Canon recently announced an addition to its mirrorless lens system in the form of the full-frame, ultra-wide RF 14-35mm f/4 IS. With a price of $1700, it’s not a cheap optic, but it’s packed with features. It ships in August.
Here are the lens’s specifications:
- Focal Length: 14-35mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/4
- Minimum Aperture: f/22
- Angle of View: 114° to 63°
- Design: 16 elements, 12 groups
- Special Elements: 3 aspherical
- Maximum Magnification: 1:2.6 (0.38x magnification)
- Aperture Blades: 9, rounded
- Focus Motor: Nano USM
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Filter Size: 77mm
- Dimensions (Length x Diameter): 99 x 84 mm (3.9 x 3.3 inches)
- Weight: 544 g (1.2 lbs)
- MSRP: $1700
As you can see, this is an advanced lens in many ways. It manages to add a 77mm filter thread and image stabilization without bringing the weight up too high. The zoom range is also impressive, going to 35mm on the long end while maintaining 14mm on the wide end. It also has an unusually high 1:2.6 magnification at 35mm, which is plenty of magnification for close-up photography.
All these features do come at a cost; at $1700, the RF 14-35mm f/2.8 is not a cheap lens. Compare that to Nikon’s Z 14-30mm f/4, which retails for $1300 and is currently on sale for $1100. The Canon’s price puts it close to the level of a pro-grade f/2.8 zoom even though it only goes to f/4.
The RF 14-35mm f/4 rounds out Canon’s line of full-frame f/4 mirrorless zooms. The other two are the 24-105mm f/4 and 70-200mm f/4 lenses. There’s a bit of overlap in those focal lengths, which has its pros and cons (less need to change lenses, but a bit more weight).
Many photographers choose mirrorless cameras in the first place for the lighter weight and smaller size compared to a DSLR. As versatile as f/2.8 zooms can be, the advantages of f/4 zooms are hard to ignore if you want to use a compact system. Landscape photographers in particular may prefer the f/4 trio rather than the heavier f/2.8 trio.
Here’s the full-frame Canon RF lens lineup at the moment:
- 14-35mm f/4 (ships August)
- 15-35mm f/2.8
- 24-70mm f/2
- 24-70mm f/2.8
- 24-105mm f/4
- 24-105mm f/4-7.1
- 24-240mm f/4-6.3
- 35mm f/1.8 Macro
- 50mm f/1.8
- 50mm f/1.2
- 70-200mm f/4
- 70-200mm f/2.8
- 85mm f/1.2 (and DS version)
- 85mm f/2 Macro
- 100mm f/2.8 Macro (ships July)
- 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1
- 400mm f/2.8 (ships July)
- 600mm f/4 (ships July)
- 600mm f/11
- 800mm f/11
- 1.4x Teleconverter
- 2.0x Teleconverter
For comparison, here’s the current full-frame Nikon Z lens lineup:
- 14-24mm f/2.8
- 14-30mm f/4
- 20mm f/1.8
- 24mm f/1.8
- 24-50mm f/4-6.3
- 24-70mm f/2.8
- 24-70mm f/4
- 24-200mm f/4-6.3
- 28mm f/2.8 (ships late July)
- 35mm f/1.8
- 40mm f/2 (development announced)
- 50mm f/1.2
- 50mm f/1.8
- 50mm f/2.8 Macro
- 58mm f/0.95
- 70-200mm f/2.8
- 85mm f/1.8
- 105mm f/2.8 Macro
- 1.4x Teleconverter
- 2.0x Teleconverter
I won’t include the Sony EF lens lineup here for comparison because there are far too many of them! Sony users have the broadest lens lineup right now because Sony mirrorless has been around longer.
Between Nikon and Canon, Canon is clearly ahead on the telephoto end of things. Nikon only has three lenses that go beyond 100mm: the 105mm f/2.8 macro, 24-200mm f/4-6.3, and 70-200mm f/2.8. By comparison, Canon has eleven (though three of them won’t ship until later in July). While Nikon does have a couple advantages of its own – such as wide-angle prime lenses – Canon’s lineup is broader overall at the moment. Now that the RF 14-35mm f/4 fills in the “lightweight ultrawide” gap, that’s even more true – if you don’t mind the price.
We’re looking forward to testing more Canon gear at Photography Life, including the 14-35mm f/4 IS when it ships. In the meantime, here’s Canon’s full press release for this lens:
Canon Introduces New RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM Lens Broadening Imaginative Possibilities For Still And Video
MELVILLE, NY, June 29, 2021– Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM lens. This dramatic new lens brings 14mm, ultra wide-angle coverage to full-frame EOS R-series users. 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.
The new wide-angle lens is designed for use within the expanding family of EOS R full-frame mirrorless cameras, including the upcoming EOS R3, currently in development. Whether you capture stills, video, or like many creatives today – both – this new wide-angle lens from Canon can help elevate users’ content game when capturing images or video in a wide variety of situations, such as landscape, architecture, and travel.
A compact overall design, and extremely modest overall weight of just 1.2 lbs. — along with excellent balance, during hand-held or even gimbal-mounted operation — add to RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM inviting character. A key feature, sure to appeal to many landscape and nature photographers, is this lens’s ability to accept conventional, 77mm screw-in filters. This is especially noteworthy on a lens for full-frame cameras with 14mm ultra-wide coverage. Additionally, the lens’s close-focusing capability is exceptional for an ultra-wide zoom of its type.
Image Stabilization further enhances the RF14-35mm’s appeal for low-light still imagery, and for steady yet striking wide video footage. Up to 5.5 stopsi of optical Image Stabilization is built-in, and Coordinated IS with cameras such as the EOS R6 and EOS R5 delivers up to 7 stopsii of shake-correction. This can mean sharper hand-held images in low light, even at extremely slow shutter speeds.
The Canon RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM lens features a bright, constant f/4 maximum aperture, L-Series optical construction — highlighted by three UD-glass elements, and three Aspherical elements — and many of the company’s most advanced proprietary lens coatings, including Sub-wavelength Structure Coating (SWC) and Air Sphere Coating (ASC). These superb lens coatings help minimize ghosting and flaring. 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. Additional features of the Canon RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM include:
- Compact design — Approximately 1.2 lbs. in weight.
- Minimum focusing of 7.9 inches at all focal lengths and a maximum magnification of 0.38x at 35mm zoom setting.
- Optical Image Stabilizer with up to 5.5 stopsi of shake correction.
- Up to 7 stopsii of shake correction when paired with Canon EOS R series cameras that feature In-Body Image Stabilizer (IBIS).
- High speed, smooth and quiet autofocus with Canon’s Nano USM.
- Control Ring for direct setting changes of aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed and exposure compensation.
- Superb dust and weather-resistance on par with other Canon L-series lenses.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM lens is scheduled to be available in August 2021 for an estimated retail price of $1,699.00*. For additional information, please visit usa.canon.com.About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.4 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2020† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2020. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.# # #
†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
*Specifications, availability and prices are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.
[i] Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Associations) standards. Testing performed at focal length of 35mm, using the EOS R camera.
[ii] Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Associations) standards. Testing performed at focal length of 35mm, using the EOS R5 camera.