Review by Klaus Schroiff, published February 2022

Introduction

In terms of construction, it is almost identical to the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. If it weren't for the focal length printed on the barrel and the inner lens tube, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart (see the comparison below). Even the filter size (43mm) is the same, baffling considering the immense front element that we have seen on other ultra-wide lenses in this speed class. However, the similarity also means that the build quality is more aligned with consumers than professionals. The lens body is made of plastics based on a metal mount. It's a retractable design so once you activate the camera, the inner lens tube moves a little out into its working position. There is a single control ring that is either assigned to manual focusing or a custom function - and there's a switch for selecting the desired mode. Weather-sealing is absent and you won't find a lens hood in the package.

The lens uses an STM (stepping motor) for focusing - both in AF and MF mode. While full-time-manual focusing in AF mode is supported, fully manual focusing has to be activated via a camera menu setting. Thanks to the minimal weight of the inner tube, the AF speed is pretty fast. It emits a high-pitched sound during operation, but it's on a low noise level. Another surprising aspect of the lens is its close-focus capability with a maximum magnification of 1:3.8. This isn't macro territory yet but it's closer than possible on most ultra-wide lenses in this respect. An image stabilizer has not been implemented.