Canon EOS R6 Mark III Review: This Lens Steals the Show
▼ Summary
– The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is an excellent all-around camera, offering improvements like more resolution and 7K video over its predecessor, making it a strong upgrade for existing Canon shooters.
– The new RF 45mm f/1.2 STM lens is notable for its exceptionally low price of $469.99, making a fast f/1.2 aperture unusually accessible.
– This lens is compact and lightweight, making it an ideal everyday companion for cameras like the R6, though it lacks pro features like weather sealing.
– Its image quality is “good enough,” providing a pleasant wide-aperture look with shallow depth of field, though it has optical flaws like soft corners and chromatic aberration.
– The reviewer strongly recommends the lens as a valuable, affordable prime that makes smart compromises to deliver a unique look and portability at its price point.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is a superb all-around camera, offering a compelling upgrade with its higher resolution, 7K open-gate video, and refined autofocus. While not a revolutionary leap from the R6 Mark II, it maintains excellent ergonomics and is a top choice for photographers and videographers tackling everything from wildlife to weddings. For those invested in the Canon ecosystem, it’s an easy recommendation, though the previous model remains a very attractive used option if the new camera’s price feels steep.
However, the real story isn’t the camera body. The lens launched alongside it is genuinely special. For anyone who appreciates fast glass, this new offering is an absolute standout and represents the kind of innovation the lens market needs more of.
A Remarkable Price Point
The RF 45mm f/1.2 STM lens breaks the mold. At $469.99, its price tag is almost unheard of for a lens with such a wide maximum aperture. This territory is typically occupied by manual-focus options from third-party brands. Canon’s restrictive policy on third-party RF-mount lenses has created a unique environment, making this new 45mm’s value proposition even more striking. Consider that Canon’s own professional RF 50mm f/1.2 L lens costs over $2,600, and even competing autofocus models for other systems start well above $1,500. By landing under $500, Canon has made a fast-aperture lens accessible far beyond just professionals and serious enthusiasts.
But this lens isn’t just about being affordable; it’s also genuinely excellent. It’s remarkably compact for a full-frame lens with an f/1.2 aperture, making it a perfect, lightweight partner for cameras like the R6 Mark III or the smaller R8. This isn’t a pro-grade “L” lens, so it forgoes weather sealing, and a lens hood is a separate purchase. Yet, weather resistance isn’t an expectation at this price, and many will prefer to skip the hood to keep the setup as minimal as possible. As someone who often carries a much larger and heavier 50mm f/1.2 lens, the portability of this Canon is incredibly appealing, it’s nearly a full pound lighter and far less bulky.
Image Quality and Character
Does the optical performance rival that of larger, professional f/1.2 lenses? Realistically, no. But its “good enough” image quality produces such pleasing results that its technical compromises feel easy to overlook. This lens is all about the wide-aperture aesthetic, delivering a super shallow depth of field and beautiful background blur, or bokeh. It’s quite sharp in the center of the frame even at f/1.2, with some softness in the corners, a fair trade-off for the price. Since you’ll typically place subjects like portraits in the center anyway, the sharpest part of the image is where it counts.
This isn’t a soft, “dreamy” lens filled with optical quirks. It provides a clean, modern rendering. I kept the aperture at f/1.2 for almost all my shooting and was rarely disappointed. If I used Canon cameras, this lens would be my go-to for everyday, candid photography. Frankly, if Canon built this optic into a compact fixed-lens camera, it would be an instant purchase for a daily carry.
Acknowledging the Flaws
The RF 45mm f/1.2 isn’t perfect. Its most noticeable flaw is artifacting in high-contrast areas, where you can see purple or green color fringing around the edges of focused subjects. This is longitudinal chromatic aberration, a common issue in affordable, fast lenses. You’ll see plenty of it if you shoot scenes like holiday lights. It can be distracting when scrutinizing images closely, but for an f/1.2 lens of this size and cost, it’s a manageable compromise.
I’ll admit to being completely charmed by this lens. I have a soft spot for fast prime lenses that offer real value. While modern lenses from major brands achieve incredible image quality and autofocus, their prices continue to climb. We need more lenses like the RF 45mm f/1.2: very fast, affordable primes that are compact enough to take anywhere. It makes smart compromises to deliver a look and feel that simply can’t be found anywhere else near its price.
(Source: The Verge)
