RF 50mm f/1.2L USMvs A1
Canon
RF 50mm f/1.2L USM (2018)
Starting from £2299 new
Best for Portraits, weddings & creative low-light work
View RF 50mm f/1.2L USM
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portraits, Weddings & Creative Low-Light Work — RF 50mm f/1.2L USM (2018): The lens that proved the RF mount's potential — f/1.2 sharpness and bokeh in an L-series build.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The rf 50mm f/1.2l usm is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | RF 50mm f/1.2L USM (2018) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | N/A — lens | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast, precise, and near-silent | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on IBIS) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 950g | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 89.8mm diameter × 108mm length | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | 77mm filter thread | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 50mm f/1.2L USM | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Wedding | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — |
More comparisons with RF 50mm f/1.2L USM
Camera family history