doesn’t end there. What I imagine was the ultimate design compromise to cut the cost of this lens so dramatically is the very evident lack of weather sealing. Some of you reading this might ask, “Do you really expect weather sealing in a cheap lens?” To which the answer is no, but it would be nice. And weather sealing has been provided by many other brands in cheaper lenses — though Canon holds that only for L-series lenses.
To recap from earlier, the size, weight, and fast aperture make me want to keep this on my camera and use it daily – a huge plus for any of my gear – but because this lens and the R8 that it’s mostly attached to both lack weather sealing, taking this out in anything heavier than a light sprinkle would just be asking for trouble.
During February’s snowstorm here in NYC, I had every intention of taking it out for a walk and photographing the neighborhood as it was blanketed by snow. Alas, I didn’t trust this lens on the EOS R I used that day to make photographs, fearing that I’d come home to a severely weather-damaged lens and, possibly by extension, camera as well.
Lastly, while this lens absolutely devours dark scenes, the STM motor feels sluggish compared to more modern AF technology, such as Canon’s VCM line of lenses. I wouldn’t say it’s slow, but I am very spoiled by some of the higher-end lenses I get to test. This lens will sing in most circumstances, and I’d even recommend it for event photography – weddings and concerts specifically –, but if you need it to lock onto your subject in fast-moving situations, it will struggle. I’ve used this lens for headshots and for photographing a recent event for a local daycare run by people of color and found that it quickly locks focus on people with more melanated complexions – even in larger groups.
Image Quality
While I’ve talked about some of the mechanical issues with this lens (autofocusing speed, lack of weather sealing, etc.), let’s talk about what really matters – image quality. The biggest anxiety I had after purchasing this lens was whether it would deliver “keepers.” Worse yet, would this be a lens that keeps me fixed to my desk for hours of editing after an event? Here is where the RF 45mm F1.2 STM lens gets mixed scores; on the one hand, I’ve used this lens at dusk, on cloudy days, in small makeshift auditoriums, and out on the streets. In each scenario, the lens produces solid images that require little to no post-processing at F5.6 and above. Granted, I’m also using several custom color profiles built into the Canon cameras. But at F2.8 to F1.2, the final images might need simple corrections when you import them into your editing software. Additionally, at F2.8 and below, you’ll notice that the corners get soft, and there will be some chromatic aberration, especially if you’re shooting into the light. While this can be annoying, the caveat is that the lens is imperfect but does deliver lots of character.
Below are some unedited images taken with the Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM:
Here are some edited samples using our Phoblographer Photojournalism presets:
Do You Really Want to Buy from Canon?
We believe that everyone should be aware of the ethical decisions that they’re making when they spend money. So to do this, we research the companies that whose products we test and make folks aware of both possible concerns and reasons to feel great about giving a company your money.
Here’s what we’ve got for Canon:
- Several of Canon’s products may contain potentially harmful chemicals, as described under California’s Proposition 65/Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.
- Like many other companies, Canon has recently begun working with more artists from diverse (non-white/European) regions, including members of the African Diaspora, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas; one such example is the Miraisha Project, which aims to increase employment opportunities and skills training in Africa. Locally, Canon has provided support to the BLACK PEARL’s Culture@ Campaign.
- Since the early 2000s, Canon has become more proactive in its sourcing and supply chain practices to ensure that its suppliers/vendors meet Canon’s corporate ethics, environmental conservation goals, and ensure the rights of their suppliers’ workers. You can find their full Sustainability Policy here.
- In Canon’s 2025 Sustainability Report, a third-party researcher concluded that Canon has continued making progress in its sustainability goals.
- We’ve previously questioned Canon’s employment practices when it comes to equality.
- Canon has been known to offer misogynistic responses to criticism about what they think of women.
- Canon has had to recall several devices in the past. Some of these were cameras.
- Class Action Lawsuits have been taken against Canon for printer issues.
- Customers have been actively leaving Canon because of the lack 3rd party options.
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- Note that this isn’t necessarily our final review of the unit. It will be updated, and it’s more of an in-progress review than anything. In fact, almost all our reviews are like this.
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- The Phoblographer’s standards for reviewing products have become much stricter. After having the world’s largest database of real-world lens reviews, we choose not to review anything we don’t find innovative or unique, and in many cases, products that lack weather resistance. Unless something is very unique, we probably won’t touch it.
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