News: Inexpensive Canon RF Lenses are in the Works, Including a 50mm f/1.8

By: Jaymes Dempsey

Last month, Canon announced its intention to produce RF lenses over EF lenses. A Canon Europe spokesperson indicated that the imaging giant would continue to support the EF mount, but that we can expect to see only new RF lenses for the foreseeable future.
For longtime Canon users who haven’t jumped on the mirrorless bandwagon, this is a blow. But for Canon’s mirrorless users, this is excellent news. One of the main reasons to switch to a company like Sony over Canon is the mirrorless lens lineup; Sony’s mirrorless lens development has had a big head start over Canon’s, and Sony now offers dozens of full-frame and APS-C mirrorless lenses.
But with Canon focusing on its RF lenses, we might get to see it close the mirrorless gap.
In fact, it looks as if Canon is already making good on its commitment to the RF mount, especially in the budget lens category. Up until now, Canon has offered very few cheap RF lens options.
Over the twelve months, we might see that change.
According to Canon Rumors, we can expect to see several new low-priced RF lenses announced in the near future, including “at least one…this year.”
This should include some type of pancake lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture, as well as the possibility of an RF 50mm f/1.8.
While it’s unlikely that Canon’s 50mm f/1.8 could rival the price of the current EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, its good to know that we might have some strong options for consumers.
Thus far, anyone looking for a 50mm lens option (which is great for shooting portraits, street images, and more) would have to settle for the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L, which currently costs over $2000 USD.
But with a cheaper 50mm option, the Canon RF lens lineup should feel much more accessible, even for beginners.
And with some luck, we should see both these new RF lenses before the year is out.