Canon officially announced the RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 600mm f/4L IS USM

[Canon Rumors Guy]

Canon has officially announced the first professional super-telephoto lenses with the RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 600mm f/4L IS USM. Both of these lenses are pretty much identical to to their EF mount brothers.
Press Release:
The Canon RF400mm F2.8L IS USM and Canon RF600mm F4L IS USM are both designed to be optically identical to their EF counterparts. The RF400mm and RF600mm weigh in at 6.37 and 6.81 pounds with a minimum focusing distance of 8.2 and 13.8 feet, respectively. Both lenses share many of the same critical features that help professional high-end super-telephoto lenses stand out from the crowd. Those features include:

Ideal for a wide variety of shooting situations, including sports, aviation, trains, automotive, and wildlife, such as birding.
Optical Image...

Continue reading...

 

[unfocused]

Continue reading...

Interesting. "Optically identical" to the EF 400 and 600 and actually weigh just a fraction more, despite Canon stating, "weight on these RF-series super-telephotos has been significantly reduced vs. previous-generation Canon super tele designs." Same price as EF too.

 

[sanj]

This is not nice.

 

[antolalto]

Despite being a fan of this decision, it seems absurd to me that Canon decided to produce two lenses that are identical to the versions released in 2018, with no substantial difference.

It would have had more sense to develop a much needed updated version of the 500 f/4, IMHO.

I will wait to see, for the time being I'll keep my 300 II.

 

[Viggo]

Wonder if they did this and a later time will offer mount conversion to get more of the pro crew over to RF bodies...

 

[ChrisBainbridge1]

Interesting. "Optically identical" to the EF 400 and 600 and actually weigh just a fraction more, despite Canon stating, "weight on these RF-series super-telephotos has been significantly reduced vs. previous-generation Canon super tele designs." Same price as EF too.

The pictures do more or less look like the 600 F4 III with an RF mount attached. This is a relief - can stick with my 600 F4 II - which has the same if not slightly better resolution / optical quality than the newer lens. Can save my pennies for the R3 instead.

 

[fox40phil]

Big disappointment for me:

• same weight,
• same far minimum focus distance

but yeah... same price is "ok" ...I was thinking about 15k for complete NEW lenses - but they aren't new at all.

 

[Maximilian]

Rough dimenson comparison leads to same than EF lenses + RF adapter.
Internally they might differ, of course...

Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM
163 x 367 mm
2.890 g
MFD 2,5 m

EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
163 x 343 mm
2840 g
MFD 2,5 m


Canon RF 600mm F4L IS USM
168 x 472 mm
3.090 g
MFD 4,2 m

EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM
Ca. 168 x 448
3.050 g
MFD 4,2 m

 

[Master-H]

One of the advantages of the RF mount is improved communication between camera and lens. I would think that will improve AF speed ?

 

[sanj]

Fail

 

[Deleted member 381342]

They aren't bad lenses, it is just disappointing there wasn't something more to them. The cynic in me says that they are holding back/banking tech for a bigger upgrade for the next Olympics with the R1.

 

[Antono Refa]

Despite being a fan of this decision, it seems absurd to me that Canon decided to produce two lenses that are identical to the versions released in 2018, with no substantial difference.

It would have had more sense to develop a much needed updated version of the 500 f/4, IMHO.

Look at it another way: considering it makes no financial sense to redesign the optics, making an RF 400mm f/2.8 with the same optical design as the EF is a low hanging fruit, why wait until the 500mm f/4 is redesigned?

 

[bichex]

It seems logical to me what canon does. On the one hand they are discontinuing the EF lenses so it is logical that they replace them with the same or better lenses with an R mount. On the other hand Canon seems to be behind Sony. Sony already has 600 F4 and 400 2.8 and already has alpha 1, so Canon wants to avoid bleeding and says we will now have the same lenses and camera as the R3, equivalent or better to alpha 1.
Finally, there are always new buyers of a lens, who will want it with the new frame.
It is clear that it was Sony who promoted the change in technology

 

[JordanCS13]

I think it's a bad look to not even bother incorporating a control ring into it. I'm fine with the decision to re-use the optics, as they really didn't need updating, but it basically being a mount swap (and then making the whole extension silver looks awful) is a bad look. At least offer some mild exterior redesign, with the consistent mount end like every other RF lens, and add a control ring. Right now, this is less functional than the EF version with the control ring adapter.

 

[unfocused]

...It is clear that it was Sony who promoted the change in technology

They get a trophy. Canon gets the money.

 

[unfocused]

...why wait until the 500mm f/4 is redesigned?

When the EF 600 III and 400 III came out, there were expectations that the 500 III would follow shortly. Never happened. I suspect that Canon had the lens already designed and then held back to concentrate on RF lenses. I also suspect that the RF 500 will simply be that EF 500 III in an RF mount just like these lenses.

 

[sanj]

I do not see any reason why owners of these EF lenses should buy this.

 

[sanj]

BUMMER

 

[GMCPhotographics]

Spot the RF place holder lenses....

 

[Skyscraperfan]

I wonder if they will produce a 500mm lens again. Are there really enough people who want 500mm, because 400mm are too wide and 600mm are too narrow for them. 500mm would only be interestng for more people if there was a f/2.8 version, but that one would be very heavy. I expect the 200-500mm f/4 to be a good alternative to a 500mm prime.