Are you looking for the best Canon RF lenses in 2022?
Canon EOS R mirrorless cameras (EOS R5, EOS RP, EOS R, EOS R3, EOS R6 and EOS Ra) are currently selling like hotcakes. Choosing the best Canon RF lenses will grow more challenging as the camera manufacturer expands its RF lens lineup.
Canon currently has over 22 RF mount lenses for their full-frame mirrorless cameras.
The well-loved camera manufacturer also intends to introduce a few more RF mount lenses in the coming years.
I’ve compiled this list of the top five best Canon RF mount lenses in 2022 for all different photography styles.
Here you will find a perfect lens to pair with your Canon EOS R series mirrorless camera.
There is a lens for every type of photography including portraiture, weddings, landscapes, everyday walk-around, travel, events, sports, wildlife and more…
THE TOP FIVE BEST CANON RF LENSES
- Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM – Best super-telephoto lens
- Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM – Best portrait and wedding lens
- Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM – Best wide angle lens
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM – Best standard prime lens
- Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM – Best general purpose lens
So, suppose you are the proud owner of a Canon EOS R series mirrorless camera or are considering purchasing one soon.
You might be asking which Canon RF lenses are ideal for pairing with the camera. Whatever you decide make sure you protect your new lens by checking out this article UV Protection Lens Filter: Is It an Essential Purchase?
Let’s look into the best RF-mount lenses for Canon EOS R5, R6, R, R3, and RP mirrorless cameras in more detail!
1. Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM – Best super-telephoto lens
This is an excellent all-in-one super-telephoto zoom lens for Canon R series users.
The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L is USM lens is a perfect all-in-one zoom lens. It has an excellent and varied telephoto range that can be employed in various photography circumstances.
With fast and accurate autofocus, a versatile zoom range, and an Optical Image Stabilizer, the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM is one of the best canon RF lenses for wildlife, nature and sports photography.
It’s also great for families who want to capture memories while chasing their children around.
In addition, the dual nano USM system enables quick and accurate focusing that is smooth and near-silent.
Perhaps most impressive is how at all distances and zoom levels the image quality remains exceptional.
It is worth noting that with this super-telephoto zoom lens you must use it with a Canon EOS R5 or R6 to achieve the quickest AF performance. (See more on these cameras here!)
Pros:
- Quick and accurate autofocus
- Incredible and varied telephoto range
- Amazing image quality at all zoom levels
Cons:
- Comes at a premium price, however this is a truly premium lens!
2. Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM – Best Portrait and Wedding Lens
An excellent lens for portraiture, weddings, fashion, still life and close-ups. This lens has a permanent 85mm focal span and an extensive f/1.2 upper limit aperture.
The Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM lens is perfect for portraits, weddings, fashion, and other close subjects. It also works well in low-light situations and makes beautiful, soft backgrounds.
The Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM has a quick autofocus speed. Combined with the EOS R and EOS RP cameras’ Eye Detection AF feature it provides a quick, specific focus on a subject’s eye.
It can produce clear and detailed photos with beautiful bokeh background blur and incredible consistency.
This is thanks to 13 elements in 9 groups and a 9-blade aperture system.
Further highlights of this lens include the Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics (BR) which help reduce chromatic abnormality.
As well as Air Sphere Coating which help reduce flaring and ghosting. All these features add up to a lens you’ll want to keep on hand.
The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM lens is a world-class prime lens for serious and professional portrait photographers.
It lifts the bar in terms of optical and low-light performance. It really is one of the best canon RF lenses out there for portraiture photography.
Don’t let the fun stop there, check out this article on Types of Camera Lens Filters Explained: An Essential Guide to get the most out of your lens.
And to really up your portrait photography game, try one of these lighting kits!
Pros:
- Incredible for portraits and weddings
- Produces beautiful bokeh
- Performs well in low light
- Works well when paired with a Canon camera flash.
Cons:
- Rather bulky and heavy for a prime lens
3. Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM – Best wide angle lens
The RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM lens has a larger field of view. This Canon L-series wide angle lens is a dynamic addition to the EOS R series portfolio. It has a dazzling f/2.8 highest aperture and a 15-35mm central span.
These features allow you to shoot landscapes, buildings, and other wide-angled subjects in full view.
The RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM is equipped with Canon’s Nano USM technology for quiet and smooth focusing. In addition it comes with up to 5 stops of shake correction.
Therefore, allowing for clean shots in a variety of lighting circumstances, even at night or in low-light situations.
You can experiment with different angles and perspectives using a 0.92 ft/0.28 m minimum focusing distance.
Furthermore, this Canon L-series lens is precisely sealed around its panels, switch, and lens scale. This helps to stop water and dust from entering the lens. Thus, allowing it to operate reliably in inclement weather.
When it comes to upping your photographic game, the RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM will give outstanding results.
A top choice to pair with a Canon EOS R series mirrorless camera for landscape or architecture photographers.
Wide angle lenses are often accompanied by lens distortion but that is easily fixed as you can learn about in this guide Lens Distortion: An Essential Photography Guide.
Pros:
- Superb wide-angle lens with excellent optics
- L-series weather sealed
- Unbeatable RF lens for landscapes
Cons:
- Works best when images are edited with correction profile
4. Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM – Best standard prime lens
A fantastic standard prime lens for portraits, weddings, street photography, and fine art photography.
The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM is a fantastic permanent focal length lens that produces crisp images.
It produces images with beautiful bokeh background blur even when shot wide open at its maximum aperture of f/1.2. Its f/1.2 aperture, designed exclusively for the EOS R system, also promises excellent low-light performance and stunning, detailed photos.
The optical layout integrates one UD element and one aspherical constituent to aid in the reduction of chromatic and spherical anomaly, resulting in improved lucidity and sharpness.
A rounded 10-blade diaphragm improves bokeh quality and allows you to isolate subjects with depth of field.
Furthermore, with a minimum focusing distance of 1.31 ft./0.40m and a maximum magnification of around 0.19x, this lens delivers clear and detailed images from practically any length.
Whether you’re photographing portraits, still life or close-ups, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM can deliver clear photographs with low distortion.
The image capabilities are supplemented by an appropriate ring-type Ultrasonic Motor, which provides rapid, near-silent autofocus and full-time manual focus override.
Simply put, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM delivers excellent image clarity and a wealth of detail even in the corners or edges of the frame.
It has a minimum focusing distance of approximately 15 inches, making it an excellent choice for a variety of photography styles. Recommended for photography such as portraiture, weddings, street shooting, and fine art photography.
Here are some other great Canon prime lenses.
Pros:
- Canon’s best RF standard prime lens
- Excellent image clarity and bokeh
- Suits wide range of photography styles
Cons:
- Lacks optical image stabilization
5. Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM – Best general purpose lens
A perfect lens if you shoot a variety of photography styles. Portraits, weddings, landscapes, nightscapes, and more are all possible with this general purpose lens.
The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM all-around zoom lens has a wide-angle to portrait-length focal range and an impressive steady upper limit aperture of f/2.8. It also has the advantage of faster shutter speeds.
This enables the lens to produce professional-quality images for a variety of photography niches such as portraiture, landscape, wedding photography, and photojournalism.
The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM nine rounded aperture blades can also perform well in low-light situations and provide excellent bokeh quality, ideal for isolating subjects and adding more dramatic effects while taking photos and filming videos.
In addition, Ultra-Low Dispersion glass is used in the optical blueprint to significantly reduce colour trim and chromatic abnormality. These features provide remarkable clarity and colour accuracy within images.
Canon’s tried-and-true ring-type Ultrasonic Motor supplements the improved visual quality by providing fast and silent autofocus performance as well as full-time manual focus adjustment. It also has a control ring to adjust subjection compensation, shutter speed, aperture, or ISO.
Simply put, because of its big aperture for gorgeous bokeh, the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM lens, the world’s first standard zoom lens with an f/2 aperture, is ideal for capturing variety. A great all-in-one lens for landscapes, weddings, and portraits.
Pros:
- Covers many important focal ranges
- Remarkable clarity and colour accuracy within images
- Fast and silent autofocus
Cons:
- On the heavy side, but expected for the quality of images!
Conclusion
As you can see, it’s not difficult to get your hands on an excellent Canon RF mount lens. There is a perfect canon RF mount lens for every type of photography style.
Hopefully this breakdown of the best canon RF lenses can help you make an informed choice to pair with your Canon EOS R series mirrorless camera!
Knowing how to take good images may be worth more than the price of a good lens, whilst starting out.
So, even if you only have a low-cost piece of glass, practice your technique, composition, lighting and maybe most importantly, your interaction with your subjects.
Go get shooting!
You can always take an online photography course to brush up on your skills!
DISCLOSURE: I may earn a small commission from some of the links above. For the benefit of the doubt, please assume all links might be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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