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Canon

RF 50mm F1.2L USM

Canon RF Mount

Canon's flagship 50mm f/1.2 prime — extraordinary resolution and creamy bokeh for portraits and low light.

$2,299

Launch price

Released Dec 2018

vs

Sony

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sony E Mount

The standard telephoto zoom, completely redesigned to be 29% lighter and significantly sharper.

$2,799

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II is 2.8 years newer.

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Wins

4categories

RF 50mm F1.2L USM

PortraitSports & Action

Wins

3categories

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sports & ActionPortrait

1 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

RF 50mm F1.2L USM wins 3 categories·FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II wins 2 categories
  • BFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II has higher OIS effectiveness (4.5 stops vs 0 stops)
  • ARF 50mm F1.2L USM has lower Max aperture (Wide) (f/1.2 vs f/2.8)
  • ARF 50mm F1.2L USM has lower Max aperture (Tele) (f/1.2 vs f/2.8)
  • ARF 50mm F1.2L USM has lower Length (108 mm vs 200 mm)
  • BFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II has higher Max magnification (0.3 × vs 0.19 ×)

Key specs at a glance

RF 50mm F1.2L USMFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Focal Length50 mm70-200 mm
Max Aperturef/1.2f/2.8
MountCanon RFSony E
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
StabilizationNo4.5 stops
Weight950 g1045 g
Min Focus40 cm40 cm
Filter Size77 mm77 mm

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseRF 50mm F1.2L USMFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Portrait
9.0Excellent
7.5Good
Sports & Action
6.5Good
9.5Excellent
Video & Hybrid
4.5Fair
7.0Good
Landscape
4.0Fair
4.0Fair
Travel
2.0Limited
4.0Fair
Wildlife
3.0Limited
5.5Fair
Macro & Close-up
0.0Limited
3.5Limited

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose the RF 50mm F1.2L USM

  • Max aperture (Wide)

    f/1.2 vs f/2.8 — lower is better

  • Max aperture (Tele)

    f/1.2 vs f/2.8 — lower is better

  • Special elements

    Adds 1 UD

  • Control ring

    Only RF 50mm F1.2L USM supports it

  • Length

    108 mm vs 200 mm — lower is better

  • Weight

    950 g vs 1045 g — lower is better

Reasons to choose the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

  • OIS effectiveness

    4.5 stops vs 0 stops — higher is better

  • Special elements

    Adds 1 XA, 1 Super ED, 2 ED

  • Optical stabilization

    Only FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II supports it

  • Custom function button

    Only FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II supports it

  • Max magnification

    0.3 × vs 0.19 × — higher is better

  • Diameter

    88 mm vs 89 mm — lower is better

Shared specifications

Min focus distance

Both 40 cm

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Weather sealing

Both support weather sealing

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

RF 50mm F1.2L USM

Pros

  • Stunning sharpness even wide open at f/1.2
  • Beautiful, smooth bokeh with 9 rounded aperture blades
  • Fast and accurate Dual Pixel AF with Ring USM
  • Weather-sealed L-series construction

Cons

  • Heavy for a 50mm prime (950g)
  • Premium price for a single focal length
  • No optical image stabilization

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight for an f/2.8 telephoto zoom (only 1045g)
  • Virtually instantaneous and silent autofocus with 4 XD Linear motors
  • Stunning optical performance and contrast across entire range
  • Outstanding built-in Optical SteadyShot stabilization
  • Dedicated physical aperture ring with click and lock switches

Cons

  • Very high price tag
  • Lens hood is bulky and can block storage space easily

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the RF 50mm F1.2L USM and FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II at major authorized retailers.

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

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Full specifications

= category winner

RF 50mm F1.2L USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Focal length (Min)
50 mm
70 mm
Focal length (Max)
50 mm
200 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/1.2+2.4 stops wider
f/2.8
Max aperture (Tele)
f/1.2+2.4 stops wider
f/2.8
Elements
13
17
Groups
9
14
Special elements
1 UD, 1 Aspherical
1 XA, 1 Aspherical, 1 Super ED, 2 ED
RF 50mm F1.2L USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Min focus distance
40 cm
40 cm
Max magnification
0.19 ×
0.3 ×+58%
Autofocus motor
Ring USM
4 XD Linear Motors
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
RF 50mm F1.2L USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Optical stabilization
No
Yes
OIS effectiveness
0 stops
4.5 stops
RF 50mm F1.2L USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Weight
950 g−95 g less
1045 g
Length
108 mm−92 mm less
200 mm
Diameter
89 mm
88 mm−1 mm less
Filter thread size
77 mm
77 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes
Diaphragm blades
9
11
RF 50mm F1.2L USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Lens mount
Canon RF
Sony E
Format coverage
Full Frame
Full Frame

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.