Canon announces new RF 14-35mm f/4L IS ultra-wide full-frame zoom

posted Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 10:30 AM EDT

Canon has expanded their RF-mount lens lineup with another wide-angle zoom lens, the compact and light RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM. A sibling lens of sorts to the earlier RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS zoom, the new 14-35mm lens offers the broadest zoom range so far in an RF-mount wide-angle lens as well as providing a smaller, lighter footprint thanks to is f/4 aperture.

Weighing in at just 1.2lbs (544g), the compact RF 14-35mm f/4L lens measures just shy of four inches (9.9cm) in length and a little over three inches in diameter (3.3 in / 8.4cm). The 14-35mm lens uses 77mm filter threads. By comparison, the 15-35mm f/2.8 lens tips the scales at 1.85 lbs (840g), has an overall large size in both length and diameter and features wider 82mm filter threads. For those who want a lighter and more portable wide-angle zoom -- and who don't need the brighter f/2.8 aperture -- the RF 14-35mm f/4L lens is an ideal choice. It's also less expensive than the 15-35mm f/2.8 lens.

In terms of its optical construction, the new Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS lens features a total of 16 elements placed into 12 groups, and includes three UD-glass elements (Ultra-Low Dispersion) -- including a single UD aspherical element -- and three aspherical elements. The lens also incorporates Canon's Super Spectra Coating, SWC (Sub-wavelength Structure Coating) and ASC (Air Sphere Coating), which all help suppress lens flare and ghosting. The lens features a 9-bladed circular aperture diaphragm.

When it comes to build quality, as the lens's L-series designation indicates, the RF 14-35mm lens is a high-end, pro-oriented lens, featuring thorough weather-sealing and a durable, rugged construction. Further, there is a fluorine coating on the front element to help fend off moisture, dust and dirt and make the lens easier to clean.

The RF 14-35mm lens features onboard optical image stabilization, which provides up to 5.5 stops of shake correction on its own. However, when paired with a Canon R-series camera with in-body image stabilization, such as the EOS R5 or the upcoming EOS R3, the combination can provide up to 7 stops of stabilization correction, making it excellent for handheld low-light shooting and video recording.

Regarding the lens's focusing, the new RF 14-35mm f/4 lens uses Canon's Nano USM AF motor, which should provide both superfast AF speeds as well as quiet performance, making the lens a good choice for photos as well as video uses. The lens provides full-time manual focusing override in One-Shot AF mode, and there is an AF/MF switch on the side of the lens. The minimum focusing distance is 7.9 in (20.1cm) at all focal lengths, and the lens provides a 0.38x magnification factor at 35mm. While not a macro lens, the RF 14-35mm provides good close-focusing performance for a wide-angle zoom.

Other physical features include IS on/off switch on the side, and the characteristic customizable Control Ring that is seen on most Canon RF-mount lenses. This programmable physical ring allows for quick adjustments to key settings, such as aperture, ISO, exposure compensation and more. Additionally, the Control Ring has physical clicks as you rotate the lens, but Canon does offer a paid service should users want a "de-clicked" Control Ring, which for example, could provide smooth aperture (iris) adjustments for video purposes.