Canon have just unveiled two brand new lenses for EOS R full-frame mirrorless cameras, an ultra-wide-angle prime and a super-telephoto zoom.

The RF 16mm f2.8 STM is an ultra-wide angle prime lens that is the same size as the RF 50mm f1.8, making it well-suited to vlogging and astrophotography.

Weighing just 635g, the RF 100-400mm f5.6-8 IS USM is a lightweight, compact super-telephoto lens designed for budding sports and wildlife photographers.

The RF 16mm F1.8 STM is priced at £319.99 / €369.99 incl. VAT and the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM will cost £699.99 / €799.99 incl. VAT.

Canon UK Press Release

Shoot further and capture wider, with Canon’s new RF lenses

Launching alongside Canon’s new EOS R3, these versatile lenses can tackle everything from vlogging to astrophotography

London, United Kingdom 14th September 2021 – Canon Europe today announces the launch of two new RF lenses, designed to help the next generation of enthusiasts and content creators curate a kit bag with great potential, at a low cost. These two lightweight, compact lenses include Canon’s first ultra-wide prime lens in the EOS R line-up, the RF 16mm F2.8 STM and the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM – a telephoto zoom lens that brings the photographer closer to subject. The versatile RF 16mm F2.8 STM meets the growing demand for vlogging, while also offering a lens that’s perfect for landscape, architectural and astrophotography. Helping photographers bridge the gap to distant subjects, the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is ideal for sports and wildlife photography.

With the addition of these two new lenses, Canon’s EOS R System takes another step forward with its aim to provide imaging solutions to meet every need.

New focal lengths for aspiring photographers and content creators

These new lenses benefit from the EOS R System’s wide diameter mount and short flange distance – creating high quality lenses with new focal lengths and a compact size. The RF 16mm F2.8 STM and RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM achieve impressive optical performance at a price that makes them accessible for all levels of photographer. The RF 16mm F2.8 STM is a prime lens tailored to content creators, giving them a full frame ultra-wide-angle lens to take their content to the next level. The RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM gives amateur photographers the ability to capture similar photos to professionals, thanks to the incredible zoom of 400mm. Both employ Canon’s advanced optical technology, including Super Spectra Coating to reduce ghosting and flare that results in crisp, detailed images. These models also use a single aspherical lens to achieve high image quality and reduce the presence of aberrations that might distort an image, without the need for multiple lens elements that add bulk.

The RF 16mm F2.8 STM: See the wider picture

Offering a wide angle and aperture, the RF 16mm F2.8 STM is a versatile lens that is well suited to vlogging as well as a number of genres of photography, such as group photos, environmental portraits and architecture. The first ultra-wide angle prime lens in the EOS R System, the RF 16mm F2.8 STM offers a 16mm focal length which produces an extra-wide field of view and exaggerated sense of depth. With a wide aperture of f/2.8 this lens is great when shooting in low light such as astrophotography and for high shutter speed photography. For vloggers, these features enable them to capture higher quality footage in low light and create a shallow depth of field even at wide angles, so that subjects pop against a softened background. As a lightweight prime lens, it’s a fantastic companion for vlogging on the go. When looking for a narrower angle when shooting video, users can pair the RF 16mm F2.8 STM with EOS R cameras to shoot in APS-C crop mode to effectively turn the lens into a 25.6mm lens. Employing Canon’s STM focusing motor, the RF 16mm F2.8 STM allows for smooth, near silent focusing during video recording. Offering a minimum focusing distance of 0.13m, photographers and content creators alike can capture sharp images even when shooting from close range

The RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: Get closer to the action

Designed for budding sports and wildlife photographers, this telephoto zoom offers a flexible focal range of 100 – 400mm, great for capturing distant subjects. When stood on the side-lines of a football game, for example, the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM gives photographers the same incredible reach as professional telephoto lenses so that they can capture the action and emotion of players throughout. Alongside the telephoto performance, the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM has a minimum focusing distance of 0.88m and maximum magnification of 0.41x , so that photographers can capture all the details of a subject at closer range. The RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM achieves 5.5 stops of in-lens optical image stabilisation, which increases to 6 stops when coordinated control is used with cameras featuring In-Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS). Designed for speed and precision, the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is equipped with a Nano USM focus motor for smooth, fast focus and with the lens control ring, gives users enhanced control over AV, Tv, exposure and ISO settings. The bright viewfinder and extended ISO capabilities of EOS R camera bodies combined with Dual Pixel CMOS AF enables photographers to utilise a lens that breaks traditional conventions of size, weight, and focal range to capture images with convenience.

Create a compact, yet versatile kit bag

With both these new lenses, photography and video enthusiasts can build a lightweight kit bag that unlocks a number of possibilities. The new RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM and RF 16mm F2.8 STM, offer versatile focal lengths, suited for a wide range of genres. The RF 16mm F2.8 STM is a featherweight lens at only 165g – great for vloggers wanting to shoot footage on the go or landscape photographers wanting a portable, yet powerful wide-angle lens. Weighing just 635g, the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is a lens which achieves an exceptional telephoto focal length without added bulk. An invaluable tool for any nature enthusiast, it’s portable enough to carry around on long walks looking for wildlife to capture.