Canon Launches RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM Wide-angle Zoom Lens

[Tim Mayo]

Canon has just launched their latest RF lens and this time it's the RF 14-35mm F4 L IS USM wide-angle zoom lens.



The lens is scheduled to be available in August 2021 with a lofty price tag of $1,699.00 (US) or £1,749.00 (UK). What do you think to the price? Is this reasonable for an F4 lens?

Pre-orders have already started (affiliate links)

• B&H Photo (US)
• Adorama (US)
• Wex Photo (UK)
• Park Cameras (UK)

A few YouTube videos worth watching:

Canon's product page for the lens:
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...m/rf14-35mm-f4-l-is-usm/rf14-35mm-f4-l-is-usm


Full Specs:

• Focal Length: 14-35mm
• Maximum and Minimum Aperture: F4-F22 (at all zoom settings)
• Lens Mount Type: RF Mount; Metal Mount
• Minimum Focusing Distance: 7.9 in. (0.2m), at all zoom settings
• Maximum Magnification: 0.38x, at 35mm zoom setting
• Angle of View (Diagonal): 114°00' – 63°00'
• Lens Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups Special Elements: Three UD-glass elements, three Aspherical elements, includes one UD Aspherical lens element Lens Coating: Canon SSC (Super Spectra Coating), Canon SWC (Sub-wavelength Structure Coating), Canon ASC (Air Sphere Coating), Fluorine coating on front surface of front element
• Filter Size Diameter: Ø77mm
• Aperture Blades: 9; circular shape
• Lens Switches: AF/MF switch, Stabilizer ON/OFF switch
• Dust/Water Resistance: Weather-resistant seals at lens mount, switches, zoom ring, focus ring, and Control Ring Focusing System: Nano USM; rear focusing system
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF Coverage: EOS R5, R6 - approx. 100% horizontal and vertical. EOS R, RP - approx. 88% (horizontal) x 100% (vertical)
• Full-time Manual Focusing: Yes (One-Shot AF only)
• Control Ring: Yes. Click-stops provided (60 clicks/full revolution). Click stops can be removed by Canon service facility, for a service fee.
• IS Mode Selection: None (automatic panning detection provided)
• Optical Image Stabilization: Provided. 5.5 stops optical IS correction with EOS R and RP. Conforms to CIPA test standards, using EOS R Coordinated IS (with EOS R5, R6): Up to 7 stops Coordinated IS correction. Conforms to CIPA test standards, using EOS R5
• Maximum Outer Diameter x Length: Approx. ø3.3 in. x 3.9 in. (approx. ø84.1mm x 99.8mm). Minimum length at approx. 22mm zoom position. Maximum length at 35mm zoom position - approx. 4.25 in. / 107.9mm
• Weight: Approx. 1.2 lb. (approx. 19.0 oz. / 540g)

 

[GordonM]

Still not sure how the price differential between $1699 (£1231) & £1749 is justified?

 

[Tim Mayo]

Still not sure how the price differential between $1699 (£1231) & £1749 is justified?

The US prices are always without local taxes added. If you take the 20% VAT off £1749 you are now down to £1399. But yep we do still always seem to pay a little more.

 

[Hali]

I'm pretty excited about that, when I got out a lot to do astro I wouldn't have been interested in an f/4 lens like that. Now that I've gotten lazy I might add that to my RF collection, if there isn't a bad infrared hot spot, which many of the f/4 lenses don't. In the US for $1699.00 and the 2.8 version is $2168.00 Not a huge difference but with tax it adds up.

 

[dmiller68]

Well I would have thought it would have been around $1000, but it is a $1000 cheaper then the 2.8 version. This allows them to release a 4.0-7.1 14-35 version in the $800 price range.

 

[GordonM]

The US prices are always without local taxes added. If you take the 20% VAT off £1749 you are now down to £1399. But yep we do still always seem to pay a little more.

Equally if you add 20% to £1231 (the US $ price without tax) it’s still around £400 higher…

 

[Ed Cordes]

Seems like a lot of $$ to me. Is it that much better than my adapted 16-35 F4 L?

 

[edt]

Seems like a lot of $$ to me. Is it that much better than my adapted 16-35 F4 L?

Ed,
yes, if you buy it--it's much better for Canon, lol! I have an EF16-35 too, and I'm thinking if I keep it it's much better for me! the RF does have a wider field of view but my EF16-35 is excellent too...at least that's my current thinking. subject to change any time GAS strikes!
Ed

 

[DrQandil]

Well I would have thought it would have been around $1000, but it is a $1000 cheaper then the 2.8 version. This allows them to release a 4.0-7.1 14-35 version in the $800 price range.

You are right, i expected a lower price, an much lower price, no more than a $1000! Disappointed and a little sad.

 

[Jake Shoots Birds]

Just received mine yesterday evening. Was it expensive? Yes. But considering that I'm a recent convert after a decade of shooting Nikon, when I consider the sum total of what I've spent to have an effective 14-700mm focal distance range in a footprint that fits in a messenger bag, I'm quite happy. If I wanted 14mm with Nikon I had to use rear-loaded filters, which would be fine if I had that option for others. Yet here my 77mm Lee set works just fine.

I'll post some images as I get things worth sharing, but I'm completely happy with the edge to edge, corner to corner sharpness I'm seeing on my R5.