EOS R owners get their first taste of a pancake lens: the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8
(Image credit: Gareth Bevan)
Canon has just announced its first ever pancake lens for the EOS R system: the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM.
Weighing in at only 120g, and measuring just 24.7mm in length, the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM is absolutely tiny for a full-frame lens – and indeed is the smallest Canon RF lens available. Given its tiny size and form factor, it is also a brilliant option for APS-C bodies like the newly launched Canon EOS R100 where it enjoys a 44.8mm equivalent focal length.
Sitting between the Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro and the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro, the new 28mm f/2.8 is the latest in the manufacturer's lineup of compact, affordable enthusiast prime lenses.
It boasts a customizable ring, toggled via a switch on the side of the lens between either manual focus or control ring mode (the latter enabling you to change exposure parameters like ISO, aperture, shutter speed and so on).
(Image credit: Gareth Bevan)
The lens construction is fascinating. Its six groups comprise eight elements, three of them aspherical – and featuring what we believe are Canon's first ever "Seagull" elements, made using plastic-molded technology.
These non-circular, custom-shaped elements enabled the lens to be much smaller (and provided flexibility in where the stepping motor could be placed) and more affordable, and according to Canon they also produce superior corner sharpness.
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The seven-blade aperture delivers unobtrusive background blur, and speaking of unobtrusive the lens also features focus breathing control – ensuring that focus can be racked while shooting video, without causing focus disruption. Maximum magnification is 0.17x, with a close focusing distance of 0.23m, and the lens features a 55mm filter thread.
The Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM goes on sale in June, priced at $299.99 / £344.99 / AU$549.
James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes.
