Dear Canon, DON’T DO A NIKON. The RF-S system needs lenses, and soon

The launch of the Canon EOS R7 and EOS R10 comes after months of speculation and marks a long-awaited extension of Canon’s RF camera system into the smaller APS-S format.

But it takes more than cameras to create a system – you also need lenses. And so far, we only know of two – the RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM and RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM. Both are effectively standard zoom lenses, with the 18-150mm offering a longer zoom range.

So where are the rest? Canon Rumors has had a tip-off that the following five lenses are coming, though there is no official word from Canon.

• Canon RF-S 22mm f/2 STM
• Canon RF-S 11-55mm f/4-4.5 IS STM
• Canon RF-S 55-250mm f/4.5-7.1 IS STM
• Canon RF-S 16-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
• Canon RF-S 32mm f/1.4 STM

If these lenses are truly on their way, then that’s definitely good news; otherwise, Canon will find itself in the same boat as Nikon, with its very thin-looking Nikon Z DX system.

Canon must learn from the Nikon Z50 situation

Nikon launched its APS-C format Nikon Z50 way back in October 2019. That’s nearly two and a half years ago at the time of writing. And yet even now there are only three ‘native’ Z DX lenses – the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3, the later Nikkor Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 (so effectively the same options as Canon’s new RF-S system) and the Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3.

You could, if you wanted, include the Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 SE lens launched alongside the APS-C Nikon Z fc, but that’s really a full frame lens that happens to be quite compact.

The ONLY other Nikkor Z DX lens in the pipeline according to the latest Nikon Z lens roadmap, is a 12-28mm ultra-wide zoom of unknown specification or even release date. 

If Nikon wants enthusiasts to take the Z50 and Z fc cameras seriously, it needs more lenses – and the wait for an ultra-wide zoom in particular has been way too long.

So the danger for Canon, and for anyone buying into the Canon RF-S system, is that this might happen all over again.

The hope for Canon fans is that Canon might at least crack on with converting some of its existing APS-C EOS M lenses to the new mount. The possible lenses exist already.

The worst thing would be if Canon apes Nikon and doesn’t follow up with a proper lens choice. Until then, the EOS R7 and EOS R10 are excellent cameras which aren’t a whole lot of use to anyone.

Why can’t you just use full frame RF lenses?

You can – they’ll fit straight on to the EOS R7 and R10. But there are three key reasons why this is not a long-term solution.

1. The crop factor of the smaller sensor. This means that full frame lenses are effectively 1.6x ‘longer’ on the smaller APS-C format. This is great for telephotos as it gives them more ‘reach’, and seldom a major disadvantage for portrait or macro lenses. But it’s no good for standard zoom lenses or ultrawide optics – full frame alternatives won’t be ‘wide’ enough and you need dedicated APS-C lenses for everyday and shorter focal lengths.

2. Full frame lenses are much bigger and heavier. They are unlikely to balance nicely on a smaller format body and in effect you are wasting their larger frame area by only using a smaller APS-C size area in the middle. 

3. Full frame lenses are more expensive too! You might have saved money on an APS-C camera, but what was the point if you don’t save money on lenses too? Lenses designed for the APS-C format are smaller, lighter and less expensive than full frame lenses that just happen to fit.

Read more:

• Best Canon cameras
• Best mirrorless cameras
• Best Canon RF lenses