Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM: the RF f/2.8 standard zoom
Canon's f/2.8 L-series standard zoom for full-frame RF bodies, still in Canon's lineup. Launched at $2,299 in 2019. Who it suits: wedding, event and travel shooters who want one fast zoom from 24 to 70mm.
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM, shown on an EOS R5 (body not included). Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)
HIGHLIGHTS
Why it exists. Canon U.S.A. introduced the RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM alongside the RF 15-35mm as "workhorse lenses for professional and advanced amateur photographers", made for "a wide range of shooting scenarios from street scene snapshots to movie shooting". Canon says it is the same size as its EF counterpart but adds image stabilization.
Canon announced it on August 28, 2019 at $2,299, for late September 2019. It has 21 elements in 15 groups, including three aspherical and three UD elements, with Air Sphere Coating against flare and ghosting. Optical IS is rated at 5 stops (CIPA, on the EOS R at 70mm), Nano USM drives the autofocus, focus-breathing suppression helps in video, and the control ring can be set to aperture, shutter speed, ISO or exposure compensation. It focuses to 0.21 m at the wide end, with up to 0.30x magnification at 32mm.
Our gallery comes from six photographers, all on an EOS R5: a Highland cow on Trotternish, bare branches in snow, a forest pond in Virrat, the foot of an old tree in Sweden's Alby nature reserve, a Long Island Rail Road car at Port Washington and the Shenzhen skyline. Who should buy it? RF shooters who want f/2.8 across 24–70mm with stabilization. The costs: about 900 g and 125.7 mm long, 82 mm filters, and no extender support.
The story
Canon U.S.A. announced the RF15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM and RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM on August 28, 2019. Both launched at $2,299.00 in 2019 and were scheduled for late September 2019 (Canon U.S.A.).
The release described the RF 24-70mm as "equivalent to the size of the EF counterpart but with Image Stabilization", with Nano USM, focus-breathing suppression during manual focus and an assignable control ring.
Canon UK still lists the lens with full specifications (Canon UK); we found no discontinued notice.
Specifications
Key specs for the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM, from Canon U.S.A.'s specification sheet and August 28, 2019 release and Canon UK's specifications page. Source for each row in brackets.
21 elements in 15 groups; 3 aspherical, 3 UD elements; Air Sphere Coating [Canon U.S.A., Canon UK]
Angle of view (diagonal)
84° to 34° [Canon UK]
Close focus / magnification
0.21 m (wide) to 0.38 m (tele); 0.30x at 32mm [Canon U.S.A.]
Autofocus
Nano USM; focus-breathing suppression during manual focus [Canon U.S.A.]
Stabilization
Optical IS, 5 stops (CIPA, on the EOS R at 70mm) [Canon U.S.A.]
Controls
Customizable control ring (aperture, shutter speed, ISO or exposure compensation) [Canon U.S.A.]
Sealing
Dust- and water-resistant construction (Canon says it can't completely prevent entry) [Canon UK]
Filter / hood
82 mm; EW-88E [Canon U.S.A., Canon UK]
Extenders
Not compatible [Canon UK]
Size / weight
88.5 × 125.7 mm (retracted); 900 g [Canon U.S.A.]
Announced / price
Aug 28, 2019; $2,299.00 (US); available late September 2019 [Canon U.S.A.]
Sample photos
Six photos taken with the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM on a Canon EOS R5 by six photographers, shared on Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licenses or in the public domain. Each caption gives the settings the file records. Select a photo to enlarge it. More samples from Wikimedia Commons
f/6.3, ISO 100, 1/500 s, 70mm: a Highland cow in Trotternish, Isle of Skye (Canon EOS R5). Photo: Romaniviatores via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)f/11, ISO 200, 1/80 s, 70mm: fallen branches in snow (Canon EOS R5). Photo: Donald Olszewski via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)
f/4.5, ISO 250, 1/125 s, 24mm: a forest pond in Virrat, Finland (Canon EOS R5). Photo: Ninara via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/60 s, 35mm: an old tree in Sweden's Alby nature reserve (Canon EOS R5). Photo: VulpesVulpes42 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (resized)
f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/800 s, 57mm: Long Island Rail Road car 9946 at Port Washington (Canon EOS R5). Photo: D. Benjamin Miller via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (resized)f/8, ISO 100, 1/400 s, 32mm: Shenzhen from Bi Jia Hill Park (Canon EOS R5). Photo: Dinkun Chen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Canon: Launched at $2,299 in 2019 (US).
Verdict
Who it's for: wedding, event and travel shooters on full-frame RF bodies who want one stabilized f/2.8 zoom from 24 to 70mm, with close focus and quiet AF for video.
Look elsewhere if you want more reach or a lighter lens: the RF 24-105mm F4L goes to 105mm at 700 g.
