Good news, everyone. Depending on when you’re reading this, we’ve reviewed every single Canon RF L lens. And if we haven’t done so yet, then we will soon. We’ve thoroughly field tested these lenses and rounded them up in this Canon RF L Lens Guide. Trying to figure out which lens you want? Take a look!
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed in these roundups. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
How to Use This Canon RF L Lens Guide
Here’s some insight into who we chose the best super telephoto lens options for Canon cameras.
- Please check out our Editorial Policies. They forbid us from including products we haven’t reviewed within these specially formatted features. With that in mind, you should know we’ve done full field reviews of every single one of these products. What’s more, the sample images and the product images were shot by our staff. All of these round ups were done with our actual knowledge and real world experience.
- This Canon RF L Lens Guide contains only Canon L lenses for Canon RF mount cameras.
- The lenses in this Canon RF L Lens Guide are weather-resistant. Canon reserves this feature only for their L lenses as of 2022.
- Photographing birds? This Canon RF L Lens Guide has lenses that can help. What about sports? These lenses will help there too, and we’ve used them for a lot of that style of photography.
- Canon RF prime lenses have two, sometimes three main control rings. One is for programmable functions, another is for focusing, and yet another could be for some special function that’s inherent to the lens.
- There are also links to our full reviews to supplement the quotes here. We recommend our full reviews to determine whether these lenses are you for.
- The best Canon RF prime lenses here are sharp, but not clinical. If you don’t want the clinical look some other brands offer, reach for Canon lenses.
- These lenses have a red ring around the front and are affectionately called their Luxury lenses. Weather resistance helps with durability over the long-run, even if you’re not going into inclement weather.
- These lenses tend to be heavy, at least that’s the case with the “L” lenses.
- Canon RF lenses have a few rings: there’s a zoom ring if it’s a zoom lens, a focusing ring, and a control ring. Some folks like to make the control ring manipulate the aperture setting.
- The joke is that the L stands for luxury. But it’s really just their highest end glass.
- In the higher end, Canon has traditionally put an emphasis on zoom lenses over prime lenses. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have great primes!
- Canon RF lenses are typically big and heavy. But, Canon is doing things no one else is. Innovation comes at a cost!
- Canon RF lenses render beautiful image quality. It’s seriously hard to beat!
Canon Lens Nomenclature
Lots of products featured within this Canon RF L Lens Guide have different designations in them. So we’re summarizing what those mean:
- L: Top of the line lens. The joke is that it means “luxury.” On the exterior, they’re characterized by a red ring around the top. But they’re also weather resistant and feature better technology inside.
- IS: Image stabilization.
- USM: Ultrasound Motor. This is different from Canon’s STM motors often found in their more affordable lenses.
- DS: A rare term used by Canon. It means defocus smoothing.
- Macro: This means that the lens focuses extremely closely.
Canon Rf 14-35mm f4 L IS USM
PROS
- Compact and lightweight
- Weather-sealed
- 5 stops of stabilization, 7 with IBIS bodies
- Extra control ring
- Beautiful color
- Close focusing capabilities
CONS
- $1,699
- Some correction needed for RAW files for barrel distortion and vignetting
- Control rings can be hard to differentiate at first
In our review, we state:
I wasn’t expecting such a wide-angle lens to be able to get in close. The Canon RF 14-35mm f4 L can focus as close as 7.9 inches from the focal plane. Adding in the length of the lens, you can get quite close. The close-up ability made this lens very fun to use. I could easily switch from landscape to close-up type shots.
Canon RF 15-35mm f2.8 L Is USM
PROS
- Five stops of image stabilization that works really well
- Plenty of weather sealing
- Wonderful overall build quality
- Focuses very quickly
- Images are ridiculously sharp
- Great color reproduction
- Silky smooth manual focus ring
CONS
- A fair amount of vignetting at f2.8 and set to 15mm
- A little more distortion than we would like to see, but easily fixed in post
- The zoom ring is just a little too stiff
- The price is up there with other RF mount glass ($2,299)
- While the build quality is great, the plastic feels a little cheap
- No gap between the zoom and focusing rings means you’ll turn the wrong one often
In our review, we state:
There are just two options for the image stabilization: on or off. For the most part you will want to leave it on unless you’re on a tripod, in which case I recommend turning it off. The image stabilization is excellent on the Canon RF 15-35mm f2.8, and you’ll find the lens easy to get sharp images with even at low shutter speeds. The IS, of course, makes the glass easy to use in low light situations as well. Canon has some of the best lens stabilization around, and this lens gives us another excellent example of Canon’s IS technology.
Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM
Pros
- Fast-focusing abilities
- Sharp image quality
- Very lightweight
- Built incredibly well
- Well balanced and smaller than the Sony G Master
- Image stabilization
- Fairly priced
Cons
In our review, we state:
While the Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM has beautiful bokeh, it isn’t as good as other lenses in the Canon lineup. This is because of the nature of what this lens is. The bokeh is sweet enough for most uses. Portrait photographers will surely appreciate it, and photojournalists will be more than happy with it. The bokeh is creamy at the longer end but hazier at the shorter end.
Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM
Pros
- Nice image quality
- Fast focusing abilities
- Fantastic image stabilization
- Weather sealing that’s very good
- Fairly portable
Cons
- I really think Canon would have hit this out of the park if they just made it a 24-120mm f4 lens like Nikon has. That also would have made it more appealing.
- I’d love to be able to lock the lens at various focal lengths.
In our review, we state:
I think the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM is a great lens. Considering that this used to be my bread and butter lens for years when I was a DSLR owner, I’m pleasantly content with the latest version. It’s almost impossible to get a blurry shot due to camera shake. I pretty much never got one. Then there is the weather sealing, the fast focus, etc. I can’t really find fault with the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM.
Canon RF 28-70mm f2 L USM
Pros
- Beautiful image quality
- Very sharp
- The fastest full-frame zoom lens with a practical range on the market
- Weather sealing
- Built incredibly well
- It got even better with the latest firmware update
Cons
In our review, we state:
The Bokeh of the Canon 28-70mm f2 L USM is very creamy on the longer end and hazy enough to still be gorgeous on the shorter end. With an f2 aperture, you get a full stop more of extra bokeh than you would from competing lenses. Combine this with an off-camera flash and what you have is a subject that really stands out against the background due to the effects of the nine aperture blades. This is going to be very important to portrait photographers and documentary style shooters. Those who wish to isolate elements of a scene will appreciate the f2 aperture. If you also want to keep your ISO down, f2 gives you a lot of extra light.
Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM
Pros
- Gorgeous bokeh
- Weather sealing
- Pretty fast autofocus, much faster than the DSLR versions
- Build quality is solid
- The textured, matte feel is nice
- The control ring around the lens feels like an organic aperture ring
- People simply look good with this lens attached
Con
- Expensive, but when you consider what this lens is, then it makes sense
- Though it sort of isn’t needed, image stabilization would have been nice due to the size
In our review, we state:
Look at that bokeh. It’s simply beautiful. Combine this with the micro contrast this lens offers and you’re guaranteed gorgeous photos.
Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM
PROS
- It’s small
- See above
- Beautiful bokeh
- Pretty close focusing
- Nice, sharp images
- Fast-focusing and tracking
- Weather sealing
CONS
- The tripod collar is too large for its own good. Rotating it will only guarantee that it gets in the way of using the lens
- The control ring should probably be closer to the front of the lens, but we’re not sure how many folks are using it
In our review, we state:
One of the best things about the Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM is the image quality. By and large, I wouldn’t consider this to be a lens about pixel peeping. However, it’s still very sharp if that’s what you’re aiming for. The lens has a character I’ve only ever seen in Canon lenses. Besides the beautiful bokeh, you’ll also be very happy with the colors it renders.
Canon RF 70-200mm f4 L
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Weather-sealed
- Stabilized
- Solid sharpness and color
- Little aberration
- About 2-foot minimum focus distance throughout the zoom range
- More affordable than the f2.8 version at around $1,599
Cons
- Some corner softness at 70mm
- Vignetting at 200mm
In our review, we state:
While Canon’s f4 variant of the Mirrorless 70-200mm doesn’t deliver the same bokeh as a 2.8, the lens boasts a similar level of sharpness and lack of aberration. It delivers that pro-level quality, without quite so much bokeh, in a smaller, more affordable package.
Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L
Pros
- Ultra-fast aperture
- Snappy autofocus
- Razor-sharp
- Excellent image quality
- Robust weather sealing
Cons
- Lacks image stabilization
- Heavy (hope you’ve been doing those bicep curls!)
- Slight vignetting when wide open
In our review, we state:
The Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM is one of the best 85mm lenses I’ve ever used, and between reviewing cameras and lenses for The Phoblographer and photographing headshot clients, I’ve used a hell of a lot of lenses. Sure, it’s bulky and weighs a ton, but boy are the resulting images worth lugging the lens around. Portrait photographers will appreciate the f1.2 aperture–especially if you miss that from the old Canon EF lenses.
Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM DS
Pros
- Superb image quality
- Bright maximum aperture
- Gorgeous bokeh
- Autofocuses quickly
- Tack sharp
- Robust weather sealing
Cons
- Hefty
- Not stabilized
- Pricey
In our review, we state:
When we reviewed the Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM, we absolutely loved the quality of the bokeh the lens produced. With the DS variant, Canon cranked the bokeh dial all the way up to 11. The Defocus Smoothing coatings that Canon applied to the RF 85mm f1.2 L USM DS gradually reduce the amount of light passing through the lens from the center outward to the periphery.
Canon RF 100mm f2.8 L Macro IS USM
PROS
- Great stabilization
- Lots of character
- Fun flare
- SA dial is like a built-in mist filter
- Can be super sharp or nice and soft
CONS
- Oversized
- Autofocus is solid, but the hit rate drops when photographing moving macro.
Canon RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Pros
- Pretty light
- Fast-focusing
- Image stabilization is awesome
- Nice colors
- Gorgeous bokeh
- Super sharp
Cons
- Expensive
- F7.1 max aperture at the long end
In our review, we state:
As stated before, the autofocus here is fantastic. Part of this is thanks to the work Canon has done to improve their autofocus. Better yet, it’s impressive on both the Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS R5. With the Canon EOS R, I was able to track the face of a woman walking all the way down the other side of my block. Every shot was sharp. That’s truthfully all any modern photographer can ask for.
Canon RF 400mm f2.8 L IS USM
Pros
- Great bokeh
- Beautiful color with little aberration
- Excellent autofocus
- Lots of physical controls
- A bit more manageable than the larger 600mm
Cons
In our review, we state:
To bring super telephotos to the RF mount quickly, Canon reused the optical design from the EF 400mm f2.8 IS III USM. It shares enough qualities of the EF mount lens that owners of the older optic who are switching to mirrorless will want to see how well the EF lens focuses on the RF camera before considering RF mount. While this lens doesn’t offer any dramatic new technologies, Canon is adding more full-frame mirrorless super telephotos at a faster rate than Nikon or Sony.
Canon RF 600mm f4 L IS USM
Pros
- Amazing soft backgrounds
- Solid autofocus
- Bright aperture
- Great stabilization
- Rich colors
- Minimal aberration and distortion
- Weather-sealed
Cons
- Heavy and large (but not the heaviest or largest)
- Not quite as sharp as shorter L glass
- $13K at Adorama
In our review, we state:
The Canon RF 600mm f4 is the kind of lens that produces backgrounds so soft, it looks as if it’s a solid color. The super-telephoto focal length mixed with the brighter aperture makes distant subjects pop. The focus is also solid considering how large the lens is. However, it’s heavy and large, and $13,000.
Canon RF 800mm f5.6 L IS USM
Pros
- Super sharp
- Lovely melted backgrounds
- Exceptional reach for wildlife photography
- Actually possible to use handheld
- Weather-sealed
- Lots of controls
Cons
- It’s heavy
- It’s $13k
- The AF limiter switch is needed for the most speed and accuracy.
In our review, we state:
The Canon RF series has only been around for a few years, yet they’ve managed to create an impressive super telephoto reach with the RF 800mm f5.6 L. While it’s not the only 800mm (Nikon has one in Z mount), it’s a rare focal length to find. But, what’s more impressive is that this 800mm, this nearly seven pound lens, can be shot handheld.
Canon RF 1200mm f8 L IS USM
PROS
- Beautiful images
- Awesome reach
- Lots of bokeh to be had
- Good character coming from that reach and the occasional flare
- Great stabilization
CONS
- It’s more than seven pounds and nearly two feet long
- A $20k price point
- The f8 means using higher ISOs (not an issue on the R3, but could be on other camera bodies)
In our review, we state:
The Canon RF 1200mm f8 L captured some of my best wildlife photography yet. While it’s an f8 lens, the 1200mm focal length delivers sharp subjects that melt away into, yes, incredible bokeh. Despite the f8, backgrounds melt like butter. While higher ISOs are needed on the right camera body, those higher ISOs are no big deal. Stabilization is even good enough to handhold this lens, just not for long periods. As an L series lens, the Canon RF 1200mm is also weather-sealed and built to last.
The Phoblographer may receive affiliate compensation for products purchased using links in this blog post.
Leave a Reply