The benefits of using Canon RF lenses for video

When the Canon EOS R System was being developed, the design of the RF lenses came first. Canon's engineers set out to create the ideal lens, and the new RF mount combined with the EOS R System's full-frame mirrorless architecture allowed them to realise their goal.

The RF mount enables a new freedom in lens design, where large apertures, high resolving power and cutting-edge components are combined to create unique optics for shooting video and stills. It's not just the exceptional image quality of RF lenses that leaves a lasting impression – they are beautiful to use, too. The 12-pin RF mount expands the quantity and speed of communication between the lens and the camera, bringing an enhanced level of autofocus, image stabilisation and customisable control that make RF lenses the perfect choice for video capture.

Four RF lenses were available at the launch of the Canon EOS R System in 2018, and the range of RF zooms and primes has grown exponentially since then.

The lineup includes powerful super-telephotos such as the RF 1200mm F8L IS USM and the versatile RF 100-300mm F2.8L IS USM, through to the ultra-wide RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM, which is ideal for framing epic views and confined indoor spaces alike. The RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5L FISHEYE STM and the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE virtual reality lens have opened up new opportunities for immersive filmmaking.

Alongside photography lenses that are also excellent for video, there are primes and zooms with added functionality and features for filmmakers. Canon's hybrid RF lenses, for example, rank among the best Canon lenses for photography and are also some of the best Canon lenses for video, offering features such as reduced focus breathing, an 11-blade iris and smooth aperture control via a dedicated Iris Ring, while still delivering professional-level photographic performance. Canon has also introduced RF power zoom lenses for video creators: the RF 20-50mm F4L IS USM PZ and RF-S 14-30mm F4-6.3 IS STM PZ both feature internal power zooms that deliver smooth and variable servo zoom control while filming.

The RF lens range has even expanded to support professional film production with the Cinema EOS line of video cameras. Canon's RF Cine Prime lenses mirror the EF-mount Cine Prime series, while benefitting from native support for the RF mount. The seven RF Cine Primes, spanning focal lengths from 14mm to 135mm, share the same exceptional image quality, bright T-stop values, geared rings and focus throw as their EF stablemates, while enabling advanced communication between lens and camera that is only possible with the RF mount.

Here, we look at some of the benefits that RF lenses can bring for videographers.

The RF mount gives Canon lens designers greater freedom to create lenses that resolve sharper detail, incorporate faster apertures for cinematic depth and better performance in low-light, and have reduced focus breathing for more natural results when pulling focus.

All of these technologies and more help create more compelling video content that keeps viewers watching.

RF lenses share the same large 54mm internal diameter as Canon's EF lenses, but they have a shorter flange distance – the gap between the mount and the camera sensor.

The high-speed communication of the RF mount enables more responsive autofocus and real-time Digital Lens Optimisation (DLO). Compared with the 8-pin EF mount, the RF mount's 12-pin connection allows substantially more data to pass between the lens and camera.

This increased bandwidth also enables enhanced image stabilisation for smoother handheld footage. Selected RF mount cameras feature In-Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) which works in co-ordination with the optical stabilisation technology of an IS lens to deliver an impressive level of stability for video. IBIS also adds stabilisation for those shooting with non-IS lenses, such as the RF hybrid primes.

When IBIS and optical IS are combined with in-camera Digital IS, an even greater level of stabilisation is possible when shooting movies – exceeding what is possible using the optical IS alone.

"Gimbals will always have a place," says Ram. "If you're sprinting after an athlete or if you're working with the camera mounted to a vehicle, for example, then a gimbal will do a better job than any human being could when shooting handheld. But for typical run-and-gun filming, most people would find the new level of IS to be more than sufficient. If you're using a telephoto RF lens, you'll certainly see a huge difference with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, EOS R6 V or EOS R6 Mark III."

The Canon RF Cine Prime lenses offer the same focal lengths and T-stop values as the EF Cine Primes and Sumire Primes, but benefit from the advanced communication capabilities of the RF mount. "Although lens information is outputted to the camera when you're using CN-E lenses, the increased communication speed and bandwidth that you're getting with the RF mount allow a lot more information to be transferred," says Ram.

"One of the advantages of this is the ability to apply in-camera electronic distortion correction. That's not something that's available on the CN-E Primes.”

Stable, accurate and natural-looking autofocus is essential for modern video production, particularly for self-shooters, content creators and fast-moving shoots. RF lenses are designed with this in mind, combining high-speed communication across the RF mount with advanced autofocus motors that support smooth focus transitions and responsive subject tracking. This also enables features such as electronic Focus Breathing Correction during movie recording, helping filmmakers maintain consistent framing without distracting shifts or jarring movements. Many of the latest RF lenses are also optically designed to suppress focus breathing, reducing the amount of digital correction required.

RF Cine Servo lenses such as the wide-angle CN5x11 IAS T R1 for ENG-style operation and the super-telephoto CN30x40 IAS J R1 for wildlife and documentary filmmaking also take advantage of the RF mount’s enhanced autofocus tracking capabilities, enabling reliable focus when capturing fast-moving or unpredictable action.

"While there may still be people who are apprehensive about using autofocus for filmmaking, we've introduced many useful features into cameras that enable filmmakers to start to rely on the autofocus capabilities," says Ram. "If you're a solo shooter, Dual Pixel CMOS AF is a godsend. Filmmakers have come back to us to say how accurate they've found it, and how the image doesn't snap into focus with that obvious digital look."

"If you're a filmmaker, the last thing you want to happen when you're manually focusing is to go past the subject, then have to rotate the ring in the opposite direction to bring the image back into focus. That's not pleasing to the eye when you're seeing that in video,” says Ram. “With the communication system on the RF mount, however, manual focusing adjustments are far more precise. It's as close as you will get to having a mechanically focusing lens."

Many RF lenses feature a customisable Control Ring that gives videographers instant access to key camera settings, such as ISO, aperture or exposure compensation, from the lens itself. The ring can even be modified to remove clicking sounds, enabling smooth, silent adjustments on set.

"You've got people who are coming to the EOS R System from the video side, and you've got the people who are coming to it from the photography side," says Ram. "The cameras and lenses have been designed so that they can be customised according to the individual's needs. For instance, guerrilla filmmakers may want to have the RF lens control ring assigned to either ISO or exposure compensation. That way, if they're moving between locations of varying light, they are able to control the exposure in the same way they would with a variable ND filter."

Also, when zooming, the 1/8-stop aperture adjustment and zero fluctuation eliminate exposure shift, making it possible to alter the exposure with the aperture without the rapid changes in brightness that occur with every other non-cinema lens.

Hybrid RF lenses offer even greater creative control, combining customisable Lens Function buttons with dedicated Control Rings. They also feature Iris Rings that provide smooth, quiet and highly precise aperture adjustments in 1/32-stop increments while recording video. Despite covering different focal lengths, hybrid prime lenses such as the RF 20mm F1.4L VCM and RF 85mm F1.4L VCM share a uniform design, making it easier to switch between lenses and rebalance gimbals or rigs with minimal interruption during a shoot.

The RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z and RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z hybrid zooms also share the same design for consistent handling, while together covering focal lengths that suit most shooting scenarios. They can also be used with the optional Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2/PZ-E2B adapters for smooth, motorised zoom control.

Canon's PZ lenses feature built-in power zooms, making it easy to achieve controlled zoom movements on demand. Pair the RF 20-50mm F4L IS USM PZ with the Canon EOS R6 V or EOS C50, for example, and you can control zooms smoothly using the camera's zoom lever as well as the lens ring, with variable speed control for greater flexibility.

These power zoom lenses and adapters can also be operated remotely using apps such as Canon Camera Connect and Canon EOS Utility, which is ideal when the camera is mounted out of reach, such as on a crane.

With their newly developed knurled, fixed ring design, Canon RF Cine Primes make handheld operation more comfortable, intuitive and efficient. "The Canon CN-R Prime lenses are physically longer than their EF Cine Prime and Sumire Prime equivalents," confirms Ram, "but they're a lot easier to grip when you're attaching or detaching them."

The geared rings on all Cine Prime lenses provide greater control than existing RF photo lenses, as does the 300° long focus throw – features that are consistent across Canon's cinema prime lenses.

Importantly, having a native RF cinema lens range removes the need for a mount adaptor, allowing for more seamless handling with RF mount Cinema EOS cameras such as the EOS C80 and EOS C400. "Cinema lenses overall are heavier than photography lenses," Ram says, "and over a period of time you might end up with a more fragile connection between the lens, the adapter and the camera. That's true of any adapter from any manufacturer. So having that native RF mount gives you a more reliable connection between the lens and the body."

The combination of a large diameter mount, short flange distance and faster communication between lens and camera has made it possible to create new kinds of lens designs for video production. In addition to the pioneering RF hybrid lenses and innovative power zoom lenses that combine video-focused features with exceptional optical quality, there are also stereoscopic and VR lenses such as the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE and RF-S 3.9mm F3.5 STM DUAL FISHEYE for capturing immersive video content.

RF lenses made for photographers can also be used to take your video storytelling in a new direction. The RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5L FISHEYE STM lets you capture wide views in distinctive and dynamic ways, and offers video-friendly exposure control via an optional drop-in variable ND filter. At the other extreme, the RF 1200mm F8L IS USM delivers incredible super-telephoto footage in a relatively lightweight design for such a lens.

"Everyone at Canon is hugely excited about the possibilities," says Ram. "I think that the trinity of professional f/2.8 L-series zooms – the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM, RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM – makes a great starting point for many filmmakers. The RF 70-200mm is probably my favourite of the three. Compared to the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, it has considerably reduced focus breathing, and the result is beautiful."

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z offers even more practical benefits for professional filmmaking – including manual iris control, two Lens Function buttons and dedicated contacts for the optional Power Zoom adapters. Yet it's still a phenomenal lens for photography.

"There are some filmmakers who'll want imperfections in their image quality to add character, and they will tend to gravitate towards using old-school legacy glass or really old vintage lenses," acknowledges Ram. "But we find that the majority of people want to have a really crisp, high-quality image for their videos, especially in order to make the most of the 7K Open Gate RAW recording of the EOS C50 or the 8K capability of the EOS R5 C. Canon's RF lenses definitely realise that level of resolution."

Ultimately, the image that viewers see on screen is what counts. This is where Canon RF lenses excel – particularly the Canon RF Cine Prime lenses, with their refined cinematic look, and the hybrid RF primes, which combine fast apertures, 11-blade irises, minimal focus breathing and sharp optics with consistent colour reproduction across the range for easier grading.

The CN-R primes deliver the same excellent clarity and clean optical performance as their CN-E Prime counterparts, making them perfect for 4K, 8K and HDR productions. They also render colours in the same way as the other cinema lenses, Ram points out, "which is reassuring if you're mixing lenses from across our range on a production".

Each RF Cine Prime lens features a bright T-stop value and an 11-blade iris, enabling filmmakers to capture a shallow depth of field with smooth bokeh, halation and sun flares. "For anyone who wants to have a stable mount, amazing optical quality and all of the capabilities that a cinema lens offers, these are the perfect fit," Ram concludes. "We envisage them being used for a wide variety of professional video productions, from documentaries and drama to commercial work and music videos."

There is something for every type of filmmaker to discover in the RF range. With a comprehensive selection of primes, zooms and cinema lenses offering exceptional quality and reliable performance, it enables filmmakers to tell stories with a more cinematic feel – whether they're shooting a movie or finding a new audience online.