Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STMvs A1
Canon
Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM (2020)
Starting from £219 new
Best for Portraits, street & everyday
View Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM
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, Street & Everyday — Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM (2020): The essential first prime for Canon RF shooters — f/1.8 background separation at an accessible price with near-silent STM autofocus.
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 canon rf 50mm f/1.8 stm is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM (2020) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £219 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | f/1.8 (max aperture) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | 30cm minimum focus distance | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | STM (Stepping Motor) — near-silent, smooth for video | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on in-body IBIS) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | — | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | — | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 160g | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 69.2 × 40.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | — | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | — | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | — | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | — | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM
Camera family history