Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS Hands-on Review

Here is a Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS hands-on review. The Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS was announced last week along with the Canon EOS R6 Mark II.

At a glance:

• RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
• Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
• Nano USM AF System
• Optical Image Stabilizer
• Ultra-Low Dispersion Elements
• Air Sphere Coating
• Lens Function Buttons and Control Ring
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

DPReview posted their Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS hands-on review (using a pre-production model). They also published a sample photos gallery. An excerpt:

[the] field of view is great for medium-distance photographs and its maximum aperture allows photojournalists and sports photographers alike to isolate their subject matter more so than something like a 70–200mm F2.8 lens could. It’s F1.8 aperture also helps in low-light environments, such as dimly-lit basketball courts, hockey arenas and the like, where you otherwise have to crank the ISO up to noisy levels.

Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS world wide preorders:

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Here is a short introduction to the lens:

Perfect Portrait Prime

Pairing a medium-telephoto focal length with an extremely bright maximum aperture, the Canon RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM offers an engaging mixture of high sharpness and shallow depth of field, making it an ideal choice for portrait subjects. Benefitting this desirable combination is an advanced L-series optical design, robust and weather-sealed construction, and fast AF along with dependable image stabilization for intuitive use.

L Series Optics

• Impressively bright f/1.8 maximum aperture affords extensive control over depth of field for selective focus applications and also benefits working in low-light situations.
• Three ultra-low dispersion elements control a variety of aberrations in order to achieve high sharpness, clarity, and accurate color rendering.
• Both Air Sphere and Super Spectra Coatings improve image quality by maintaining high contrast and color accuracy while reducing lens flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions.
• Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh quality.

Nano USM Autofocus and Image Stabilization

• Nano USM delivers fast, accurate, and near silent autofocus performance to benefit both photo and video applications.
• Customizable Lens Function buttons on the barrel permit intuitive tactile control and rapid access to shooting settings.
• Benefitting handheld and monopod-based shooting, Optical Image Stabilization compensates for 5.5 stops of camera shake, or up to 8 stops if paired with in-body image stabilization, for sharper imagery.

Robust Design and Intuitive Handling

• Weather-sealed design for reliable use in inclement conditions.
• Fluorine coating on front element helps repel moisture, dust, and fingerprints and is also easier to clean.
• Configurable Control Ring can be used to adjust a variety of exposure settings, including aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation.