Canon has released details of four new RF lenses, the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, the RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM, RF 24mm f/1.4L VCM and the RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM DUAL lens for 3D and video work.
The versatile RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z lens, the white version (left) shown with the optional tripod collar, the black version with the lens cap. (Source: Canon.)
The new RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z will be attractive to photographers involved in sports, wildlife, news and hybrid shooting where flexibility and reach is important. Equally suitable for recording stills and video, it features a built-in 5.5-stop Optical Image Stabiliser and dedicated iris ring with 32 steps between stops for smooth aperture control. Additional features that make it ideal for recording video include electronic parfocal performance and focus breathing suppression. The 11-blade iris diaphragm creates a circular aperture for control of bokeh and highlights. This lens can also be used with Canon’s optional RF extenders and the optional PZ-E2 or PZ-E2B Power Zoom Adapters. The PZ-E2B’s 20-pin interface also supports Canon’s Zoom Servo Grip that provides more comfortable control and Zoom/Focus for studio-based applications. The lens is 199 mm long with a diameter of 88.5 mm. It will be offered in a choice of white heat-resistant coating (with a weight of 1115 grams) or standard black (weighing 1110 grams) and available in November at an RRP of AU$5399.
The new RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM (left) and RF 50mm f/1.2L USM (right) lenses add lightweight options to Canon’s line-up of fast prime lenses. (Source: Canon.)
The RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM is a fast ‘nifty fifty’ standard prime lens that is 40% lighter than the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM but encompasses the same angle-of-view, which is close to that of the human eye. This makes it suitable for low light portraits, reportage or weddings and event videos with a cinematic look. The RF 24mm f/1.4L VCM, which is around 20 percent lighter than its EF predecessor, offers a wide focal length making it great for landscapes, architecture and interiors, plus environmental portraits, filmmaking and video interviews where showing the subject in context is important. Both lenses are the same size as the other hybrid prime lens in the range – the RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM – making them more convenient to use for video rigging. Other features they have in common include 11-blade circular apertures, VCM and Nano USM motor AF drives, click-free iris rings with 32 steps between stops, Super Spectra, SWC and ASC coatings and L-series weather-sealing. The RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM is 99.3 mm long with a diameter of 76.5 mm and weighs 580 grams, while the RF 24mm f/1.4L VCM is 99.3 mm long with a diameter of 76.5 mm and weighs 515 grams. Both lenses are scheduled to be available in Australia in December, with the RF 50mm f/1.4L VCM priced at AU$2429 and the RF 24mm f/1.4L VCM, $2699 RRP.
Designed for use with Canon’s EOS R7 camera (shown above), the RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM DUAL spatial video lens encompasses a field of view close to that of human vision. (Source: Canon.)
Scheduled for release in November, the new RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM DUAL spatial video lens is priced at only AU$799, making it accessible for entry level enthusiasts. When paired with an APS-C camera body, this lens offers a compact and attainable entry point to the world of spatial video, while retaining the high optical performance of the EOS R System. Currently only compatible with the EOS R7, the RF-S 7.8mm Ff/4 STM DUAL lens can record spatial video for viewing VR headsets as well as on smartphones via VR glasses, cardboard headsets and even handheld viewing devices for printed images. Its 63-degree field of view closely mirrors human vision and enables users to create immersive and realistic video recordings. Weighing only 130 grams, it features a user-friendly STM AF system, making it ideal for capturing cultural performances, high-end product reveals or walk-through videos for real estate and hotels in spatial stills and videos. This lens will be supported by an updated EOS VR Utility app that enables content captured on Canon EOS VR System products to be exported in MV-HEVC codec when using an Apple Mac computer.
All four lenses will be supported by Canon Australia’s 5-year warranty when purchased from an authorised Canon Australia reseller. Click here for more information.
