Today, Canon has announced the two latest lenses for RF mount mirrorless cameras, the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM and RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM, continuing to expand their lineup to new extremes.
RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
With a remarkably close minimum focusing distance of 8.53 ft (2.6 meters), equating to a maximum magnification of 0.34x, the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM is an impressively versatile lens well suited to wildlife and bird photography. It provides optical image stabilization of up to 4.5 stops with three separate modes of operation and can accept both 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, allowing it to become a 1120mm f/8 and 1600mm f/11 optic as well.
At 6.9 lbs, the 800mm f/5.6L is impressively light. It also features Super Spectra Coating (SSC) and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) for reduced flares and ghosting, a customizable electronic focusing ring with manual focus capability in Servo AF, two focus presets, a circular nine-blade diaphragm for smoother bokeh, dust- and water-resistant construction, and fluorine coating on the front element.
Expect the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM to be available in late May 2022 at a price of $16,999.
RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM
In addition to its extremely long focal length, the 1200mm f/8L IS USM comes with a variety of advanced features. It weighs just 7.4 lbs, has a minimum focusing distance of 14.1 ft (4.3 m), features optical image stabilization of up to 4 stops with three separate modes of operation, and can accept both 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, allowing it to become a 1680mm f/11 and 2400mm f/16 optic as well.
It also features Super Spectra Coating (SSC) and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) for reduced flares and ghosting, a customizable electronic focusing ring with manual focus capability in Servo AF, two focus presets, a circular nine-blade diaphragm for smoother bokeh, dust- and water-resistant construction, and fluorine coating on the front element.
Expect the RF 1200mm f/5.6L IS USM to be available in late May 2022 at a price of $19,999.
Not sure how to process this. A 400 f2.8 and a 600 f4 with built in 2x tc’s which accept stacked tc’s? Where’s the lightweight 500 f4 DO or other innovative lenses?
Yeah, this is kind of odd. These were already adapted EF lenses. A 500mm DO would be really exciting. I actually loved my 400mm DO II.
Street photo’s from NJ to NY. 1200 mm would also be cool to use to shoot Venice from your stateroom window imagine sitting on a comfortable chair having room service while photographing ST. Mark’s square.
That 1200mm would be so darn useful for what I shoot. I am already trying to figure out when the prices will fall to the $7,000 range on the used market, because that is when I will be able to afford one. I'm hoping that happens sometime in 12 to 15 years, while I am still young and healthy enough to get out and shoot. I'm now 53 years old ... if I can somehow get myself a 1200mm f8 before I turn 68, I will be ecstatic!
I thought Sony's 600mm f4 GM was pretty light, especially seeing this one scrawny Youtuber wield it around like it's nothing. Now, Canon's new 800mm is only .2 lb heavier. Pretty nice.
It’s pretty crazy. I have the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS Mark I, and I’m perfectly happy with the image quality, but I am really envious of the weight savings in later versions.
Is it me, or is it bogus that Canon took two lenses, threw 2x teles on them, and called them two other lenses?
Yes, I think it's just you. :) Where do you get that they threw 2x teles in existing lens? That wouldn't make sense since these new lenses also accepts 1.4x and 2x so that'd be like stacking tc's. From what I understand, stacking tc's = bad.
That's the word on the street.
That wasn't what you initially said.
What's that got to do with it? The song remains the same. They're a pair of DSLR EF lenses with TCs thrown on with an RF mount, and exorbitantly priced. That's pretty bogus. This is going to blow up in Canon's face. They're probably going to have to go into damage control mode and have all their Canon-centric influencers glorifying the crap out of these two.