Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Review (insane bargain, Optical Limits)

Here is a Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM review by one of the most respected technical experts. This seems to be a cute little gem of a lens at a bargain price. Kudos Canon.

Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM at a glance:

• RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
• Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22
• One Aspherical Element
• Super Spectra Coating
• STM Stepping AF Motor
• Customizable Control Ring
• Rounded 7-Blade Diaphragm

Optical Limits (former photozone.de) posted their Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM review and technical analysis. From their conclusion (emphasis mine):

The Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM is a lens with many facets. It comes down to where you come from and what you want. For instance, if you own an EOS R3 or R6, it’s a decent ultra-wide prime lens – because, at 20 megapixels, even a Coke bottle is sharp enough. Well, almost. While on an EOS R5 and 45 megapixels, you don’t really want to look at the image corners. It is, of course, also worth noting that this is the cheapest, fast ultra-wide prime ever released from a genuine manufacturer. Even when ignoring all quality concerns, it’s dirt cheap for what it is. If you can’t afford the real thing, having a 16mm ultra-wide lens is better than having none at all.

[…] you may argue that you get what you pay for but this isn’t really true. A 16mmm f/2.8 for this kind of money is an insane bargain even with the mentioned limitations. Just don’t expect Mercedes quality for a Lada price tag.

See the review and samle pics and test charts at Optical Limits

The Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM sells at $299:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, 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

All Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM coverage is listed here.

Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Overview

Ultra-wide field of view mixed with a compact and portable design, the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM is a sleek everyday wide-angle prime. Blending a compact, lightweight design with a bright maximum aperture, this rectilinear ultra-wide comes in handy when photographing interiors and architectural subjects, as well as broad landscape views and astrophotography scenes.

Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Overview

Ultra-wide field of view mixed with a compact and portable design, the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM is a sleek everyday wide-angle prime. Blending a compact, lightweight design with a bright maximum aperture, this rectilinear ultra-wide comes in handy when photographing interiors and architectural subjects, as well as broad landscape views and astrophotography scenes.

• Sleek ultra-wide-angle prime is designed for use with full-frame Canon RF-mount mirrorless digital cameras.
• Bright f/2.8 maximum aperture suits working available lighting conditions, helps control depth of field, and contributes to a sleek form factor.
• One aspherical element helps control distortion and promotes a high degree of sharpness.Super Spectra Coating has been applied to minimize flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions.
• STM stepping motor offers fast, quiet, smooth, and accurate autofocus performance that is ideal for video recording as well as still shooting.
• Minimum focusing distance of 5.1″, along with a maximum magnification of 0.26x, makes this a unique option for close-up shooting while retaining great depth of field.
• Configurable Control Ring can be used to adjust a variety of exposure settings, including aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation.
• Rounded seven-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh quality.