A super affordable RF lens?! Canon files patent for nifty fifty RF 50mm f/1.8

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Could we be seeing an affordable nifty fifty RF 50mm f/1.8 in a future Canon lens roadmap?

A super affordable RF lens?! Canon files patent for nifty fifty RF 50mm f/1.8
(Image credit: Canon)

A nifty fifty is arguably one of the most important components of a fully kitted out lens system. Small, light, affordable and with an f/1.8 maximum aperture, a 50mm f/1.8 is the perfect starter lens for photographers buying into a new lens system. While the Canon RF system has received praise for its new RF mount, one of the biggest complaints has been the astronomical price of the lenses. 

With the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM currently going for an eye-watering £2,349.99, and with only two RF lenses retailing for under £1,000, there's a clear market for an affordable budget-friendly RF lens that new RF mount adopters can invest in without breaking the bank. 

Read more: Best Canon lenses

Rumor website Canon News discovered a Japanese patent application that details the following lens data: 

Focal length 48.70
F-number 1.85
field angle 23.95
Image height 21.64
Total lens length 58.55
BF 20.15

Focal length 48.70
F-number 1.85
half angle (in degrees) 23.95
Image height 21.64
Total lens length 58.55
BF 16.48

Focal length 48.70
F-number 1.85
half angle (in degrees) 23.95
Image height 21.64
Total lens length 58.55
BF 19.38

Canon have filed a patent for an RF 50mm f/1.8 lens for their RF lens mount

Canon have filed a patent for an RF 50mm f/1.8 lens for their RF lens mount (Image credit: Canon News)

As Canon News explains, these are all essentially 50mm f/1.8 lens designs for the RF mount. While we don't have any official word from Canon as to when this lens might actually appear, we wouldn't expect to see it for a while if the patent is only being filed now. 

While Canon RF users do have access to the old EF mount lenses through the £119 / $99 EF-EOS R mount adapter, many will be waiting for their opportunity to own a native lens without having to drop another two grand for the pleasure. Currently, the most affordable Canon RF lens is the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM lens, which retails for around £519.99 / $499. 

No matter how long it takes for Canon to bring out an RF 50mm f/1.8 lens, it's fantastic to see that Canon are clearly focusing on developing some budget-friendly RF lenses. We wonder what other affordable RF lenses we could be seeing in the future…

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Louise Carey
Louise Carey

With over a decade of photographic experience, Louise arms Digital Camera World with a wealth of knowledge on photographic technique and know-how – something at which she is so adept that she's delivered workshops for the likes of ITV and Sue Ryder. Louise also brings years of experience as both a web and print journalist, having served as features editor for Practical Photography magazine and contributing photography tutorials and camera analysis to titles including Digital Camera Magazine and  Digital Photographer. Louise currently shoots with the Fujifilm X-T200 and the Nikon D800, capturing self-portraits and still life images, and is DCW's ecommerce editor, meaning that she knows good camera, lens and laptop deals when she sees them.