Canon announces new RF mount lens, the RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM lens, the brand’s first non-professional-grade lens

On 12 September 2024, Canon announced a new lens for the EOS R mirrorless camera system. One of the pioneers in the world of cameras, Canon is now presenting its latest RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM lens. This new RF mount lens has now intrigued Canon fans with the possibilities that the lens might present. The new lens is the brand’s first non-professional-grade lens, the first of its kind.

Now let’s have a walkthrough of the features and specifications of the RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM lens.

First of all, as the name suggests, the mentioned lens is a ‘constant aperture zoom lens providing a maximum aperture of f/2.8. It offers a focal length of 28-70mm. Adding on to it is the compact nature of the lens, which is also quite lightweight and thus portable. The lens weighs about 495g and is 9.22 cm long. It is 45% lighter than the RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM, a lens that can be considered a professional-grade counterpart.

You can pair the lens with APS-C cameras, and use it as a standard zoom lens for everyday scenes, or product shoots and portraits. In doing so, you will work on a full-frame equivalent effective focal range of 44.8mm to 112mm.

With this lens, you can freeze your frames which are precious to you, even in low light. Furthermore, you can achieve the bokeh effect (dreamy shallow focus), irrespective of whether you are shooting at a wide focal length of 28mm or close-ups with 70mm.

The lens is further bestowed with a powerful built-in Optical Image Stabilizer. If you use the lens with a camera not possessing an In-Body Image Stabilizer (In-Body IS), this lens will allow you to capture sharp, steady images even with 5.5 stops and slower shutter speeds. EOS R8 is an example of a camera without an In-Body IS. On the other hand, with cameras possessing an In-Body IS, like the EOS R6 Mark II, you can shoot up to 7.5 stops slower. The lens also supports Movie Digital IS while shooting videos. This allows you to record smooth, steady handheld footage without any tripod or gimbal support.

Although the RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM is not an L-series lens, it replicates durability and shock resistance characteristics which are equivalent to an L-series lens.

Below mentioned are some more specifications of the lens.