Canon’s VCM lens series, designed for hybrid creators working with both stills and video, just gained a new member: the Canon RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM. The lens brings a wider focal length to the hybrid series that uses quieter voice coil motors for autofocus.
The uniformly-sized VCM series, which now has four options, is designed to enable gimbal users to swap lenses without rebalancing. That means the new 20mm looks and feels much like the other hybrid optics and takes the same 67mm filters. The lens weighs 519g / 1.1 lb and comes in at 3.9 inches long.
The voice coil motor is an autofocus technology that converts electric energy into kinetic energy in order to adjust the focus. Canon says the technology allows for both a quieter and smoother autofocus performance while also reducing focus breathing.
While the lens has the same autofocus technology and a similar size as the other optics in the series, the RF 20mm f/1.4L does have blue spectrum refractive optics, which are designed to reduce blue fringing or chromatic aberration. The other VCM optics don’t use that same technique for reducing aberration.
While the VCM motor is geared towards video, Canon stressed the lens’ hybrid flexibility for both video and stills. The wider 20mm view mixed with an f/1.4 aperture creates a unique look when focused at the optic’s 0.17x magnification capabilities, while the lens is also being touted as a tool for astrophotography.
The lens is constructed from 15 elements in 11 groups, along with 11 aperture blades for rounded bokeh. The lens also includes a rear filter holder. As a member of Canon’s L line, weather seals are also incorporated into the design.
The new 20mm joins the 24mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, and 50mm f/1.4 in the VCM series.
Unlike the entry-level video products also announced today – which include the Canon PowerShot V1, the Canon EOS R50 V and the new Canon RF-S 14-30mm power zoom – the new 20mm is geared more towards serious creators and, as such, comes with a price to match.
The Canon RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM carries a $1,699.99 / £1,919.99 price tag (Australian pricing to be confirmed), making it the priciest optic in the VCM series so far. The lens is expected to begin shipping at the end of April in the US.
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