Canon’s new RF lenses bring a much-needed feature to its mirrorless EOS R system: Affordability. There are two unique telephoto primes with four lenses, RF 85mm f / 2 macro, RF 100-500mm f / 4.5-7.1, and fixed f / 11 aperture, one 600mm and one 800mm, announced on Thursday, July 9.
Of these, the $ 600 85mm f / 2 is perhaps the least interesting, but also the most important. This is just Canon’s second sub- $ 1,000 RF prime lens, included in the 35mm f / 1.8, and the exact same type of lens that I needed for a full-frame mirrorless system. Compared to Canon’s Undelli, the $ 2,700 RF 85mm f / 1.2, it’s smaller, lighter, and – most importantly – attainable.
This lens should be a good match for any EOS R-series body, but especially for the low-priced EOS RP, which until now lacked an equally affordable portrait lens to go with it. Along with optical stabilization, the 85mm is also one of those lenses that will achieve a maximum of 8 stops of shake reduction when paired with the EOS R5 and R6 camera bodies, also announced today. The 1.15-foot minimum focus distance that magnifies 0.5X – not exactly perfect macro, but close – is really just icing on the cake.
On the downside, photographers will have to wait to get their hands on it, as it does not ship until October.
The remaining three lenses from today’s announcement all concern super-telephoto performance. The RF 100-500mm f / 4.5-7.1, coming in September, feels like a spiritual successor to Canon’s 100-400mm lens that it has built for DSLRs over 2 decades. It is also a lens that boosts the spending trend of today’s announcements, which comes in at $ 2,699. Still, this is the cheapest way for R-series photographers to hit 500mm in zoom without an adapter.
While it is a variable-aperture, externally zooming lens, it is still a high-end option targeting professionals. It is weather-sealed, optionally stable for 5 stops of its own shake reduction, and uses two ultrasonic motors to power the autofocus system. It is also compatible with two new teleconverters announced today, RF Extender 1.4X and 2X ($ 500 and $ 600, respectively), for even more reach.
The small maximum aperture of f / 7.1 on the telephoto end may be worrisome for some potential customers – especially on the nearly $ 3,000 lens – but given how good Canon’s dual-pixel autofocus is at smaller apertures, it’s a very large one. Will not done. Problem in terms of usability. Low-light performance is another issue, but it is clearly a lens designed for outdoor daylight photography.
Amazingly Portable Super Telephotos
Producing an inexpensive super telephoto lens is no easy task. If reducing the maximum aperture (which, in turn, reduces the overall size of the lens and the amount of glass needed to produce it) is a way to reduce costs, then start a fully fixed aperture Doing so can definitely reduce costs even further. This is the approach Canon took with the new RF 600mm and RF800mm lenses available at the end of July, both featuring a fixed f / 11 aperture – it may not open any wider, but it may not close any. Can not be small.
In the DSLR world, it is common for autofocus to simply stop working – at least reliably – at an aperture smaller than the F8. But mirrorless has changed this. Both of these lenses are compatible with Canon’s Dual Pixel Autofocus, though only the center of focus points will be active.
At just $ 700 for 600 mm and $ 900 for 800 mm, these lenses create a new entry point for super-telephoto photography. Nevertheless, I hope they will create a bit of a stir in the photography community. Finally, you can pick up the Sigma 150-600mm f / 5.0-6.3 for less than $ 1,000 and get both more extensive aperture and zoom functionality (although I expect the Canon lens to be as sharp as primes ). Sure, you’ll need an EF-RF mount adapter, but when you’re already working with such a huge lens, the adapter’s extra bulk is no big deal.
But that’s it: while the Sigma Zoom weighs 4.3 pounds, the RF 600mm and 800mm f / 11 are built to be lightweight. They use tectonic optics, which reduce the total number of elements required, and feature retractable barrels to shorten the length of the lens when not in use. The 600 mm weighs just 2 pounds and is less than 8 inches when retracted. The 800 mm is 2.8 pounds and 11 inches. Narrow, fixed aperture, not just about cost cutting – it’s about making these things portable (which was the original goal of mirrorless camera systems in the first place).
For some additional perspective, consider that Canon’s EF 800mm f / 5.6 lens is longer than 18 inches, weighs about 10 pounds, and costs $ 13,000.
Despite its emphasis on size and weight savings, Canon still managed to fit optical image stabilization in both 600 mm and 800 mm. This is good for 5 stops of shake cuts at 800 and 4mm at 600mm, or more likely to be paired with new EOS R5 or R6 cameras, which have body stabilization. More surprising is that both lenses are also compatible with teleconnectors. Using the RF 2X converter, they become 1,200 mm and 1,600 mm lenses, respectively, with f / 22 aperture. And, yes, autofocus will still work at f / 22.
EOS R increases – and down
Lens Canon revealed today is an important step in the development of the still young EOS R system. It has taken a few years, but Canon has figured out how to extend beyond purely aspirational lenses.
This may be when these lenses came out with the announcement of EOS R5, Canon’s most expensive mirrorless camera body, but I’m glad to see that Canon is moving in both directions, what they’re offering to professionals ‘Ve said to provide options for the rest of us at the lower end of the market as well. Event R can be played in an odd order, but EOS R still hinges on an expanding portfolio of products that eventually make it more like a complete system.
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