Designed with high-end cinema video in mind, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM Lens is a wide-angle L-series hybrid prime featuring an ultra-fast f/1.4 maximum aperture to suit working in difficult lighting conditions. Its 11-blade iris creates soft, cinematic bokeh, and the lens features minimal focus breathing for easy and smooth focus pulls. The focus ring can be used full-time with override, and you can also utilize the iris ring manually during changing conditions on your video shoots.
This lens sports a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) for fast floating rear focus and a Nano USM for quick and quiet floating autofocus performance. Its optical design incorporates specially developed elements that help to nearly eliminate chromatic aberrations and color fringing for notable clarity and color accuracy. Two ultra-low dispersion elements and two aspherical elements are also featured to further control various aberrations and distortion for great sharpness and resolution. Its durable physical construction is dust- and moisture-sealed with ASC (Air Sphere Coating), SSC (Super Spectra Coating), and Fluorine coatings for use in any environment and to prevent ghosting and flares.
Features
L-series hybrid lens featuring an iris ring for manual iris control during video capture
Optimized for video, a Nano USM is used for floating focus and a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) for rear focus for quiet independent or synchronized actuation at high speed
Improved durability and weather-resistant construction for use in harsh environments
Minimal focus breathing
Air Sphere Coating (ASC) helps significantly reduce lens ghosting and flare
2 UD elements to minimize chromatic aberration
2 aspheric lenses for edge-to-edge image quality
Includes an attachable rear gel filter holder
I know that a lot of people have been waiting for this lens for quite a while. Gordon Lang's short review shows some of the capabilities of the new 35 and it looks really good.
I won't have time to look at reviews for a couple days, but I'm hoping to see some positives and or negatives about this new RF 35mm posted here when I get back.
This new 35L teamed up with the 85 1.2L makes for an amazing combo for shooting events. As much as I love my RF 28-70 F/2L lens, the size and weight wears me down after a long day.
This looks like the lens everyone has been waiting on for over 4 years! I'm sure there will be backorders galore. Great that Canon is bringing this to market now!
Just glad I can ditch the RF 35mm 1.8 as it tracks moving objects horribly. Can also ditch the Sigma EF 35mm 1.4. Hope its up there in quality to the Sony 35mm 1.4 GM which is still my favorite lens to date.
Seeing the samples lots of flower shots in the Park Cameras video I am excited to be able to use it in the garden. I'll hang onto the 35/1.8 as it can get even closer to the flowers.
burningheart wrote:
Seeing the samples lots of flower shots in the Park Cameras video I am excited to be able to use it in the garden. I'll hang onto the 35/1.8 as it can get even closer to the flowers.
There is a ton of "swirly bokeh" with subjects well away from MFD which you don't see a whole lot in modern, highly corrected lenses. There is also cat's eye bokeh very near the middle of the frame.
It's actually refreshing to see a lens with some character vs all of the modern stale options out there. I'm not sure that optically this lens is up to the legendary EF 35/1.4 L II, but to be fair, that was one of the finest 35mm lenses made IMO.
This lens has no IS, something that has come to be unusual for RF lenses. Rudy says this contributes to its light weight and relatively compact size.
There is an independent focusing group controlled by the VCM motor, which presumably allows for close focus correction as well as minimizing focus breathing. Rudy makes a point of saying that with power off, this focusing group will move and produce a rattle within its cushioned interior. This is completely normal and not a sign of a problem.
In addition to 67mm front filters, the lens accepts a rear gel filter holder.
And of course there is the de-clicked iris for video use.
