We have mentioned that we won't be reporting on a couple of the most requested prime lenses for the RF mount until we have information we're 100% confident in, but there are a few reports on the topic making their way around the web.
It's rumored that Canon will announce 4 fast L prime wide angle primes in the first half of 2024. Some of these lenses have been on our roadmap for quite some time, but we eagerly wait just like the rest of you.
Rumored RF Lenses
- Canon RF 14mm f/1.4L USM
- Canon RF 24mm f/1.4L IS USM
- Canon RF 28mm f/1.4L IS USM
- Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L IS USM
Yes, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.2L USM has been rumored, but the reports seem to go back and forth between f/1.2 and f/1.4. It doesn't make much of a difference in our eyes, but the “f/1.2” would be a nicer marketing touch.
The Camera Insider also reports that there will be some new technology in at least one these lenses, but no mention of what that might be.
We have zero confirmation about any of these lenses, so please treat this report accordingly.
Source: The Camera Insider
Then it's down to paying twice as much for the RF version than the EF version and an adaptor.
I think, the rumored FLs seem obvious, especially the classical 24, 28, 35.
The EF 14mm was not so good...
While a lot of guys are patiently waiting the RF35L, the most critical here in terms of optical and technical update is the EF 24mm f1.4II L.
The mk1 was quite soft and the mkII brought it's optical formular and technology to the level of the EF 35mm mk1. When the EF 35mm f1.4 mkII was released, there wasn't a mkIII of the EF 24L...and the mkII is really dated in terms of it's optics and coatings.
The RF14mm f1.4 L is a suprise (and an astro dream lens) and certainly a lens that I'd like to try out.
I only hope these WAs won't be "comatose" and fully usable for astro-photography.
I dunno. Why IS in these lenses? They did not put it in the 50 and 85 1.2 where it would have made more sense. I use those 2 and I am not missing ILIS, so I am sure that IBIS would be fine for wider primes.
I am all for having more options and the 14 f/1.4 does intrigue me. The 24 and 28 much less so, unless the 35 will indeed be 1.4, in which case I may avoid it out of spite :)
And yes, spite. It's my hobby, my passion, my money, so Canon gets my business only if I like their offerings. No need to discuss, you're not going to change my mind.
In the meantime, I am patiently waiting for the 10-20 and 200-800 I have ordered to ship....
Nikon eventially released their version after a long wait...and just after it was launched, Canon dropped the worlds first 24-70mm f2.8 (which we all take for granted). Again, this became a massive long time big seller for Canon. Nikon users were "happy" with their 28-70/2.8 (which was a fine lens). A lot of Nikon users got used to the 28mm view point as being their wide option. Back then no one bothered with UWA lenses...you had to be wealthy or had a very specific photographic need for a 16-35mm lens.
Nikon eventually released their 24-70/2.8 and with their recently adopted CMOS sensors...a lot of wedding photographers jumped ship because this new Nikon lens was a lot sharper at 70mm than the Canon version. Nikon didn't have many super fast primes (unlike Canon who had 24mm f1.4, 35mm f1.4, 50mm f1.2, 85mm f1.2 and 135mm f2.0 options). The only fast primes they had were the 28mm f1.4 (see a common trend there), a 50mm f1.4 and an 85mm f1.4. There wer fine lenses but their AF was very dated and slow compared to the far more modern lenses that Canon already head. Around 2008, Nikon launched a range of f1.4 glass to match Canon's offerings.
In Nikon world, there's a lot of photographers who like the 28mm perpective. In the Canon world a lot of mediochre consumer zoom lenses started at 28mm. So this particular view point wasn't generally as appreciated as it was in the Nikon linage. So i don't think there will be a lot of Canon enthusiasts picking up the new RF 28mm f1.4. Especially if they already have a suite of fast EF primes. But if you are a Nikon enthusuast who's about to re-transistion back to Canon...it makes a lot of like for like trading sense.
For years I used a EF 28-135mm f5.6 IS and was really happy with 28mm as my widest option. It wasn't until I started to shoot weddings that I bought a 24-70 f2.8 L and realised just how useful those extra 4mm were on a standard f2.8 zoom. In the early days of digital (I had a new 300D) I bought the first copy of the Sigma 12-24mm f5.6 HSM in the county...on my Eos 33 film camera it was OMG wide. On my 300D...it was nice and wide! When the 5D finally dropped, I was one of the first in my area to buy one because I wanted the full frame sensor...and my 12-24mm lens became my OMG lens for many years.