The 35mm F1.4 lens formulation is the go-to choice for lots of professional photographers as a result of its wider-than-normal protection angle, distinctive gentle gathering, and shallow depth of area. Canon took some time to carry its first made-for-mirrorless model of the lens to the EOS R digital camera system, however the Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM ($1,499) is lastly right here to fulfill execs and lovers who’ve waited patiently. It lives as much as earlier SLR entries just like the EF 35mm F1.4L II USM in building high quality and resolving energy, although we’re a bit disenchanted with the RF 35mm’s tendency to indicate flare and false shade, particularly given the premium pricing. We do not have an Editors’ Alternative winner on this focal size for RF, however we are able to level creators to the RF 35mm F1.8 IS Macro STM as a extra reasonably priced choice; it additionally suffers from false shade however is an effective performer due to its 1:2 macro focus and optical stabilization.
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Design: Constant With Different RF F1.4 PrimesThe RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM is decently small, given its angle, aperture, and full-frame optics. It measures 3.9 by 3.0 inches (HD), weighs 1.2 kilos, and helps 67mm entrance filters, specs that match up almost precisely to the RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM (1.1 kilos) and the RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM (1.3 kilos).
(Credit score: Jim Fisher)
The consistency will not be a coincidence. Canon is billing this trio as hybrid lenses for photograph and video, and cinema lenses are sometimes matched for constant operation amongst focal lengths. Digicam operators can get pleasure from the identical ergonomics when switching lenses. You should utilize all three with the identical matte field and comply with focus setups, and alter between lenses with out having to rebalance a gimbal.The RF 35mm makes use of polycarbonate supplies for its lens barrel, which is the default selection for mirrorless lenses. The supplies and building are top-notch—these are usually not flimsy plastics. The lens feels stable within the arms and is constructed to face up to the pains {of professional} use. It contains full mud and splash safety, together with anti-smudge fluorine on the entrance glass. This provides the RF 35mm F1.4 a leg up on the RF 35mm F1.8, which omits climate safety and fluorine.
(Credit score: Jim Fisher)
The lens ships with a reversible petal-style lens hood, entrance and rear caps, and a drawstring pouch. It additionally features a filter holder for rear gels, an unusual function amongst lenses which have entrance filter threads.
(Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Controls: Handles Otherwise Relying on the Digicam BodyThe RF 35mm F1.4 L features a few on-barrel controls. It has discrete management, aperture, and handbook focus rings, plus a perform button, an AF/MF toggle, and an Iris Lock swap.
(Credit score: Jim Fisher)
I am going to tackle the aperture ring first, just because its perform requires some clarification. The ring helps easy adjustment from f/1.4-16 with markings at each third cease, however no click on factors to lock it into place. On most Canon cameras it solely works for film recording, not images. This introduces some complications for creators who work in each mediums. You will have to be cognizant of the place the aperture ring is about when swapping seize modes or danger a blown publicity.If you’re apprehensive, you’ll be able to set the ring to its A place, which strikes f-stop management to the physique in all modes. The corresponding Iris Lock swap comes into play right here, as you will must press and maintain it with a purpose to transfer in or out of the A setting. I count on this problem to vanish over time, because the aperture ring works for images with Canon’s most up-to-date releases, the EOS R1 and the R5 Mark II, and I count on future fashions to comply with go well with. Lenses usually keep in manufacturing for a decade or longer, whereas digital camera our bodies are changed each few years.
(Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Should you use an older digital camera and like on-barrel aperture management, you might be lined, too. The Management Ring, which is included on this and the overwhelming majority of RF lenses, will be set to vary the f-stop by way of the digital camera physique. Should you want a unique perform, there are round a dozen assignable to the ring, together with shutter velocity, EV, ISO, and white stability, amongst others. The Management Ring turns with click on stops for exact changes with tactile suggestions and will be modified over to silent, clickless operation by Canon technical assist for a $79.99 payment.The AF/MF swap is self-explanatory, however that does not low cost its utility. You may additionally change the main focus mode by way of the digital camera physique (both from a menu or, within the case of some just like the EOS R7, a toggle swap), however having it on the lens is handy. The handbook focus expertise is great; the lens responds to focus adjustments with none lag, and you may swap between nonlinear and linear focus responses by way of the digital camera menu. The respiration impact can be minimal for this lens, as there’s barely any change in angle of view when setting focus, so it may be used for cinematic rack focus photographs with out the distracting blooming or shrinking you get with lenses that are not optimized to cut back it.
(Credit score: Jim Fisher)
The perform button is simple to seek out by contact; it is on the left aspect, mid-barrel, and is assignable by way of the digital camera menu. By default, the digital camera units it to focus lock (AF-L), however you’ll be able to change what it does by way of the menu. I want utilizing it to drive focus (AF-ON), however you’ll be able to change it to fit your fashion. The R5 Mark II helps 45 totally different choices for this button, starting from esoteric choices like file format to extra frequent ones like focus level choice.Autofocus: On the spot Outcomes From Voice Coil MotorThe RF 35mm F1.4 L is the primary Canon lens I’ve tried with a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) focus system, which is Canon’s model of a magnet-driven focus system. I’ve seen any such tech from different producers, nonetheless. Sony has an identical system (XD Linear), and Nikon refers to it as Silky Swift VCM. Canon’s VCM works simply as nicely. The RF 35mm F1.4’s focusing group enjoys immediate, exact shifts with none audible noise, so it is usable for video and in very quiet environments. On the R5 Mark II, the RF 35mm F1.4 snaps from close to to distant focus instantly with out making any noise that’ll be picked up on a video soundtrack.
EOS R5, f/1.4, 1/2,000-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Shut focus is out there to 11 inches, which is helpful for images however a little bit shy of what we contemplate macro. At its nearest focus distance, the RF 35mm initiatives at 1:5.6 life-size onto a picture sensor. It is ok to select particulars and textures in smaller objects, however you will need a lens that focuses nearer for bugs, jewellery, and different conventional macro topics. As you’ll be able to infer from its identify, the RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM is a greater choice for these topics—it focuses to six.7 inches for 1:2 magnification.
EOS R5 Mark II, f/1.4, 1/6,400-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
The RF 35mm F1.4 L doesn’t embody optical stabilization, a function that is comparatively frequent amongst Canon RF lenses. I did not actually miss it, nonetheless, as I examined the lens with cameras that embody in-body stabilization (IBIS). With the R5 Mark II, I used to be in a position to get clear handheld exposures with prolonged 1- to 2-second shutter speeds with a good hit fee and 1/2-second constantly. Most of Canon’s increased finish fashions embody IBIS, amongst full-frame releases it is solely lacking from the first-generation EOS R and entry-level EOS RP and R8.
EOS R5, f/1.4, 1/1,000-second, ISO 400 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Picture High quality: Razor Sharp, With Some FlawsI examined the RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM with a pair of 45MP full-frame cameras, the R5 and the R5 Mark II, within the area and used the previous for an Imatest analysis in my at-home testing lab. The lens scores on the prime of our excellent scale for the R5’s sensor at f/1.4 (3,900 traces) and reveals glorious numbers from f/2-8 (4,000-4,400 traces), falling simply shy of the 4,500 traces we contemplate excellent for 45MP. I see little or no to complain about with regard to resolving energy; it reveals clear outcomes on the level of focus for extensive aperture photos (which generally have a shallow depth of area) and is sharp from edge to edge on the stopped-down settings which are used for landscapes and different deep focus scenes.
EOS R5, f/1.4, 1/60-second, ISO 200 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Decision drops off barely at f/11 (3,900 traces) and extra noticeably at f/16 (3,300 traces), an anticipated results of optical diffraction. Mild particles scatter when passing via a small aperture, which softens element and distinction. There’s nonetheless a cause to make use of these settings, nonetheless, the identical diffraction that cuts into element makes small factors of sunshine render as 22-point starbursts. Starbursts can present up in reflections on metallic objects or on the floor of water and are straightforward to get when you determine to include the solar itself in your photograph.
EOS R5 Mark II, f/1.4, 1/1,000-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
You must take care with this lens for scenes with the solar or one other vibrant gentle supply positioned prominently within the picture. Flare management is under what I might count on from a Canon L collection lens. I see heavy flare and ghosts in scenes the place the solar falls immediately on the entrance aspect, so you need to take care to seek out angles that keep away from it except, after all, you are attempting to repeat the look of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot. Lens flare is usually used for artistic impact in cinema, so maybe that is Canon’s intention with this optical formulation, although some could contemplate it extra of a flaw than a function.
EOS R5 Mark II, f/1.8, 1/3,200-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Should you use your digital camera for JPG or HEIF photos or for video, you will get pleasure from built-in corrections to take away distortion and compensate for a vignette. Nevertheless, photograph hobbyists and execs usually go along with Uncooked seize, a file format that data extra shade depth and eschews lossy compression for extra leeway when modifying publicity and shade. Uncorrected Uncooked photos present darkened edges and corners at f/1.4-2 and bulging barrel distortion at any aperture. Fortunately, each are straightforward to appropriate with software program instruments. Adobe Lightroom Basic features a profile for the lens that compensates for each. The profile will be toggled, so you’ll be able to flip it off when you like, however a vignette will be fascinating for a portrait or including an vintage look to a picture. Likewise, turning off distortion correction provides an image a barely wider angle of view, and for a lot of scenes, the distortion is not noticeable except considered side-by-side with the corrected image.
EOS R5 Mark II, f/1.4, 1/160-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Many creators attain for an f/1.4 lens to snap images with a shallow depth of area. It is very straightforward to get blurry backgrounds with a lens while you use it within the f/1.4-2.8 vary. The RF 35mm F1.4 L delivers clear, inoffensive bokeh with a easy fall-off from focus to blur. I see some cat’s eye shapes in specular highlights, particularly these positioned towards the perimeters of the image, at f/1.4. These highlights take the form of the rounded 11-blade aperture when the lens is stopped down, so that you see round highlights when utilizing the lens at f/2 or a narrower setting. I noticed a slight onion pores and skin texture in vibrant, defocused highlights, nevertheless it’s fairly minor, and you actually should search for it in most cases.
EOS R5, f/1.4, 1/1,000-second, ISO 125 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Whereas I did not see any indicators of false shade attributable to longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA) within the transitory areas between focus and blur, the lens doesn’t keep away from the difficulty totally. There’s a heavy quantity of false purple and inexperienced shade on both aspect of the airplane of focus in scenes with vibrant factors of sunshine, as is obvious within the floor of the water within the picture under. Any such LoCA is most seen when utilizing the lens with a large open aperture and is lessened on the narrower f-stops you will need to use for panorama scenes, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a little bit of a shock to see in an L collection prime.
EOS R5 Mark II, f/1.4, 1/3,200-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Canon’s final entry on this focal size in the course of the SLR period, the EF 35mm F1.4L II USM, included a Blue Spectrum Refractive (BR) lens aspect that virtually eradicated LoCA, however this lens doesn’t. I’ve come to count on an improve in optical efficiency when utilizing lenses made for mirrorless techniques versus comparable ones for SLRs, however on this case, Canon has taken a step backward. Granted, the RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM is a half-pound lighter and priced $500 under the EF 35mm F1.4L II USM. Should you want the older lens, it may be used with an EOS R digital camera together with any of Canon’s official autofocus adapters. The EF EOS R is essentially the most primary and reasonably priced. That mentioned, I might nonetheless advocate a local lens over an tailored EF lens when shopping for new for EOS R, because the adapter provides some bulk and USM autofocus will not be almost as responsive as VCM.
EOS R5, f/1.4, 1/4,000-second, ISO 100 (Credit score: Jim Fisher)
Verdict: Stunning Pictures, Even With Technical ImperfectionsThe 35mm focal size is a favourite amongst photographers. It is a good match for documentary-style photos that seize a topic in its atmosphere, making it a go-to choice for every thing from weddings to reportage to household reminiscences. Many photogs who use Canon and have made the soar to mirrorless have eagerly awaited this one, as its launch comes within the sixth yr of the EOS R system’s lifespan. The RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM succeeds on a number of fronts: It cuts weight versus the SLR version to raised stability with mirrorless cameras, contains vastly upgraded autofocus, and is razor sharp, with a corresponding razor-thin depth of area when used at its widest aperture. Even with all these positives, we’re score it a bit decrease than the older EF 35mm F1.4 L II USM, because the newer lens reveals extra flare and LoCA than we might like. In the end, the RF 35mm F1.8 IS Macro STM is a greater choose for budget-strapped photographers; it would not focus as shortly or quietly, nevertheless it prices far much less, focuses nearer, and nonetheless has a vibrant f-stop. Occasion photographers and photojournalists can justify the price of the RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM due to its lightning-fast focus, climate sealing, and general robust picture high quality.
Professionals
Mild and compact for an F1.4
Crisp, detailed photos at most aperture
Easy, distraction-free bokeh
Mud, splash, and fluorine safety
Quick focus with minimal respiration
Helps each entrance and rear filters
View
Extra
Cons
Optics susceptible to flare in backlit scenes
False LoCA shade obvious in specular highlights
On-barrel aperture management would not work with each digital camera
The Backside Line
The Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM lens focuses quick, blurs backgrounds simply, and is not too heavy to hold. Its solely weaknesses are false shade and flare.
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About Jim Fisher
Lead Analyst, Cameras
Pictures, and the units that seize them, are my focus. I’ve lined cameras at PCMag for the previous 13 years, which has given me a entrance row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone digital camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. I’ve intensive expertise with each main mirrorless and SLR system. As a Half 107 Licensed drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned plane techniques (UAS) for industrial and editorial functions, and am educated about federal guidelines and rules relating to drones. Yow will discover me on Instagram @jamespfisher.
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