Here Are The Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L IS and RF 1200mm f/8L IS Lenses

RF 1200mm F/8L
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We knew they were coming, here they are: Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L IS and RF 1200mm f/8L IS telephoto lenses.

Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L ISCanon RF 1200mm f/8L IS
  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Fluorite and Super UD Elements
  • Air Sphere and Super Spectra Coatings
  • Ring-Type USM AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Focus Range Limiter, Two Focus Presets
  • Customizable Electronic Focus Ring
  • Weather-Sealed Design, Fluorine Coating
  • Rotating Tripod Collar
  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Fluorite and Super UD Elements
  • Air Sphere and Super Spectra Coatings
  • Ring-Type USM AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Focus Range Limiter, Two Focus Presets
  • Customizable Electronic Focus Ring
  • Weather-Sealed Design, Fluorine Coating
  • Rotating Tripod Collar

Preorders are live, both lenses will be available late May 2022:

Canon press release:

Go Long: Canon Introduces the RF800mm F5.6 L IS USM and RF1200mm F8 L IS USM Super-Telephoto Lenses

The Newest RF Lenses are Ideal for Outdoor Sports, Motor Sports, Wildlife Photography, Photo News Journalism, and More

MELVILLE, NY, February 23, 2022 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to announce that the Canon RF lens family is growing by two, with the addition of the Canon RF800mm F5.6 L IS USM, and the longest focal length RF lens yet, the RF1200mm F8 L IS USM. Both super-telephoto fixed focal length lenses are quite light for their considerable abilities, and share many of the same features such as Super Spectra Coating (SSC) and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) to help minimize ghosting and flaring, compatibility with both the RF1.4x and RF2x extenders and a customizable electronic focusing ring with manual focus capability during Servo AF.

Additional features shared by both lenses include:

  • Two focus presets, with the ability to instantly switch between memorized focus distances
  • Circular nine-bladed aperture providing photographers with exceptionally beautiful and soft blurred backgrounds and bokeh
  • Renowned Canon L-Series durability and construction with dust and water resistance, plus fluorine coating on the front element for easy cleaning
The Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L IS

Canon RF800mm F5.6L IS USM
The RF800mm F5.6 L IS USM weighs in at just 6.9 lbs and features a minimum focusing distance of 8.53ft/2.6 meters — maximum close-up magnification is a superb 0.34x, allowing wildlife image creators to fill the frame with small subjects, such as birds, at its minimum focusing distance. Optical image stabilization is up to 4.5 stops* of shake correction and includes three IS operation modes. When using the RF1.4x or RF2x extenders, users can experience enhanced effective focal lengths of 1,120mm and 1,600mm respectively.

Canon RF1200mm F8 L IS USM
The RF1200mm F8 L IS USM is the most powerful super-telephoto lens in the Canon RF lens line. It weighs in at 7.4 lbs — an outstandingly light figure for a super-tele lens of this type — and features a minimum focusing distance of 14.1ft/4.3m. Optical image stabilization is up to 4.0 stops* of shake correction and, similar to the RF800mm F5.6 L IS USM lens, includes three IS operation modes. When using the RF1.4x or RF2x extenders, users can experience enhanced focal lengths of 1,680mm and 2,400mm, respectively.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon RF800mm F5.6 L IS USM and Canon RF1200mm F8 L IS USM are both scheduled to be available in late May 2022 for an estimated retail price of $16,999.00 and $19,999.00, respectively**. For more information please visit usa.canon.com.

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

Rf 16mm F/2.8 STM Review
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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.

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Canon RF 1200mm f/8L IS Lens Specifications Leaked

Rf 800mm Rf 1200mm
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We expect Canon to announce the RF 1200mm f/8L IS on February 24, 2022, along with other gear. The specifications have already leaked.

Here are the specifications as summed up by digicame-info:

  • It maintains almost the same weight as the RF600mm F4 IS USM.
  • Using two large-diameter fluorite, one super ED lens, and one ED lens, excellent resolution and contrast are achieved from the open. The UD lens is placed in the rear group to suppress the increase in chromatic aberration during close-up photography.
  • Extremely lightweight and highly portable. The front group of the optical system is the same as RF600mm F4L.
  • The shortest shooting distance is 4.3m.
  • Image stabilization for 4 steps of effect. Three IS modes. Mode 1 that always corrects when looking through the viewfinder, mode 2 that supports panning, and mode 3 that corrects only when the shutter is released.
  • Adopts SSC (Super Spectra Coating) and ASC (Air Sphere Coating) to minimize ghosts and flares.
  • It supports 1.4x teleconverters and 2x teleconverters, and can extend the focal length to 1680mm F11 and 2400mm F16.
  • The focus ring can be customized, and 3 types of speed can be selected during MF.
  • With two focus presets, you can quickly recall two focus positions.
  • The aperture blades have nine circular apertures to achieve beautiful bokeh.
  • Dust-proof and drip-proof design, fluorine coating on the front lens.

A PDF with the full description of the RF 1200mm f/8L IS also leaked. Here it is:

Stay tuned for more.

These Might Be The Upcoming Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L IS And RF 1200mm f/8L IS Lense

Rf 800mm Rf 1200mm
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We expect Canon to announce new gear on February 24, 2022. Two new telephoto lenses might be part of the announcement.

On top you can see a small image with the two lenses we now know Canon will announce on 2/24: the Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L IS and RF 1200mm f/8L IS. The image on top, which showed up on Chinese social media after it was leaked by mistake by Canon, even states the date (2/24).

Will there other gear that gets announced on 2/24? Likely. Stay tuned.

[via asobinet]

An Example Of 180° VR Footage Captured With The Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L DUAL FISHEYE

Canon Rf 5.2mm F/2.8L Dual Fisheye
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Here is a showcase of what you can produce with the Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye lens. Even if you don’t have a VR headset you can benefit from the video below.

At a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/16
  • Captures Stereoscopic 3D 180° VR imagery
  • Two Ultra-Low Dispersion Elements
  • Super-Spectra & Sub-Wavelength Coatings
  • Fluorine Coating
  • Weather-Sealed Construction
  • 7-Blade Diaphragm

Experience the video through using a VR headset (for a fully immersive and stereoscopic experience), a mobile device or a computer. Don’t miss the small control wheel on top left. By using it you can move around in the video and change perspective (see image below).

The control wheel

An inspirational story captured by VR Director, Mary Matheson and Director of Photography, Richard Stegmann, and posted by Canon Europe. Enjoy.

You can order the Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye at $1,999: B&H Photo and Adorama. World-wide orders:

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

Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L hands-on videos can be found here. More about the lens after the break.

rf 5.2mm f/2.8L
The RF 5.2mm dual fisheye on a Canon EOS R5
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Canon Patent: 200-500mm f/4 and 300-800mm f/8 Lenses

Canon Patent
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A new Canon patent was spotted. The patent refers to two super zoom lenses. Again, as it seems, for the RF mount

Canon patent application 2022/0035144 (USA) discusses optical formulas for a 200-500mm f/4 lens and a 300-800mm f/8 lens. Other lenses discussed in the patent literature are 200-400mm f/4 and 150mm f/5 – 600mm f/6.5. These too might be for the RF mount.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 206.00-485.01
  • F value: 4.09-4.10
  • Half angle of view: 6.00-2.55
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Overall length: 486.99
  • Back focus: 53.96

Example 3

  • Focal length: 154.55-585.00
  • F value: 5.10-6.51
  • Half angle of view: 7.97-2.12
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Overall length: 288.00-388.00
  • Back focus: 15.00-95.75

Example 4

  • Focal length: 205.00-390.00
  • F value: 4.10
  • Half angle of view: 6.02-3.18
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Overall length: 367.09
  • Back focus: 46.68

Example 5

  • Focal length: 305.00-774.99
  • F value: 8.09-8.10
  • Half angle of view: 4.06-1.60
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Overall length: 489.78
  • Back focus: 100.04

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

[via asobinet.com]