We got to hold it for the first time at CES in January, and it marks the completion of the Holy Trinity for the Canon Mirrorless RF System! The Canon RF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS USM lens looks incredibly sharp, and is bound to be the go-to lens for any Mirrorless RF shooter. It’s smaller and weighs less than you’d think (about the size of a large coffee mug), and has the beautiful image quality overall as is expected of L-glass. The shorter balance is a delight to hand-hold, but the zooming takes two cranks of the wrist, not just one flick of your finger like it did with the old 70-200’s. While it felt a little weird, I’m sure that’ll be a small trade-off for the benefit of a MUCH smaller size and weight for the lens though.
This lens promises to be a game-changer for professionals who shoot long days. Like the rest of the L lineup of lenses, it’s built like a tank, has an image quality that matches or is improved upon its predecessor, and has an incredible image stabilization system (up to 5-stops). Basically, it seems too good to be true! So you can gather we’re quite anxious to finally get this lens in the studio for a full review.
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Specs:
- Focal Length – 70 to 200mm
- Maximum Aperture – f/2.8
- Minimum Aperture – f/32
- Lens Mount – Canon RF
- Format Compatibility – Full-Frame
- Angle of View 34 Degree to 12 Degree
- Maximum Magnification – 0.23x
- Minimum Focus Distance – 2.3′ (70cm)
- Optical Design – 17 Elements in 13 Groups
- Diaphragm Blades – 9, Rounded
- Focus Type – Autofocus
- Image Stabilization – Yes
- Tripod Collar – Removable and Rotating
- Filter Size – 77 mm (Front)
- Dimensions (Diameter x L) – 3.54 x 5.75″ (89.9 x 146mm)
- Weight – 2.35 lb (1.07kg)
- Price – $2,699 – Adorama | B&H | Amazon
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Product Shots
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens Reviews
Like I mentioned above, we’re very excited to get our hands on it long term and complete our original review in the near future. Until then, here are some of our favorites from around the web from other respected sources:
B&H Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens Review
Jared Polin’s Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Review
Park Cameras Hands-on Review of the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens
Alex Barrera’s Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 L Review
Brendan van Son’s Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 Review
Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8L Review by Gordon Laing
Peter McKinnon’s Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8 Lens Review
Conclusion
Pros:
- Weight & Size
- Image Stabilization
- Fast Autofocus
- Clean images edge to edge
- Great performance when shooting against the light
Cons:
- Price? The lens is a bit on the higher side at $2699 which may be a tough sell, but from what we’ve read and heard from the fellow reviewers, it’s worth the price.
- Telescoping lens could lead to dust in the barrel
Even with its reduced size and telescoping lens, the image quality from the RF 70-200mm was clearly not affected, and allegedly has even better flare resistance than it’s EL mount siblings. From what we’re hearing, (and have already assumed), this lens is a must-have for any Canon Mirrorless shooter!
Until we get to test this system out ourselves, please let us know if you have any thoughts or questions about the lens below and we’ll be sure to tackle them in our own review soon!
