Canon has announced details of its first 135mm lens with an RF mount. The RF 135mm f1.8L IS USM is the fourth prime lens in the Canon EOS ecosystem to feature this focal length; there have been two specialist version – a soft focus edition in 1987 and a tilt-and-shift lens in the past decade – but the most obvious predecessor is the popular portrait lens, the EF 135mm f2L USM which was launched in 1996.
The key advantage of a prime 135mm mid-telephoto lens is that it enables you to isolate your subject – or the most important element of it – without losing the background. A focal length of 135mm is ideal for candid portraits, as it allows you to shoot from a comfortable distance while compressing subject features for more flattering shots. The maximum aperture of f1.8 of the RF 135mm lens also offers you the ability to capture beautifully rendered bokeh.
The RF 135mm f1.8L IS USM has two Lens function buttons – a first for a lens of this type and which are customisable for additional control (default is AF-stop). It’s built for professional use, with weather and dust resistance, lens coatings and the distinctive red ring denoting L-series.
Key features
- 5.5-stop image stabilisation (IS), up to 8 stops when combined with IBIS
- Air Sphere and Super Spectra coatings for reduced ghosting and optical aberrations
- Three UD elements
- Nano USM for fast and quiet AF
- Weather sealing
- Fluorine coating