What’s happening with third-party lenses for the RF mount?

[Canon Rumors Guy]

A lot of people are asking when we’re going to see the big third party manufacturers like SIGMA and Tamron enter the RF market. Canon’s L offerings, while terrific across the board are definitely at the high-end of cost in most cases.
This is where SIGMA and Tamron have fit in over the last few years for EF, terrific performance for a fraction of the cost. Both SIGMA and Tamron also have unique offerings for Canon EF shooters, and we probably want that to be the case for the RF mount as well.
SIGMA
SIGMA CEO Kazuto Yamaki hinted at the development of RF mount lenses in a recent article saying “which is why our short‑term strategy indeed involves a possibility of introducing lenses with new mounts – to such photography systems as Nikon Z or Canon EOS R.” I would go as far to say that R&D on the RF mount has already begun at SIGMA.
What I don’t think we’ll see from SIGMA is just mount conversions of...

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[Konachu]

I have the TTartisan 11mm f/2.8 fisheye for RF also. Good fun cheap lens.

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

I have the TTartisan 11mm f/2.8 fisheye for RF also. Good fun cheap lens.

Thanks, I added it to the list.

 

[navastronia]

While only Samyang/Rokinon offers them right now, I think that with MILC largely eliminating the difference in autofocus accuracy between native and 3rd party glass, there's never been a stronger reason to invest in these cheaper lenses.

 

[trulandphoto]

Continue reading...

The Lensbaby Trio 28mm f/3.5 also comes in RF mount.

 

[iamTTboy]

I am hoping for a RF version of the Tamron 17-35 2.8-4 that will be more compact, otherwise the EF is still pretty good

 

[noncho]

Basically all 3rd party lenses ready for Sony E can easily come for RF.
Samyang 45 1.8 and 75 1.8 for example.
Or the compact Tamron 2.8 zoom lenses.

P.S. + Sigma 85 1.4 DN

 

[jolyonralph]

I think we may end up needing a different term to describe RF mounts from third parties if they're not *true* RF (using high speed protocols, with control ring)

Because, as we all know, it's a lot easier just to use the mechanical mount of the RF system but send the 1987 vintage EF protocols to the camera - which Sigma and the other third parties finally understand after quite a long time of getting it almost but not quite right.

I'd call them EF-R lenses, for lenses using the RF mount with EF protocols..

Does it really matter?

I doubt that an 'EF-R' lens would focus as fast as a native RF lens could. They still could be very good lenses, maybe the difference won't be that much in real world use. But I would hesitate to call them true 'RF' lenses.

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

I think we may end up needing a different term to describe RF mounts from third parties if they're not *true* RF (using high speed protocols, with control ring)

Because, as we all know, it's a lot easier just to use the mechanical mount of the RF system but send the 1987 vintage EF protocols to the camera - which Sigma and the other third parties finally understand after quite a long time of getting it almost but not quite right.

I'd call them EF-R lenses, for lenses using the RF mount with EF protocols..

Does it really matter?

I doubt that an 'EF-R' lens would focus as fast as a native RF lens could. They still could be very good lenses, maybe the difference won't be that much in real world use. But I would hesitate to call them true 'RF' lenses.

I don't think so, they are lenses with native RF mounts, I don't care too much about what optical design they use or if they use the EF or RF protocols. Canon's RF 50 f/1.8 is basically a 50-year-old optical design with a few tweaks and updated element types and the control ring. Whether or not they're manual focus or autofocus doesn't really change that. Making up a name like "EF-R" would confuse everyone.

 

[AJ]

Any word on Tokina? Zeiss? Voigtlander?

 

[Stig Nygaard]

From https://alikgriffin.com/list-of-canon-rf-lenses/ I also found:

Yasuhara Anthy 35mm f1.8 Review & Sample Photos | Alik Griffin

The Yasuhara Anthy 35mm f1.8 is a compact full manual full-frame mirrorless lens. With a bright f1.8 aperture the lens is a fantastic choice for low light shooters or portrait shooters that love that…

alikgriffin.com

List of Yasuhara Lenses	Elements	Filter	Check Price
Anthy 35mm f1.8 Review	9/7	52mm	Available

Plus he/they expect more LAOWA / Venus Optics coming soon:

9mm f5.6	14/10	—	coming soon
11mm f4.5	14/10	Ø62mm	coming soon

Viltrox ?:

Lens Name	Elements	Filter Size	Check Price
Viltrox 20mm f1.8	12/9	—	—

 

[dwarven]

I think we may end up needing a different term to describe RF mounts from third parties if they're not *true* RF (using high speed protocols, with control ring)

Because, as we all know, it's a lot easier just to use the mechanical mount of the RF system but send the 1987 vintage EF protocols to the camera - which Sigma and the other third parties finally understand after quite a long time of getting it almost but not quite right.

I'd call them EF-R lenses, for lenses using the RF mount with EF protocols..

Does it really matter?

I doubt that an 'EF-R' lens would focus as fast as a native RF lens could. They still could be very good lenses, maybe the difference won't be that much in real world use. But I would hesitate to call them true 'RF' lenses.

I have the Sigma EF 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM on my R6, and I don't know if it's physically possible to focus faster than that lens does.

 

[navastronia]

I have the Sigma EF 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM on my R6, and I don't know if it's physically possible to focus faster than that lens does.

Yeah, I wonder if the supposedly faster RF protocols aren't a whole lot of marketing smoke.

 

[jvillain]

I had no idea there were that many 3rd party RF lenses available already. Thanks for putting the list together.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

I'm really interested in getting a third-party lense for astro shots as soon as movement restrictions allow me to go to dark sky places. Does anybody have any experience on the following lenses:

Laowa Venus 12mm F2.8 Zero-D
Laowa 15mm F2 FE Zero-D
Samyang RF 14mm F2.8

I'd really appreciate every feedback on either one of these lenses.

I use to own the Sigma EF 20 F1.4 but I wasn't entirely happy with it (not wide enough/ RF Lenses seem to be way sharper & less coma etc.) so I sold and I've searching ever since.

 

[padam]

Does not paint a good picture for aftermarket RF lenses with AF, they will need constant updates.

But I am fine with using adapted EF or Canon RF lenses, they work just fine, I don't see the point of buying into the RF system to use aftermarket glass when the whole point is to have that wider mount diameter with lenses specifically designed for it.

 

[navastronia]

Does not paint a good picture for aftermarket RF lenses with AF, they will need constant updates.

But I am fine with using adapted EF or Canon RF lenses, they work just fine, I don't see the point of buying into the RF system to use aftermarket glass when the whole point is to have that wider mount diameter with lenses specifically designed for it.

3rd parties design glass specifically for RF mount cameras, too.

I have had no issues with my EF Sigma 35/1.4 mounted on an EOS RP with the RF adapter.

I wonder if Alex Barrera's problems with the Samyang AF 85/1.4 have more to do with his R5 than they do the lens, and I have read previously that once the R5 updated to the latest firmware, problems with the Samyang were eliminated. I cannot confirm this with my own experience just yet.

EDIT: many commenters on the video are saying that with version 3 camera firmware, the lens works just fine. It may not be a lens firmware issue at all.

 

[maves]

I can highly reccomend the Kipon offerings. I have the 75/2.4 and its fantastic. A friend of mine has the 35/2.4 and has used it in nationally published commercial architectural photo shoots. I plan on picking up one of them soon too!

They are small and light, yet feel solid. Full metal construction. Styling is very Leica-esque. Image quality is great, and the rendering sharp, but with a nice sense of depth. The only trade off is full manual control and relatively slow max aperture.

 

[TAF]

In his interview, didn't SIGMA CEO Kazuto Yamaki indicate that they are already operating at max capacity? That would suggest they can't introduce a new lens until they either expand capacity - which didn't sound like 'the plan' in the interview; or discontinue a less popular product to free up production capacity.

So it might be a little while. I'm looking forward to a SIGMA ART in RF.

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

In his interview, didn't SIGMA CEO Kazuto Yamaki indicate that they are already operating at max capacity? That would suggest they can't introduce a new lens until they either expand capacity - which didn't sound like 'the plan' in the interview; or discontinue a less popular product to free up production capacity.

So it might be a little while. I'm looking forward to a SIGMA ART in RF.

It'll probably be the latter, there is always dead weight in a lineup.