Canon has announced four new lenses for its mirrorless cameras, three of which are touted ‘hybrid’, meaning that they are designed for video and still creators. They are the RF 24mm F1.4L VCM, RF 50mm F1.4L VCM and the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z.
The two pro-grade primes and zoom are made for Canon’s full-frame cameras and join two recently announced lenses of the same kind, the RF 35mm F1.4L VCM and RF 24-105mm F2.8L USM Z – the latter being quietly launched alongside the RF 200-800mm monster wildlife lens – bringing Canon’s range of hybrid lenses to five in all.
In addition to the hybrid lenses, two of which are the long-awaited 24mm and 50mm F1.4 primes that finally get the treatment for mirrorless, Canon also unveiled a new stereoscopic lens for spatial video – the RF-S 7.8mm F4 STM DUAL for APS-C – which is currently only compatible with the EOS R7. Those four new lenses increase the number of Canon’s RF system lenses to 52 in all – that’s a super-impressive achievement in six short years of the RF-mount.
The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z lens costs $2,999 / £3,449.99 / AU$5,399 and is available in white or black from November 14. Meanwhile, the sales start date for the RF 24mm F1.4L VCM and RF 50mm F1.4L VCM lenses is December with a specific date TBC – they’re priced at $1,499 / £1,679.99 / AU$2,699 and $1,399 / £1,539.99 / AU$2,429 respectively. The RF-S 7.8mm F4 STM DUAL comes in at $449.99 / £519.99 / AU$799 and will go on sale some point in November.
A new dawn for Canon’s professional lenses?
Canon seems set on video and still creators if its latest lenses are anything to go by. It says its RF mount “reflects the changing needs of the professional as the demand for a lens without compromise drives them to step into both worlds”, although we don’t know if this is the type of lens design we can expect going forward for its professional mirrorless cameras.
The RF 70-200mm F2.8 IS USM Z will sit alongside the existing RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM as a pricier alternative for hybrid users, adding a smooth aperture ring, 11-blade aperture, internal zoom, and minimal focus breathing. It’s compatible with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters and comes in white (with a thermal barrier) or black – the latter could prove popular with filmmakers who need to be discreet on set.
And like the RF 24-105mm F2.8L USM Z, which is virtually the same size and weight being a little over 1kg, it is compatible with the same Power Zoom adapter for smooth and precise video zooming. Together, the two lenses cover off focal lengths from 24mm to 200mm.
Just like the new 70-200mm, the new RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM and RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM lenses are practically the same size and weight, and sit as a trio with the existing RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM. They also offer a video-friendly design with aperture ring and minimal focus breathing. However, these are entirely new for the RF mount, finally realizing the extremely popular 24mm and 50mm F1.4 primes for Canon’s DSLRs in Canon’s RF-mount for mirrorless cameras.
Given Canon’s research, which says that 65% of professional photographers are now shooting video as some part of their work, and the changing needs of professional photographers, hybrid seems like a fair bet going forward. This trio of lenses could represent a new dawn for Canon’s lens design, and we’re all for it, even if the price of these lenses is expensive even by Canon standards.