Head-to-head · Best Portrait Lenses Under $500

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM vs Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about portrait enthusiasts seeking affordable telephoto reach — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Portrait Lenses Under $500

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

4.6

4 sources$710.39as of Aug 2

Digital Camera World and Ken Rockwell both like the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM for budget portrait and low-light work, praising the compact design, fast autofocus, and sharpness beyond what the price suggests. There is no weather-sealing and no hood in the box, yet reviewers still rate the value highly next to pricier options like the f/1.2L II. Stopped down it performs well; wide open, sharpness is only modest. Enthusiasts and beginners who want an affordable telephoto prime that covers a lot of ground are the fit, while professionals may prefer the tougher L-series options.

Strengths

— Small, compact build and lightweight at 425g, making it highly portable for travel and everyday use
— Good overall image quality with sufficient sharpness for portraiture, especially when stopped down
— Fast f/1.8 aperture allows for decent low-light performance and shallow depth of field effects

Watch-outs

— No weather-seals, making it less durable in harsh conditions
— Hood sold separately, adding to the overall cost
— Edge-sharpness could be better, particularly when shooting wide-open

$710.39 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #3 in Best Portrait Lenses Under $500

Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM

4.4

5 sources1 derived$219as of Aug 2

Canon rebuilt the optics of its classic 50mm f/1.8 for the RF mount, and the result punches well above its price. Digital Camera World praised it as 'everything you want a nifty fifty to be,' while Ken Rockwell noted its 'superb optics' and 'very close focussing.' It carries the first aspherical element in any Canon 50mm f/1.8 design since 1987, and sharpness holds up against the far pricier RF 50mm f/1.2L. Reviewers flagged the missing image stabilization and weather sealing, which points it at casual photographers and EOS R users who want an affordable standard lens rather than professionals who need heavy-duty build quality.

Strengths

— Superb image quality with very sharp performance and no barrel distortion
— World's closest-focussing non-macro 50mm lens at 0.3m minimum focus distance
— First Canon 50mm f/1.8 with aspherical element for improved optics

Watch-outs

— No image stabilization or weather sealing
— No AF/MF switch or stabilization switch

$219 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM provides the telephoto reach and portability that the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 lacks, but it's significantly heavier and more expensive than the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Compared to the Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM, it offers less advanced optical design and doesn't include the aspherical element, though it's more versatile for portrait work. It's the most versatile of the group for telephoto applications but lacks the image stabilization and weather-sealing found in higher-end L-series lenses.

Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM

The Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM outperforms the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 with its first aspherical element and superior close-focusing distance, but it's not as compact as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Compared to the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, it lacks the telephoto reach and hood included, though it offers better overall image quality and more advanced optical design. It's the most technically advanced of the group but still lacks image stabilization and weather-sealing.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM	Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM
Mount	Canon EF	Canon RF
Focal Length	85 mm	50mm
Max Aperture	F1.8	f/1.8
Autofocus	USM	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Weight	425 g	160g

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