MINE’S LONGER THAN YOURS

CANON HAS GONE for bragging rights with the introduction of the longest focal length autofocus prime telephoto lens for a mirrorless camera system. The Canon RF 1200mm f/8.0L IS USM is, by default, also the longest focal length RF lens, and it’s launched alongside the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM… both lenses clearly aimed at photographers who are going to be buying the EOS R3 for sports, action and wildlife photography. Canon says both the new supertelephotos support 30 fps shooting with continuous AF and AE adjustment. Both are also completely new designs which leverage the size and weight reductions achievable with the mirrorless camera configuration. Nevertheless, the RF 1200mm f/8.0L still weighs in at 3.34 kilograms and is 53.7 centimetres in length so you probably won’t be attempting any hand-held photography with it, even if the optical image stabilisation gives you four stops of correction for camera shake. The optical construction employs an impressive 26 elements in 18 groups which includes two fluorite types, one ultra-low dispersion (UD) type and one ‘Super UD’ element. Both Canon’s ‘Super Spectra Coating’ (SSC) and ‘Air Sphere Coating’ (ASC) anti-reflection multi-coatings are used to minimise ghosting and flare. Dual ‘Ring USM’ drives are needed to operate the focusing group and the minimum focusing distance is 4.3 metres. The minimum aperture is f/64 and the diaphragm employs nine blades to give smoother out-of-focusing effects. It also allows for adjustments in 1/8-stop increments. The all-metal barrel construction includes weather sealing and there’s a fluorine coating on the front element to help better repel moisture and grease. A drop-in filter holder at the back of the lens accepts 52 millimetres diameter screwthread filters. Should 1200mm not be long enough for you, the RF 1.4x teleconverter can be fitted to give you 1680mm or the RF 2.0x to give 2400mm.

Canon last made a 1200mm supertelephoto lens back in the early 1990s and that was an f/5.6-speed monster that weighed in at 16.5 kilograms – so the new model is a whole 13 kilos lighter and also 30 centimetres shorter. The EF mount lens was available for special order only and, in today’s money, would cost you well over $100,000.

The new RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM weighs in at 3.14 kilogram which is 1.35 kilos lighter than the EF mount model, and Canon says that, at 43.2 centimetres, it’s the shortest L series 800mm that it’s ever made. The optical construction is the same as that of the RF 1200mm, but the minimum focusing distance is 2.6 metres which gives a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.9. Its optical image stabilisation gives up to 4.5 stops of correction for camera shake. Otherwise, the RF800mm has all the same features as the RF 1200mm.

The local availability for both lenses will be from the end of May. The RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM is priced at $29,799 and the RF 1200mm f/8.0L IS USM at – take a deep breath here - $35,099. Both are backed by a five year warranty when purchased from an authorised Canon Australia reseller. For more information visit www. canon.com.au