Canon Is Set to Flesh Out Their RF Lenses with 4 New Primes
Canon is looking to expand their number of more affordable RF Lenses pretty quickly.
It took a while for Canon to introduce many affordable RF lenses for the EOS R, EOS RP, EOS R5, and EOS R6. Now, though, things are starting to change. We have already seen solid options like the RF 35mm f1.8 Macro, the RF 50mm f1.8, and the RF 85mm f2. Then there are lenses like the RF 600mm and RF 800mm f11 primes, and the excellent RF 24-105mm f4-7.1, and RF 24-240mm f4-6.3. These lenses have made Canon’s Full Frame Mirrorless system much more palatable to more than just top-end pros. There’s still a long way to go, but Canon is apparently busy at work on four new primes that range from f1.4 to f1.8. We’re pretty excited, and you should be too. We’ve got all the deets after the break.
The Japanese patent website Hi-Lows has no fewer than four new patents for Canon RF lenses. All of the new RF lenses will be wide to standard focal length primes with fast apertures. If these go into production, which we assume they will, Canon will bolster its RF ranks with even more affordable options for photographers. Let’s take a look at the lenses that have been patented.
Canon RF 24mm f1.4
First up is the patent for an RF 24mm f1.4 prime. We’re sure Canon has Sony’s brilliant 24mm f1.4 GM in their sights when they decided to patent this. If the lens makes it to market, it will be the widest prime lens on Canon’s RF system. It will be great for everything from landscapes to street photography and astrophotography to documentary work. Being an f1.4 lens, the price should be quite a lot cheaper than the f1.2 options on the platform. I would expect it to cost around $1,599 – $1,799.
Canon RF 28mm f1.8
The Canon RF 28mm f1.8 will be a much cheaper wide prime than the 24mm f1.4. Like the lens above, this will be a fantastic lens to use on photo walks and for capturing every life. The fact that it’s an f1.8 lens means that this option should be priced nicely below $1,000. However, I wish that Canon would pick an aperture for their cheaper lenses and stick with it. We could either have a nice set of affordable f1.8 lenses or f2 lenses, but mixing them up will just become messy. Still, this lens will likely be very popular.
Canon RF 35mm f1.8 (Non Macro)
When it comes to Canon RF lenses, the RF 35mm f1.8 Macro is one of our favorites. It’s small, light, super sharp, and incredibly affordable. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with it when we reviewed it. But it’s a little odd for Canon to be thinking about a refresh for this lens so soon. While this one is touted as being non-macro, the original wasn’t really a true macro either. Still, it did have a very close minimum focusing distance. Perhaps this new version will include weather sealing, the lack of which we bemoaned with the original. Again, this lens should be well under $1,000. It should be closer to the $600 mark.
Canon RF 50mm f1.4
The Canon RF 50mm f1.4 is set to be the smaller, lighter, and more affordable brother to the f1.2 version we’ve been waiting for. The RF 50mm f1.2 is a stellar lens in every way, but it can be a chore to carry around. A 50mm lens that sits nicely in between the f1.2 and f1.8 options is sorely needed. There’s no word on if the f1.4 RF lenses will be L models or not. I believe they will be, and that means weather sealing will be there. Price this lens around the $1,500 mark, and it will fly off the shelves.
Canon RF Lenses Aplenty
So, there you have it. Canon certainly seems to be working on fleshing out their RF lenses. We’re excited that more options will be coming to Canon users. We’re more excited that Canon is working on making more affordable lenses. Are you excited about any of the patents for Canon RF lenses? Will any of them be day one purchases for you? Let us know in the comment section below.