Canon has announced three new lenses for its EOS R mirrorless system which are designed to seamlessly bridge the worlds of stills and video for today's multimedia professionals. Its hybrid lenses – first launched with the RF 24-105mm f2.8L IS USM Z lens – combines Canon's optical development from different areas – photography, video and broadcast – into lenses which allow users to switch between video and stills without compromising on either front or on features. According to Canon, approximately 80% of hybrid shooters have come from a photography background, with around 65% of photographers surveyed now shooting some video as part of their work in areas such as advertising, concerts and live events, journalism, weddings and corporate.
Recognising the need for sameness when working with a video set-up, Canon has also designed the lenses with a unified approach, meaning that they are physically the same size, ie. all of the primes share the exact dimensions as each other, and the two zooms also have the same measurements as each other.
The new lenses are two primes – the RF 24mm f1.4L VCM and the RF 50mm f1.4L VCM – and one telephoto zoom, the RF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM Z.
RF 24mm f1.4L VCM
The RF 24mm f1.4L VCM lens is a versatile wide angle lens for the EOS R system. Bearing the L-series moniker, it offers an 11-blade aperture, two Ultra-low dispersion elements, an aspherical element as well as Canon’s advanced coatings – Air Sphere, Subwavelength structure and Super Spectra – for improved clarity, and reduced ghosting and flare. There’s an iris ring for precision and control when shooting video, as well as the usual Control ring found as standard on all RF lenses. For extra customisation, there’s a programmable lens function button.
View full specifications and press release for RF 24mm f1.4L VCM lens
The RF 50mm f1.4L VCM lens is 40% lighter than the RF 50mm f1.2L version, whilst offering the same natural field-of-view to the human eye. It’s ideal for portraits, weddings and event videos, as well as reportage.
Part of Canon's L-series range indicating its top quality optical design, this lens offers an 11-blade aperture, one Ultra-low dispersion element, two aspherical elements as well as Canon’s advanced coatings – Air Sphere and Super Spectra – for improved clarity, and reduced ghosting and flare. There’s an iris ring for precision and control when shooting video, plus a programmable Control ring and lens function button.
View full specifications and press release for RF 50mm f1.4L VCM lens
RF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM Z
The RF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM Z lens has been introduced in two colourways so as to shoot the different environments of its intended users. Apart from a minor 5 gram weight discrepancy, the two versions are otherwise identical. The lens features an Iris ring which allows for smooth and silent aperture adjustments whilst shooting video, and, with cameras launched from 2024 onwards (e.g. EOS R5 Mark II) this ring will also work when shooting stills. The zoom ring has a short 70º zoom rotation for quick and precise movement. The zoom mechanism is internal, so doesn't feature the trombone design of other lenses with the same focal range. In addition there is a customisable Control ring plus two lens function buttons.
The build quality is typical of Canon's L-series lens range. It has two Super UD lens elements, one UD lens and three aspherical lens elements too. It also uses Canon's proprietary lens coatings – ASC and SSC – for reduced flare and internal reflections. The lens offers up to 7.5 stops image stabilisation when used with a camera that features in-body image stabilisation, and 5.5 stops on its own.
Like the RF 24-105mm f2.8L IS USM Z lens, the 'Z' in the name indicates that this new RF 70-200mm lens is also compatible with the Power Zoom adapters. It can also accept Canon’s Extender RF 1.4x and 2x for increased reach.
View full specifications and press release for RF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM lens
All three lenses are expected to be available from mid-November 2024.
