Canon launches a world first RF lens – the third addition to its F2.8L trinity series – and a new portrait lens for the RF mount

Canon Europe, world leader in lens manufacturing, launches the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS, delivering on its commitment to introducing six RF lenses for the EOS R System to the market in 2019. Completing Canon’s F2.8L trinity series for the RF mount, the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is the world’s shortest and lightest¹ interchangeable lens with a focal length of 70-200mm f/2.8 for interchangeable lens cameras² with a 35mm Full Frame image sensor. The RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS sits in the new RF line-up as a complementary lens to the RF 85mm F1.2L USM. Sharing the same optical excellence, but with an added Canon unique DS coating, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS does not compromise on quality while achieving the desired soft bokeh look. With its shallow depth of field capabilities, it’s an ideal choice for capturing portrait shots with smooth backgrounds and drawing attention and focus on the subject.

Both lenses join Canon’s innovative RF lens line-up enabling photographers and videographers to capture high-quality still and moving images across all genres – from landscape and architecture, to portrait and nature, or sports and media. Offering incredible quality, durability and versatility there’s now a lens for all photographers – from enthusiasts to professionals – looking to expand their skill set and take stunning shots with the EOS R System in any shooting scenario.

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM – a lighter, shorter and trinity staple lens

Following the announcement of the RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM in August this year, the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM completes Canon’s F2.8L zoom trinity lens series – three kit bag essential RF lenses enabling professionals and enthusiasts to capture subjects in practically any scenario with their large, bright f/2.8 aperture and zoom range.

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is a great example of Canon’s commitment to supporting photographers with kit that helps push creative boundaries, futureproofing their content with the EOS R System. Weighing approximately 1,070g and is 146mm in length at its shortest – that’s around 28 per cent lighter and 27 per cent shorter than the existing EF mount model – photographers have the flexibility to shoot for longer periods of time, comfortably to capture the winning shot. The first RF lens with a white heat shield coating, the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM will perform at a premium high standard whatever the weather.

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is the first Canon lens to support an electronic floating focus control that drives the two lens groups individually with Dual Nano USMs – with this a high degree of quietness, power saving, and high-speed operation is achieved without sacrificing the lens’ compact size.

Equipped with Dual Nano USMs, the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM also achieves high-precision still image AF and smooth movie AF in combination with the EOS R series Dual Pixel CMOS AF. This combination reduces focus breathing for video shooting. Coupled with 5 Stop IS (Image Stabilizer), images will be pin-sharp even when slowing the shutter speed down and in dark scenes – expanding the possibilities for handheld shooting.

The RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS – a picture perfect portrait lens

Retaining the stunning image quality and ease of use of the RF 85mm F1.2L USM, the addition of RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS to Canon’s RF line-up is its response to the variety of portrait photographers’ needs. Combining the large, maximum aperture of f/1.2 and close-up shooting, with a minimum focusing distance of 85cm, with its DS coating the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS achieves greater expression – its dramatic blurring capabilities makes the subject ‘pop’ more than ever before.

This bokeh effect is made possible thanks to Canon’s original DS coating – a vapor-deposited coating technology that has a high transmittance at the center and a low transmittance toward the periphery. Without compromising on quality, the DS coating applied on the front and rear surfaces of the lens softly and smoothly blurs the entire outline of bokeh – not just on one side which is common of similar lenses on the market.

Not only is the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS perfect for portraiture photography, the resulting bokeh effect this lens produces is perfect for achieving the desired ‘cinematic’ look many video content creators, across multiple genres from documentary to film, strive for. Dull, flat talking head videos are a thing of the past and the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS is a RF lens that helps eradicate that.

Lenses which optimise Canon’s optical excellence

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM’s world’s first lens of its category status is made possible with Canon’s innovative new optical design. Utilising a large diameter and short back focus the degree of freedom in lens design, compared to conventional EF lenses, helps achieve exceptionally high image quality. Ensuring images are of premium quality, each aberration is successfully corrected by glass-molded aspherical lenses, UD lenses and Super UD lenses. In addition to this, SWC – a coating that achieves anti-reflectivity reducing flaring and ghosting – is used.

Mirroring the optical excellent standard of the rest of the RF line-up, by combining Canon’s proprietary technologies such as BR³ optics and UD lenses, chromatic aberration is thoroughly suppressed in the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS enabling photographers to also achieve the highest of image quality. With its ASC anti-reflective coating reducing flaring and ghosting and the effective arrangement of ground aspherical lenses, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS, like the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and the rest of Canon’s RF lens line-up, enables professionals and enthusiasts to achieve outstandingly optically excellent images in their desired style.

Designed with professionals and enthusiasts in mind

As with all Canon products the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS have been designed using customer feedback. Both lenses are dust and water-resistant enabling photographers to handle all weather conditions – giving peace of mind that, whatever the scenario, the kit will withstand the pressures and produce optically excellent images.

The highly customisable control ring of the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS makes it possible to assign aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed, and exposure compensation as desired. The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM features, a newly designed compact tripod mount which can be removed with a simple operation, to quickly change the vertical and horizontal framing when using a tripod.

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS will be available from the start of December.

For product information on the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM please visit: https://www.canon-europe.com/lenses/rf-70-200mm-f2-8l-is-usm-lens/.
For product information on the RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS please visit: https://www.canon-europe.com/lenses/rf-85mm-f1-2l-usm-ds-lens/.

RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Key Features:

• World’s shortest and lightest⁴ interchangeable lens with a focal length of 70-200mm f/2.8 for interchangeable lens cameras⁵ with a 35mm Full Frame image sensor – ideal for sports, wildlife and portraits
• Fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range
• 5 Stop IS (Image Stabilizer ) for shake free images
• Fast-focusing with Dual Nano USMs
• L- series quality and weatherproofing

RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS Key Features:

• High-performance 85mm prime lens
• DS Coating for soft, smooth and defocused rendering
• Large f/1.2 aperture
• Customisable control ring – giving direct control over Tv/Av/ISO settings
• L-series quality and weatherproofing

¹ Based on Canon research and as of October 2019
² SLR cameras and mirrorless cameras
³ BR optics (Blue Spectrum Refractive optics) reduce chromatic aberration ensuring the highest image quality
⁴ Based on Canon research and as of October 2019
⁵ SLR cameras and mirrorless cameras