The 7 sharpest 50mm lenses...ever made? The test results are in...

[@jrc1156]

Me: what is the sharpest 50mm? My wallet: The yong nuo 50mm f1.8

[@dilpreetsingh6847]

Yeaaa it is,

[@vasiliychernomorov1115]

@@foxtrotcharlie6 autofocus is annoying but usable

[@faz-io]

lolled a lot

[@jehualguno1646]

Soft at 1.8 sharp at 3.2

[@peterjonesdelacruz]

I just bought that lens after spending months reading and watching reviews and test shots of different prime lenses. It's hard to be a poor photographer.

[@nightcoder5k]

When he said "Sharpness isn't everything", I stared at my vintage lens collection and smiled.

[@hypercube33]

Some vintage lenses are probably sharper than most lenses you can buy today. Take that $2300 and you can buy a whole car full of old glass that once was a small cities fortune. Glass doesnt get worse over time. It may not have fancy stabilization, but a lot of new bodies do.

[@pierrevilley6675]

@@hypercube33 Unfortunatly, body stabilization doesn't work with old lenses (at least with my olympus in micro 4/3 mount). But old lenses aren't any less good.

[@farid1406]

As someone who has the Canon Dream Lens, I can say sharpness truly isn't everything. And smile.

[@caldera878]

These vintage lenses will outlast modern lens too when their electronics eventually die.

[@tt__shin]

that’s just facts, my leicas from the 80s are still going strong while old sony e mount lenses are starting to show their age!

[@nicolask.3825]

As a self-admitted Nikon fanboy, I won't disagree at all - in fact, I'd say this list gives the 50mm 1.8 S plenty of praise. When you're only beat out by lenses that weigh more than two punds and cost over 2000€, but you're a lens at as low as 450€ and weighing a pound, that's still a big accomplishment.

[@phenomdark27]

But why does DXOMark gives Nikon 1.8s more number on paper than canon 1.2 L ?

[@natedagreat90]

​@phenomdark27 cause dxo mark is all technical they dont represent real world use

[@radventures887]

I have never made a comment for you sir but I have to say you are the greatest legend in reviewing lenses, you let your viewers keep coming back because your review is based on experience and knowledge of cameras. Merry Christmas brother from a Kenyan in Australia. Howdy

[@christopherfrost]

Thanks! :-)

[@AugmentedGravity]

Those RF50 and RF85 F1.2 lenses are absolute marvels of engineering. Honestly, its utterly crazy to see how sharp those lenses are wide open at F1.2. So bright and so sharp.

[@HeroShotz]

Gotta get that nikon 50 1.2 z in there when its available cant wait for that one.

[@JimVajda82]

Looks to be sharper than the incredible 1.8. I wonder where it would go on this list? Maybe #1.

[@zfreek98]

Got to handle one at my local camera shop and the only thing that kept me from buying it on the spot was the $2k price tag. I don’t use a 50mm often enough in my daily shooting to justify it. Edge to edge sharpness though, GORGEOUS rendering, and amazing color wide open. The physical size of it’s a bit offputting for what it is, given how small the Sigma Art lens is in comparison, but... it works and works amazingly. I’d wager it’d be right up there with that Canon 50 1.2 L myself.

[@stevenuseda6317]

@@TigaWould well looks like you were right about one thing. Except the Sony seems to come in #1 over the canon and Nikon.

[@stevelink3]

Excellent video as always, Christopher! As a Nikon Z7 landscape and product photographer, one lens that "lured" me into the Z System was the stellar reviews of this Nikkor S 50 f/1.8 lens! Several reviews compared it directly and even favorably to the Zeiss Otus, which is why I was a bit surprised that it came in 3rd, behind the Otus and the Canon. That said, an impressive showing indeed. Thanks again for your detailed and meticulous work!

[@ghas4151]

I’ve been playing with the Z 50mm f1.2 S and I’m blown away. A couple of reviewers are claiming that it’s better than the RF equivalent, but then it should be considering the difference in size... it’s a beast! One thing I can say is that for its size, it’s focusing is surprisingly nimble.

[@slickhatter9812]

RF primes lens 85 and 50 is unbeatable only maybe by Leica’s summilux 50mm incredible sharpness and resolution power across the board if money is not an issue and as usual bigger size doesn’t mean better but if it works for you that’s the most important

[@zfreek98]

@@slickhatter9812 - Historically, Canon has always been known for having great gear, fast production and shipping, and good user experiences. Nikon has always offered top of the line glass, though. From their rifle scopes to their lenses to even their filters, if it's got that logo on it, it will be top notch. Only recently has Canon really been putting up a fight, and it started with the 28-70 f/2. But declaring their 85 and 50mm RF lenses 'unbeatable' cannot be proven until we get a numerous and reliable comparisons out from reputable sources. Personally, I think the 50mm 1.2 offerings are ridiculously priced for what you get. But that's just me. I'm happy with my older Sigma Art 50mm and will save my pennies for Nikon's upcoming 85mm.

[@slickhatter9812]

@@zfreek98 i wonder what will happen if it is true will you switch from Nikon to Canon hahaha get whatever you can man you honestly can’t go wrong with any camera or lens nowadays but i urge you to try for yourself; from my experience Leica, Zeiss produce amazing lens but you can’t go wrong with any professional grade lens from any manufacturer nowadays; it all boils down to the system you are using but i wonder if what stated is true will you switch I don’t think so; so enjoy whatever lens you have and create something beautiful

[@ytuberization]

@@slickhatter9812 According to first tests the Z 1.2 beats the RF 1.2 in corner sharpness wide open. Differences might be more clear when first 100 MP full frame sensors will come around the corner...

[@morgankarno7335]

@@slickhatter9812 well now that a couple years have past we now know Nikon has surpassed canon with the two equivalent lenses

[@arttyree4504]

Another nice video Christopher--thanks. I'm looking at going with the Fujifilm X system, and their lenses look to be scary-sharp; appreciating your coverage of the 50mm. Wishing you joy in remembering His Nativity.

[@richardayres2949]

Be interested to know how the new Nikon Z 50mm 1.2 does in your test. When you get round to it 😀

[@lekkerpruven887]

Me too, was kind of surprised it wasn't in the list. But then I realized it's hardly available so probably isn't tested yet. Also really really expensive.

[@christopherfrost]

I can't wait to test it either! (and the Noct 0.95 ;-)

[@eldindokara7868]

@@christopherfrost kzbin.info/www/bejne/enfboHiOZ7p5ncU

[@larrynguyen85]

Love the Fuji 50mm f2 - one of my favorite lenses!

[@mlmrv1060]

All wow on your photos. If there somebody else's can say the best lens reviewer better than Mr Frost. Straight, no extra bleeps... real gem. Thank you Chris...

[@marckydasaint8730]

Thanks for this video Chris. I purchased the Tokina Opera 50mm f1.4 per your recommendation, and love it. I now own the: Old Sigma 50mm f1.4, Canon EF 50 STM, EF 50mm f1.2L, Rokinon SP 50mm f1.2, a host of vintage M42 50's and now this Tokina Opera. The old 50mm L and the Opera are my favorite on my 5dsr and 5d Classic. The Opera is my go-to lately. It seems to blend the sharpness of modern lenses, with the character and smoothness of vintage glass.

[@NildoScoop]

As a Canon shooter I thought the Nikkor 58 0.95 Noct would the number one. The rendering of that lens is jawdropping.

[@logitech4873]

Guessing he never had access to one.

[@NildoScoop]

@@logitech4873 I think you're right.

[@jdam28k]

The z system is starting to look mighty enticing with those reasonably priced lens.

[@LukVonTrug]

I just got the 1.8. I got some pretty nice glass but this one is special. It’s kinda strange to say that your 50mm 1.8 is your ‘best’ lens in the bag

[@andrewrichards912]

My Nikon S 50mm f1.8 Z Mount is a stunningly sharp lens

[@johnpouw3352]

Agreed, I have moved on from the Z series for a number of reasons but that lens is my favourite lens I have owned to date across all systems.

[@drdehaan]

Totally agree! It’s an insane piece of glas. Never had anything like that before. I had a lot. 👌

[@arifalam9628]

Unbelievable lens, totally agree, it's the only reason I can not leave Nikon despite moving on to an R5 :)

[@rebeccamoore4177]

Another wonderfully informative video. Thanks so much for the thoughtful work you put in.

[@dramitvaghela3989]

3:30 Nikon Colours ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Desmond-Hume]

It would be so amazing to watch, this kind of video, for vintage manual lenses too.

[@mikewhiles4635]

Used lots of lenses and I agree the 50 f2 Fuji lens is sweet. Lovely colours and very sharp. It's small lightweight with a good silent AF and best of all it's available for very little money !

[@HappyHubris]

I've noticed that your editing and production values are going up over time!

[@dada.sadeghi]

Chris I'm so glad seeing your sharpness comparison. Thanks and God bless My favorite 50 mm is my canon 50 1.8 stm :))

[@SPYROSMANTZAKOS]

Christopher, have you had the opportunity to test the voightlander 50mm f2 APO Lanthar;

[@evertonporter7887]

@@AR-vf7vg My bank manager would kill me LOL!

[@LucaBono.Studio]

Sharpness is my last checkmark on a lens...I'm very very happy with the C/Y Zeiss, Leica R, Canon FD 50mm lenses for a fraction of the price when compared to modern boring and flat lenses(except for the Nikon Z 50mm f1.8, Sony 55mm f1.8). Thank you so much for all of your lens reviews and for this video Christopher, you're amazing!

[@Mike0193Azul]

Amazing video! Would love more of these for every focal length and zoom lens

[@zhengricky5446]

The next episode: the sharpest standard zoom lens

[@xmeda]

If for most systems, then Sigma 17-50/2.8 ;)

[@zhengricky5446]

@@xmeda I meant for full frame sensor. I would vote Panasonic 10-25 if not restricted to sensor size

[@christopherfrost]

That's easy: Canon RF 28-70 f/2 (probably)

[@kingsamvisuals]

@@christopherfrost Canon fanboy again 🤖 Ps. This is a joke

[@livejames9374]

@@christopherfrost did you find the corners soft like this review did? www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/canon-rf-28-70mm-f2l-usm-review

[@monsurepik]

The Tamron 45mm SP f/1.8 VC does it for me and is by far the best '50' that I have ever used

[@Shadow81989]

It does have a rather slow autofocus, but the image quality is quite lovely, regarding sharpness, colours AND bokeh. Also, it's one of the very few '50'mm lenses that focus closer than roughly 45cm (that's the reason why I have it), which makes it much more versatile.

[@monsurepik]

@@Shadow81989 yep absolutely agree. If the AF was a little quicker it would be flawless. If you can work with that though it is brilliant in most all other respects

[@EddySawaya8637]

I was surprised the tamron didn't make it as well, especially considering how positive the review was. I don't think the af is really slow. Most 50mm aren't great for af, and the tamron while slightly slower than usual is still manageable.

[@marcodifrancesco9979]

Hello Chistopher. Thank you very much for your great lens comparisons. Unfortunately, one brand is missing from your test portfolio: Voigtländer. If you ever get the chance to test the Voigtländer 50mm f/2 APO Lanthar for SONY E-Mount, I would be very interested in your opinion. For me by far the sharpest 50mm on my A7RIV without any chromatic aberrations or LoCa's. Thanks again for your great work for us photographers. Kind regards Marco.

[@theluminaryinc]

I have the Zeiss 55mm Otus and its my favourite lens, I don't mind the manual focus, most of my lenses are manual focus anyway

[@dpham-g5i]

Love the content as always! Merry Christmas to you and the family 😊

[@StevenCress]

I'd love to see how the new Sony 50mm 1.2 GM compares.

[@hzubovi1]

Was waiting a long time for this video :)

[@robbie4585]

Love my Zeiss Loxia 50mm f2 😍 If I want to get a vintage film look I'll use my pentax 50 f1.4

[@bogdanlecina2689]

"Honorable mention for APS-C cameras" Hehe... Love you sire 😁

[@andychandler3992]

My favorite 50mm is a Light Lens Lab 50mm elcan. Love how it highlights the lighter colors and contrasts them with the darker colors

[@joeymccallion]

Love my Zeiss 55. It's not perfect but I'll forgive it's flaws for the character it has

[@lilnape2604]

A new challenger enters the ring: Nikon 50 1.2 S Curious are you testing RAW or JPEG?

[@zfreek98]

I'm with you, Marc. Really interested to see how this chunky monkey if a lens stacks up.

[@pottipottison1164]

Why was the voigtländer 50mm f2 left out =( not even mentioned in the missed out lenses.

[@christopherfrost]

Haven't tested it

[@pottipottison1164]

@@christopherfrost yea that's fine, but atleast mention it since it's considered the sharpest for sony e by some reviewers.

[@estoylisto]

It is time to review the Nikon Z 50mm 1.2S ... in the meanwhile the Noct could be an honor guest here It is still in 50s (little over 55mm limit)... Your channel is excellent and it keeps improving ... keeping comparisons updated might be the next step

[@marc6652]

I used to have the Sony Zeiss 55 F:1.8 90% of the time on my A7RIII and it was the best 50mm I ever had. Better than my Leica Summilux 50mm. And unlike many F/1.4 or F/1.2 it's small and discreet. Unfortunately the body was not as photographer friendly as the lens... Thanks for all Christopher. Your reviews are always so pleasant and professional.

[@lakejindsay]

1. Outstanding video. 2. Would love to see you test the Sony Zeiss 55mm F/1.8 3. Incidentally, the Fujifilm 35mm F2 is the 50mm equivalent (you already know that) and it's one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used. Fantastic set of primes, by Fuji.

[@iguanaman08]

I'd love to see this list updated. Many new 50mm primes out since this was done.

[@IanWilkinson]

Thanks for this and I wonder if the top spot might change after you've had a chance to test the new Z-mount Nikkor 50mm f1.2 S.

[@bryanbernart]

Christopher, I adore your channel. Thank you for this compilation and for ranking these lenses! I do want to say that I find the blur effect near the bottom of the frame (where you have overlaid text) to be distracting, especially when it comes to assessing image quality, since the blur resembles bokeh. Otherwise, lovely video. Have a wonderful Christmas!

[@ManuelKahana]

The RF 50mm f/1.2 was the first RF lens I purchased, and I really like it, but I really wish Canon had some mid-range lens, in line with the Nikon S 50mm f/1.8 or Sony 55mm f/1.8. An update to the 27 years old 50mm f/1.4, with better optics, weather sealing but still maintaining the compact size would be perfect.

[@fleetwooddave]

Manuel...I agree 110%!!!

[@CrowPal]

Your wish is about to come true, but price-wise, not much different to the f/1.2.

[@meaper960]

I did not test any other lens on this list, but my Zeiss 55 is incredible. Almost all the photos are magical.

[@ChrisM-yq2pq]

Same

[@jamesmonahan9408]

Love my Samyang 50mm 1.2 XP. God bless you my brother in Christ. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@jamesmonahan9408]

@DANIEL NORMAN I have the 85mm 1.2 XP as well. i love that lens. Crazy great.

[@BLEEJazz]

I have 85mm F1.2 XP. Amazing

[@jamesmonahan9408]

@@BLEEJazz my favorite lens.

[@arunmohandas9127]

Gave a like even before watching... The effort had to be appreciated 👌👍🤝

[@PASquared]

When you get your hands on the Sony 50 1.2, would you please be able to make an update to this video? I know you did the RF and Z 50 1.2's already

[@richardpette]

I just bought the "Nikon Z 50mm f 1.8 S" as a christmas present to myself. It's no.3 on your list, so I'm very happy right now! :-)

[@petrvokurek2286]

The RF 50mm f1,2 is money. It was the reason I went back to Canon from Fuji. I wanted to use that lens and I´ve been very happy. That said the new Fuji 33mm f1,4 is pretty darn good as well. But side by side the Canon combo wins every single time...not taking size, weight and price into consideration, that is :)

[@kian8382]

I feel that Zeiss tax really gets you something special, and the 2nd best look to me comes from the Nikon, the Nikon colour is just beautiful. Not paying attention to sharpness at all.

[@my21coronas]

Had both the sigma 50 1.4 and Sony 55 1.8. Awesome lenses! But sold them both for zooms. For what I do it just made more sense then changing lenses from 35 to 50/55 to 85 primes.

[@p.sethia1830]

superb video.....absolutely love my Nikon 50mm on my Z50

[@catcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatca]

I like the idea of this video, and would love to see for example best zoom trinities or best portrait primes (maybe in two sets, one closer to 70mm and one closer or over 100mm). It is quite sobering to see that the most expensive lenses, while not blindly following the brand and price alone, still beat the more affordable options without any questions. Another similar video might be highlighting best performers for given price range, again. I believe you did such videos past years, but it would be interesting to see what has changed this year, in the realm of more affordable lenses.

[@fthprodphoto-video5357]

The tiny mighty Nikon 50mm 1.8G is also a highly regarded 50mm lens. It’s small, compact and sturdy, it never misses focus even with the FTZ2 adapter and it’s a great option for Nikon DSLR 35mm and APSC cameras. It was tested to be on par with the Zeiss Otus back in the days !

[@just_eirik]

I’ve had 2 50’ish lenses that stood out to me. Not purely for the sharpness or over all optical quality, but I loved them anyway. My current one is the Fujinon 56mm APD lens. I love this lens. If I want to carry only the camera and one lens this is the one I choose. In the past I’ve owned several 50mm lenses and one that stood out was the 7Artisans 55mm 1.4. I loved that lens because it was so small and light and because it was very fun to just take photos with. It was far from perfect, but not unusable. And for the price, I never regretted buying it. I only switched to the Fujinon because I wanted auto focus and because the corners on the 7Artisans was not sharp enough for landscapes I thought.

[@prchise]

Looking fwd to seeing you test the new Nikon 50 1.2 S. Should be razor sharp!

[@stevelink3]

Hello prchise. I believe that another reviewer (Ricci) did a comparison of the Nikkor S 1.8 and the 1.2 and found that while the 1.8 equals the 1.2 in center sharpness, the 1.2 has somewhat better edge sharpness. Overall, a great testament to the very high-quality of the much less expensive Nikkor S 50 f/1.8.

[@prchise]

@@stevelink3 cheerz, Steve. There are several reviews of the glass in question and one could say that 50 1.8 is the best bang for the buck.

[@christophergrundy5307]

I have grown to prefer mechanically coupled manual focus lenses which I can use 95% of the time in my shooting. One of my favourite modern 50mm lenses is Voigtländer’s 50mm f1.2 on Sony FE, having a dual character of having a vintage quality from f1.2 up to f2 where the lens swiftly sharpens up. Importantly, I love the beautiful colours it brings out as well as beautiful black and white. Admittedly, having tried the 35mm APO-Lanthar, I’m curious about it’s 50mm sibling. I also enjoy the Sony/Zeiss 55mm f1.8. It’s the lens which convinced me to go with Sony. It has beautiful colours, is sharp but with some character and wonderfully compact. Aside from price, my only criticisms relate to CA wide open and I have found it occasionally unreliable with Eye-AF. That final point may be sample variation though. Three of my favourite vintage 50mm lenses are the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.4 (m42), the Takumar 55mm f2 (m42) and the Pentacon 50mm f1.8 (also m42). I wouldn’t part with any of these three whether on film or digital. They are a joy to use and have great character.

[@Narsuitus]

The 50mm focal length lens on a full-frame camera has never been a favorite of mine. I prefer using a 35mm as my general-purpose lens for general subjects. However, here are the best (resolution and contrast) 50mm and/or normal lenses I have ever used: 1. Asahi 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar (8-element) (49mm filter) - the best 50mm I have ever used. Used it on an Asahi Pentax 35mm Spotmatic. 2. Nikkor 55mm micro f/3.5 AI converted (52mm filter) - outstanding image quality and especially good for close-ups and micro work. 3. Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 (46mm filter) - this micro 4/3 lens is equivalent to a 40mm normal lens on a full-frame camera. 4. Mamiya-Sekor C 50mm f/4.5 (77mm filter) - this is not a normal lens but a wide-angle lens on a 6x7cm medium format camera. 5. Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 X mount (62mm filter) - this is not a normal lens but a slight telephoto lens on an APS-C camera. Over the decades, here are the other normal lenses I have used: 55mm f/1.8 Fujinon M42 on Fuji ST705 35mm SLR 50mm f/1.4 Fujinon M42 on Fuji ST705 35mm SLR 50mm f/3.5 Coated Cintar on Argus C3 35mm rangefinder 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar (7-element) used on Asahi Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor AI on Nikon F-mount SLR bodies 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor AF-D on Nikon F-mount SLR bodies 50mm f/1.8 Nikon Series E on Nikon F-mount SLR bodies 50mm f/1.8 Miranda on Sensorex 35mm SLR 45mm f/2.8 Nikkor GN on Nikon F-mount SLR bodies 45mm f/2 Zeiss Planar for Contax G1 35mm rangefinder 45mm f/1.7 Minolta fixed lens on Hi-Matic 9 35mm rangefinder 40mm f/1.7 Canon fixed lens on Canonet QL17 G-III 35mm rangefinder They all produced great images but the five I listed produced outstanding images.

[@evtimstefanov8377]

Nice reviews but I was thinking-if you have ever thought to test any Pentax lenses (both vintage and modern ones)exept for that 55mm f2. Thanks and keep it up!

[@solsona]

Nice review, thanks. I too love the Fujinon 50mm f2 on my x-pro3, and it's weather resistant. On Sony, I'm currently using the Zeiss Loxia series, in particular, the 50mm f/2 is very nice, compact, amazing colors, and decent sharpness.

[@turbochargedtransit7241]

At the end of the day, one of my favorite fifties is the SMC Pentax-M 50mm f1.4 on my A7iii. It would be nice for some reviews of vintage lenses now and again, I could loan you one of my Super-Taks if you'd like!

[@borocotochacha]

Use a Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4 on Z6, I know what you mean. Such beautiful and sharp lens!

[@rustypadlock5129]

thank you for your reviews

[@1717jbs]

Great review Chris! Thanks.

[@guitaristk]

Hello there Chris! You reviewed the Samyang 50mm 1.2 for Canon EF-M mount some years ago, and I purchased it based on your review. Honestly, it’s been my favorite lens ever! In times before plague I’ve taken it to Iceland and London, and all over the United States and it is such a staple in my bag. I love it so much! Thanks for informing me!

[@matrilas]

Hi Christopher, Long time follower of your channel here! I know you don’t review any Panasonic gear, but with the release of the S5II I’m curious how the Lumix S 50 1.8 would fare against these lenses. It’s hard to find any good reviews of this lens and your format is just the golden standard for me :)

[@timgomes4810]

Great news about the fuji, I recently moved from Sony a-mount to fuji. Well, half move. My favorite 50mm is my minolta 50mm f1.7 and it's not sharp at all lol... I just happen to love it. I'm buying the 50mm f2 for my fuji in future, though.

[@returntohome330]

It's hard to find bad lenses in the Fuji lineup the 18mm is the only one that comes to mind but the 16mm 1.4 is exquisite!.

[@timgomes4810]

@@returntohome330 I've heard that. No interest on 18mm focal lengh as I already have the 16mm f2.8 - I prefer having those extra 2mm. Waiting for a 50mm f2 xc

[@returntohome330]

@@timgomes4810 The Fujifilm 50mm F2 is a fantastic lens too.

[@VishalSrivastavavishu]

So, I feel you should do a value proposition video as well with the 50mm. The best value for money 50mm lenses are the first thing a new photographer looks at and it's the first thing I wanted to know which is why I started to watch your channel.

[@harvymckiernan93]

Quite an interesting result in your placement. To be honest in all these lenses are phenominal compared to earlier generations and thankyou for taking the time to put together such a good informative video. I find it quite intriguing how much time and emphasis we spent literally splitting hairs between them (myself included). I now the Canon Rf was critisized for not resolving as much information as expected by Dxo, giving it only 22mpix in sharpness on the R6 (72 percent resolved). Whereas the Nikon 50mm 1.8 resolved 37mpix on the Z7 (82 percent resolved). Overall the Canon 50mm 1.2 Rf came 10th and the Nikon came 3rd in their findings. Owning both the Nikon 50mm 1.8s and the Sigma I don't dispute their findings. However, art and optical engineering will always remain subjective and I'm sure many will always find a way to dispute any claim.

[@tonybaker55]

I liked the look of the Jarod setup! I managed to get a s/h Sony 1.4 Planar SSM Zeiss lens (A-mount) for £350, which I thought was a real bargain. Excellent results and probably much the same as the FE lens.

[@bijosn]

I have the same lens with an la-ea5 ….sharp from f1.4 and better bokeh than the 55mm which I also own

[@dheepaksrinivasan6717]

Awesome review and as expected the Canon 50 mm tops the list. Proud to be a Canon Fanboy.

[@jeremymcguire7069]

It's not the sharpest but my favorite 50mm lens so far is the Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm f/1.4 It handles very nicely and it's inexpensive. The colors are also lovely.

[@MikeMena]

This is probably gonna be one of the best series this year! But, I kept getting confused... is there blur where text is?? I keep getting a bit confused...

[@NARC4K]

It looks like it’s done in post to make reading the yellow text easier.

[@CrisURace]

And here I am with the cheapest Canon 50mm 1.8 II

[@returntohome330]

I shoot the 50mm 1.8 ii, even though my camera bag has the 85mm 1.4L IS & 70-200mm 2.8L iii. The trick to that little bugger is to stop it down to F2.8 it performs nicely there not L nicely but good enough!.

[@smith507]

To be fair, the 50mm f1.8 II is a decent performer from 2.8 onwards. The STM version is optically superior by a tiny margin, focuses faster and has a metal mount. Can’t go wrong with either of them.

[@Niceguy54444]

It's useless, af is terrible

[@returntohome330]

@@Niceguy54444 It's not useless, more like the camera body you have it connected to is trash!. iT FOCUSED FINE ON MY 80Ds, 90D, 6D mark ii. If you want accurate auto focus use live view, if you want fast auto focus use OVF.

[@Niceguy54444]

@@returntohome330 i have never used live view

[@ChinskiChat]

Christopher, your video has jacked the second hand sigma market price thought the roof lol. You is an influencer!

[@MK-bg9bj]

"The Canon 50mm 1.2 makes your images fly" 😅😅👌

[@dalefrolander3583]

Hopefully you'll soon get a chance to check out the new Sony 50mm f1.2 GM and see how it compares.

[@warrenbarnes9653]

Great video, Father Chris! I would love your being able to review the Zeiss Batis lenses, particularly the 40mm F2, as that one appears to be so versatile. Merry Christmas to you, Katie and your son./Warren

[@edwinrg100]

Now if we're shooting any of these lenses at, say f5, f5.6 & on up, I'm assuming the differences would be less? Would we see much difference at all between these 7 lenses when they are stopped down?

[@ahmonon4352]

The sample pictures of Sony Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 in this video are stunning, colors popped really in amazing way, leaves every other lenses in dust

[@mtpicasso1982]

it is a very special lens. It is almost there in sharpness with the newest. I have it on the A7R IV, so sharpness is not an issue. Everything else in the images it makes are very beautiful. And probably could make it the overall number 1...

[@FantabMedia]

Panasonic S-Pro 50 is definitely sharper than the Canon RF 50mm (I know this as I tested multiple copies of each). It also has basically no CA at all while the RF definitely does. They're both stunning lenses though.

[@mikflores]

Agreed.

[@2009aritra]

Great video...Looking forward to a canon 50 1.2 vs new nikon 50 1.2

[@PathanaSchool]

I've been saving up for this specific lens but i want to know if the 20MP R6 would still see its benifit?

[@marckydasaint8730]

Yes. Yes it does, but alas, I was just renting it and had to return it.

[@utomotjipto5294]

Leica Summilux 50mm f1.4 and Noctilux 50mm f1. Havent tried the 50mm f0.95, but these summillux and noctilux sharpness and bokeh are gorgeous.

[@iemboyshostel]

Please test the nikon 50 1.2 lens... i know it is new and might be difficult to get a hands on... but it will be interesting to see where it falls

[@ghas4151]

I’ve had it for the last couple of days and all I can say is wow. It is a special lens.

[@iemboyshostel]

@@ghas4151 Awesome to hear that. Thanks

[@gazdyer2732]

Great roundup , thanks.

[@willyg1988]

Great video. I do wish you included the voigtlander 50mm f2 apo. Pretty sure its sharper than both Sony zeiss 50mm lenses

[@CrowPal]

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 has plastic on the outside to stop your fingers freezing to it in the cold. Inside, it's metal. The filter threads are plastic, which you could rightly criticize it for. The optics speak for themselves. Cheaper lenses have metal on the outside - chiefly for good looks - but are plastic on the inside.

[@paavn1957]

Hi Christopher, for Nikon Z7 could I have your opinion the Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 versus the Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 50mm f2 in Nikon Z mount that is now available?

[@wilhelmrosenthal1305]

I have to say I am quite surprised that the RF has overtaken the Otus in these tests

[@parhamnavabzadeh4674]

That was a great video, as are all your videos. I suggest, others may have suggested as well, to create videos like this for other lenses such as 35mm prime.

[@pierrec9813]

hi, did you test the minolta maxxum af 50mm f/1.4 lens ?

[@antonoat]

Christopher it would be great if you could get your hands on the new Nikon 50mmf1.2 it is absolutely amazing even at F1.2. Seasons greetings to you and your family, I hope you have a fantastic 2021 too. Thanks for sharing your reviews.

[@MichaelBabich]

Really great review. Thank you! Also, it'd be interesting to watch a review of the best vlogging lenses. The idea of the review is not about a particular focal length, but a job to be done.

[@Muchtoobizy]

I was lucky enough to pick up a used RF 50mm f1.2 lens for a good price. I agree that it is remarkably sharp, even wide open. Due to its size and weight I don't use it as much as my lighter lenses and so whenever I do use it, the quality is very obvious. One lens that is dear to me that just escaped your limit of "5mm either side of 50" is the Sigma 56mm f1.4. Since its an APSC lens it presents as a 75mm in FF terms, but it is still a lens that stands out from the rest in my opinion, both in sharpness and bokeh, and it deserves heaps of praise, especially at its relatively low price.

[@lemuelcross]

I love my Sigma 50mm f/1.4 art! But the RF 50 & 85 f1.2 lenses are a monster of resolution... I can't wait to become a RF system user...

[@christianpetersen1782]

Christopher, thanks for this very interesting review. I’m no fan boy of any system and just I love the ‘full frame’ look. But I changed to Fuji because of size and weight and the manual camera controls. I was a little dismayed though that you didn’t choose the 50mm equivalent FOV for the aps-c lenses. I wondered how the Fuji 33mm and 35mm 1.4 lenses would have faired. How about a similar review of the best aps-c 50mm FOV equivalent sharpest lenses? Happy Christmas.

[@edwinzainudin9272]

Yesss..it is a spectacular lens! Canon RF lenses..The Beast in price, Outstanding Performance!

[@RubenvanKuik]

I have the 55mm Sony Zeiss. Sure there are some slightly sharper and faster lenses, but I absolutely adore its contrast and slightly swirly bokeh rendering. It just ticked all of my boxes and by some miracle fit within my budget.

[@yogu2191]

Agreed, what is the best next wide open lens should buy?

[@RubenvanKuik]

@@yogu2191 It depends on what you're looking for. I mainly use vintage glass for portrait work, Mostly my Helios 40-2 (85mm f/1.5) and Zeiss Sonnar (zebra version 135mm f/3.5, cheap but crazy sharp). My 55mm Zeiss is more of an all-rounder for stuff like street photography and events. A fun lens I can recommend is the Lomography Petzval 55mm Mk.II It's super sharp and contrasty in the middle, but out of focus and super swirly on the edges. It has a waterhouse and a regular aperture and a second focus ring to adjust the bokeh rendering. The brass version is a real head turner.

[@yogu2191]

@@RubenvanKuik but sometime the colour zeiss 55mm a little dull and narrow for me, your petzal seem like a cctv lens, do you know lens with great dynamic range and great colour to 2? Thanks bud