Canon Launches 3 New RF-Mount Lenses

2021.04.14

Along with the development announcement of their next mirrorless flagship camera, Canon unveiled three new lenses for the RF-mount platform that will be available in a few months. All these lenses offer full-frame coverage and are weatherproof against adverse weather.

Canon RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM

The truly unique lens announced today is the Canon RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM. This prime lens has a common 100mm focal-length and F/2.8 maximum aperture for a macro lens, yet delivers 1.4X magnification that is significantly more than the vast majority of macro lenses. It can even autofocus at such high magnification which is unprecedented.

This new lens offers built-in image-stabilization with 5-stops of efficiency that can combine with IBIS for the latest Canon mirrorless digital cameras. Like other RF-mount lenses, the Canon RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM has a customizable control-ring in addition to the requisite Manual-Focus ring. To this, Canon added a third control-ring to adjust spherical-aberrations which affects out-of-focus-areas rendered by the 9-blade aperture of this lens. Canon expects to ship the RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM this July for $1400 USD.

Canon RF 400mm F/2.8L IS USM

Next is the super-telephoto Canon RF 400mm F/2.8L IS USM. This lens packages the optically spectacular EF 400mm F/2.8L IS III USM into an RF-mount body. It includes image-stabilization with 5.5-stops of efficiency in a weatherproof body. An ultra-sonic AF motor ensures fast and quiet autofocus.

This huge lens weights 2.9kg and its front-element is too large for screw-on filters, so Canon added a drop-in slot at the rear to accomodate 52mm filters. This lens will ship in July for $12,000 USD.

Canon RF 600mm F/4L IS USM

Similar to the previous lens, the extreme telephoto Canon RF 600mm F/4L IS USM is based on the latest EF lens of the same focal-length and aperture. It offers an extremely long reach in a new RF-mount body with builtin image-stabilization, also having 5.5-stops of efficiency. Its ultra-sonic AF motor should be able to focus this large lens relatively quickly.

The Canon RF 600mm F/4L IS USM weighs just over 3kg. It is also too large for screw-on filters and Canon made it accept the same 52mm drop-in filters as the RF 400mm F/2.8L IS USM. This lens is expected to start shipping in July for $13,000 USD.

• Lens