Canon Creates A New Class Of Supertelephoto Prime Lens

Along with the two new EOS R camera bodies, Canon has launched four RF mount lenses and two teleconverters (1.4x and

2.0x). The newcomers extend the RF mount system to 15 lenses (plus the extenders) and significantly increase telephoto capabilities. The most interesting of the four are two prime supertelephotos that are very much the results of thinking outside the box. The new RF 600mm and RF 800mm have a fixed aperture of f/11, allowing for a significant reduction in size, weight and cost. Both the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM have full autofocusing and built-in optical image stabilisation, and are compatible with the new teleconverters which, in the case of the 2.0x model, will give 1,200mm and 1,600mm respectively. Both supertelephotos have a retractable barrel design that makes them even more compact for storage in a camera bag. The 600mm measures just 199.5mm when retracted and 269.5mm when extended for use. It weighs a very manageable 930g. The 800mm is 281.8mm in length when retracted and 351.8mm in use, and weighs 1,260g.

The optical constructions comprise of 10 elements in seven groups for the 600mm and 11 elements in eight groups for the 800mm. Both employ Canon’s ‘DO’ (gapless duallayered diffractive optics) elements which also enable a more compact design and help keep production costs down. Both employ a stepping motor (STM) for autofocusing, enabling faster and smoother operation that’s required when shooting video. The minimum focusing distances are 4.5m for the

600mm and 6m for the 800mm. Being RF lenses, the new supertelephotos have the system’s multi-control ring which can be set to adjust the shutter speed, ISO or exposure compensation, but obviously, with these lenses, there’s no adjustment for aperture. Canon says the fixed aperture of f/11 is perfectly circular and thus produces very smooth out-of-focus effects. The size and weight of these lenses promotes handheld shooting, and the OIS in the 600mm gives up to five stops of correction for camera shake and up to four stops with the 800mm.

Given longer telephoto focal lengths – achieved via magnification or crop factors – are a key selling point of the smaller format mirrorless camera systems, Canon’s innovative route to 600mm and 800mm with a full-frame sensor is probably a smart move, even with the restriction of a fixed aperture (which may not be so much of a restriction for some users who want more depth-of-field anyway). Canon points out that the improved performance of its low-light AF and high

ISO image quality make the fixed-aperture concept much more viable now than it would have been in the past. And anybody who remembers taking a shortcut to longer focal lengths in the past via a mirror lens will be familiar with working with a fixed aperture.

The new RF 600mm f/11 and RF

800mm f/11 lenses will be available locally from August priced at $1,599 and $2,030 respectively. Both are covered by Canon Australia’s five-year warranty.