Canon announced the Nifty Fifty for the EOS R last week, and here is a Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM hands-on review.
Photographer Irene Rudnyktested the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM in the field and compares it with what likely is the top lens for the EOS R system, the RF 50mm f/1.2L (one of the boutique lenses). Please note that images and video were captured on a pre-production model of the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8.
With a price tag of $199 this little lens will sell like hot cakes.
After a series of leaks, Canon announced the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 and RF 70-200mm f/4L IS for the EOS R system, and a new PIXMA printer.
Canon released the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS, and the PIXMA Pro-200 printer. The two lenses are scheduled to be available in early and mid-December 2020 for a suggested retail price of $199 for the RF 50mm f/1.8 and $1,599 for the RF 70-200mm f/4L IS. The Canon PIXMA PRO-200 printer is scheduled to be available later in November 2020 for a suggested retail price of $599.99.
Canon Adds Two RF Lenses And PIXMA PRO Printer Ideal For The Enthusiast Photographer
MELVILLE, NY, November 3, 2020 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the compact and lightweight RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM and the RF50mm F1.8 STM, two completely re-designed RF mount lenses with bloodlines to immensely popular EF models that feature new lens formulas and enhanced elements. Canon is also introducing the PIXMA PRO-200 printer, which is ideal for photography students and graphic designers.
“As Canon began to further build out the company’s RF lens portfolio, the goal in mind was to create advanced lenses, for a variety of experience levels, that also featured a sense of familiarity for longtime Canon users,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “Canon prides itself on being able to uniquely offer both input and output solutions to our customers. We are equally excited to see the images captured with the new lenses, and the prints that are to be created with the new PIXMA PRO-200 printer.”
Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM Lens The Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM lens is ideal for photography enthusiasts ranging from advanced amateur to professional skill levels. The compact and lightweight nature of the lens makes it Canon’s shortest and lightest 70-200mm F4 zoom lens to date. This RF lens is approximately 32 percent shorter and 11 percent lighter than its EF counterpart with a large portion of the lens element arrangement closer to the camera body. This arrangement is designed to provide photographers with a more balanced feel and experience even at the zoom range’s telephoto end. Additionally, the shorter and lighter design allows the lens to more easily be stowed away in a camera bag when not in use.
The RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM features two independent Nano USM motors, providing an even greater level of high-speed autofocus for still image shooting as well as quiet and smooth autofocus for video shooting. The lens also incorporates a floating focus control that drives the two lens groups individually while using the two aforementioned Nano USM motors. The floating focus lens element shortens the focusing distance and helps reduce breathing, providing users with fast, consistent and reliable performance.
Additional Features of The Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM Lens Include:
16 lens elements in 11 groups, including four UD lenses, that help to reduce chromatic aberration
Optical Image Stabilizer with up to 5 Stops[i] of Shake Correction
Up to 7.5 stops[ii] of Shake Correction with coordinated control of Optical Image Stabilizer and In-Body Image Stabilizer
Three stabilizer modes
Customizable control ring that allows photographers to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture, or ISO
12-pin communication system
L-Series dust and weather-resistant build with a fluorine coating
Minimum focusing distance of 1.97 feet and a maximum magnification of 0.28x
Air Sphere Coating (ASC) that helps minimize lens flare and ghosting
Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM Lens Creatives love using a 50mm lens because that focal length is similar to the natural viewpoint of the human field of vision. This perspective allows for the lens to be used in a wide variety of shooting situations, including portraits, landscapes and food photography. What’s more, Canon 50mm f/1.8 lenses have long been a popular tool for both photographers and creators due to their budget-friendly price point, extremely compact and lightweight form factor, and versatility.
The tradition continues with the RF50mm F1.8 STM that, in many ways, is improved over its EF counterpart. The first visually noticeable improvement is the customizable control ring that has become synonymous with RF lenses. The control ring allows photographers to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture, or ISO and with a flip of the side switch can adjust focus. The inclusion of a PMo aspherical lens helps to reduce chromatic aberration and provides high-image quality even at the periphery of the image. Additionally, the combination of the lens shape and Super Spectra Coating (SSC) helps to minimize ghosting and flaring.
Additional Features of The Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM Lens Include:
Six lens elements in five groups
12-pin communication system
Minimum focusing distance of 0.98ft and a maximum magnification of 0.25x
Up to 7 Stops[iii] of Shake Correction with EOS R Series cameras with In-Body Image Stabilizer
Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Printer Continuing a long history of high-quality input to output digital imaging equipment, the PIXMA PRO-200 printer is 15% smaller than its predecessor, the PIXMA PRO-100. With the ability to print up to 13 inches x 19 inches and featuring improved ChromaLife 100+ dye-based ink, the latest PRO printer helps to create prints that are more representative of the original digital file. A helpful tool of the trade for photographers who print work for themselves and graphic artists or photography students working on their portfolios from their homes, the PIXMA PRO-200 printer also features:
A new 3-inch LCD screen to help users set up the printer, connect to WiFi, monitor ink and paper levels for an improved user experience
New Skew Correction feature, which automatically corrects shifts the paper may encounter during printing
Professional print and layout software, which can work as a stand-alone program, or integrated into Adobe® Lightroom® or Photoshop® as a plugin to work within a photographer’s workflow, to help take the guesswork out of making great prints
Vast media support to print on a variety of surfaces such as Canon Photo Paper Pro Luster and Premium Fine Art Rough, as well as the ability to print longer panoramic images in comparison to previous models
Pricing and Availability The Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM, and RF50mm F1.8 STM lenses are scheduled to be available in early and mid-December 2020 for a suggested retail price of $1,599.00 and $199.99, respectively*.
The Canon PIXMA PRO-200 printer is scheduled to be available later in November 2020 for a suggested retail price of $599.99*.
Super-telephoto prime is designed for use with full-frame Canon RF-mount mirrorless digital cameras
Fixed f/11 aperture contributes to the sleek and portable form factor as well as a balanced mixture of depth of field and sharpness
Gapless dual-layer diffractive optics contribute to a marked reduction in chromatic and spherical aberrations as well as benefit the design of a relatively compact and lightweight lens
Retractable/extendable design, with a locking lens barrel, offers an impressively compact form factor considering the super-telephoto design
An Optical Image Stabilizer helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to four stops to better enable working in low-light conditions and with slower shutter speeds
STM stepping motor offers fast, quiet, smooth, and accurate autofocus performance that is ideal for video recording as well as still shooting
Configurable Control Ring can be used to adjust a variety of exposure settings, including aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation
Compatible with optional Extender RF 1.4x and Extender RF 2x teleconverters to further increase the effective focal length.
The Canon RF 85mm f/2 IS STM is one of the less expensive lenses for the RF mount (not a boutique lens). And it has macro functionality.
At a glance:
RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
Maximum Magnification: 1:2
Minimum Focusing Distance: 1.15′
One UD Element
Photography Blog reviewed the Canon RF 85mm f/2 IS STM MACRO lens for the Canon EOS R system, and came away with a rather positive impression. This lens is a no brainer, as well as the upcoming RF 50mm f/1.8 will be, and should be in every EOS R owner’s camera bag. From their conclusion:
The RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is one of the most affordable lenses in the still relatively new Canon full-frame mirrorless system, and thankfully it’s also a great lens to boot.
It’s a very versatile lens, doubling up as both a great 85mm prime for portraits and as a 1:2 magnification macro lens.
Subsequently we think it deserves to find a place in the camera bag of every Canon EOS R owner, especially given the eye-watering size and price of its main rival, the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM.
There’s lots to like in terms of the RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM’s image quality, and very little to complain about.
This lens is sharp almost from the get-go, excellent in the centre and at the edges when shooting wide open at f/2 and outstanding between f/2.8 and f/16.
It’s capable of producing some lovely bokeh effects for what is after all only an f/2 lens, helped by the ability to focus as close as 35cms away from your subject.
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