Rumor has it the RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z might be about to receive a stablemate
(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)
Rumor has it Canon could be about to expand its line-up of video-focussed 'Z' lenses. Currently there's just a single such lens - the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z - but it might soon receive a stablemate: an RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z.
Canon has previously told us that the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z is intended to be the first in a range of new hybrid lenses, so it makes sense that it'd be joined by other 'Z' lenses sooner rather than later. The Z suffix stands for 'power zoom', indicating the lens' compatibility with Canon's PowerZoom adapters; itself an aid for achieving smoother zooming during video recording. Another feature that sets Canon's 'Z' lens apart is its clickless aperture ring, which provides stepless aperture adjustment, though it only works when shooting video.
The rumored RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z would likely include both of these features, being compatible with Canon's PZ-E2 and PZ-E2B PowerZoom adapters. It's also said to inherit the same internal zoom mechanism, meaning the barrel wouldn't extend when focal length is increased.
The existing RF 24-105mm f/2.8 IS USM Z - a great lens, if a rather large one for its focal range (Image credit: Canon)
We were very impressed by the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z during our review, however one thing we were less happy about was the sheer size of the lens, and we were not alone. Canon might have taken note of this criticism though, as a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z would supposedly be at least lighter and shorter than Canon's EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM III for DSLRs, though the rumor suggests the barrel could be a slightly larger diameter, resulting in a possible 82mm filter thread. Of course it's highly unlikely an RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z would match the pint-sized dimensions of the little RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, but then that lens does extend significantly when you zoom in.
It's suggested that the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z could be compatible with Canon's RF teleconverters - the Extender RF 1.4x and Extender RF 2x - which is notable as the current RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is not compatible. The rumor also mentions a possible new IS mode and macro mode for the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z.
While we take any rumor like this with a hefty helping of salt, we would at least expect Canon to launch another Z-series lens in the near future, in-keeping with what we've previously been told. The only question is whether it'll be a new 70-200mm, or rather another more 'oddball' lens like the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
