Canon has announced the RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM lens, a slower but lighter, more compact, and more affordable version of the f/2.8 iteration of the lens it launched in 2019.
Similar to the 16-35mm f/2.8 and 16-35mm f/4 lenses that were available for Canon’s EF mount, the addition of this new 15-35mm f/4 completes a pair of wide-angle L-glass zooms for RF mount.
On top of the ultra-wide capabilities, the 14-35mm zoom range is the broadest ever in a Canon wide-angle zoom for full-frame AF cameras. For many Canon users, one single lens can potentially handle all wide-angle needs, from vivid, creative ultra-wide imagery to traditional street photography.
Canon touts the new lens as the best of both worlds: it sports L-series optics in a compact body that weighs just 1.2 pounds, similar to the RF 85mm f/2 IS STM lens. Specifically, the optical construction is highlighted by three UD-glass elements, and three Aspherical elements along with many of the company’s most advanced proprietary lens coatings, including Sub-wavelength Structure Coating (SWC) and Air Sphere Coating (ASC). Canon says that these “superb” lens coatings help minimize ghosting and flaring. Canon also says that lens placement and coatings are also optimized to help users get clear, high-contrast images, even when there is a bright light source either in, or immediately outside, the frame.
It offers up to 5.5 stops of shake correction for up to 7 stops when used with an EOS R series camera with in-body image stabilization. The lens covers a huge range of “wide-angles” from 14mm through 35mm, and the company says that makes it suitable for everything from landscapes to videos, to architecture.
It also features a control ring for direct settings changes and can be mapped from the camera.
The RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM lens has what Canon claims are optimized coatings to help minimize ghosting. It also offers a minimum focusing distance of 7.9 inches (0.2 meters) at all focal lengths, and a maximum magnification of 0.38x (at 35mm). The autofocus motor is driven by Canon’s Nano USM technology, which is a technology it has been using for some time in EF lenses.
The Canon RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM lens is scheduled to be available in August 2021 for $1,700 and is currently available for pre-order.
