how good is the RF 50 1.8 STM ?

Daan de Groot wrote:

I am wondering either to buy the 50 1.8 but does any one know how good it really performs? I mainly shoot in Manual Focus so the main point is sharpness across the whole from and how sharp is the peak ?

From what I've seen the sharpness of the RF 50mm f/1.8 is pretty acceptable from f/2.8 for portraits and f/4.0 or f/5.6 for sharpness across 99% of the frame. Stopped down the RF f/1.8 lens is crazy sharp, so if you're looking for a walk around lens for shooting at landscape apertures the RF f/1.8 is simply perfect.

If you're not a true pixel peeper portraits at f/2.2 will be o.k.  The lens doesn't handle complex backgrounds very well though, so you might want to use it with a bit of care in that regard.

If you really are a pixel peeper and you want to do portraits at f/1.8 the Sigma Art will be a better choice, and the same is true if you don't want to worry about complex backgrounds. Note: You will need the adapter, and this lens is bigger and 800 grams. It's the same weight as an f/2.8 standard zoom. That said, at f/2.0 it's also sharper than an f/2.8 standard zoom will ever get, and at f/1.8 it's still significantly sharper than the RF f/1.8.

For manual focus the Sigma has a mechanically coupled focus ring. This might be plus for you.

If you want better sharpness than the Sigma, there's also the Samyang 50mm f/1.2.  That lens is sharper than the Sigma, opens up to f/1.2, is manual focus only, although it will give you focus confirmation on the R (that nice focus assist feature) and even eye recognition when manual focusing (I love this, it's just so cool to have this in manual focus mode).  If you love both sharpness and manual focus this is your lens. I'm thinking of selling mine, so PM me if you're interested. The Dutch language is no problem for me.