Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM Reselling for Nearly Double Its MSRP

Canon's RF 45mm f/1.2 STM was already turning heads when it launched in late 2025, offering an f/1.2 maximum aperture at a factory MSRP of $469.99. Within months, that value proposition had created its own problem: the lens is now selling on secondary markets for nearly double what Canon charges for it.

Alberto Lima at The Phoblographer reported the situation as of mid-March 2026, noting that the compact prime has been "blowing up in reseller markets, fetching upwards of $800" on platforms including eBay. That's a premium of more than $330 over MSRP, pushing a lens originally celebrated for its accessibility into price territory that Canon typically reserves for its L-series glass.

The appeal was never hard to understand. An f/1.2 aperture at under $500 is genuinely rare in the RF mount ecosystem, and the 45mm focal length sits in a useful middle ground between a standard 50mm and a wider-angle option. The Phoblographer described it as "compact and highly covetable," and the resale market has since validated that characterization in the most literal way possible.

What remains unclear is whether the $800-plus figures represent completed sales or asking prices from opportunistic sellers. The source material does not distinguish between listings and confirmed transactions, which matters considerably when assessing how widespread the premium actually is. It's also an open question whether Canon's initial supply allocation simply couldn't meet demand, or whether something else is driving buyers to the secondary market rather than waiting for retail stock.

The broader implication for RF-mount shooters is a familiar one: a well-priced lens that generates genuine excitement can evaporate from retail channels quickly, and the gap between MSRP and street reality can widen fast. At $800-plus resale, the RF 45mm f/1.2 STM has crossed from affordable fast prime into a purchase that demands some patience if buying at Canon's intended price point is the goal.