Canon’s 28mm f/2.8 is a New Pancake Lens for RF-Mount
In addition to the new R100 mirrorless camera, Canon today is also debuting a new pancake-style prime for the RF-mount, the 28mm f/2.8 STM.
While it is being announced at the same time as the APS-C R100, Canon’s new pancake does cover a full-frame 35mm sensor, meaning it will work in tandem with any of the company’s mirrorless RF-mount cameras. When mounted to a camera equipped with an APS-C sized sensor, it has an equivalent focal length of 45mm.
The lens is being positioned as ideal for a wide range of photographers, from beginners to enthusiasts.
Canon’s new lens is constructed of eight elements arranged in six groups which includes three aspherical lenses and Canon’s Super Spectra Coating (SSC). SSC is a multi-layered coating that Canon says is designed to eliminate ghosting and flare caused by lens surface reflections, creating “a durable hard lens surface with stable characteristics.” The result is what the company says deliver optimum color balance.
The 28mm f/2.8 STM features an aperture range of f/2.8 through f/22 via a seven-bladed aperture diaphragm. Autofocus is, as indicated by the name of the lens, driven by a gear-type stepping motor (STM) that Canon says provides smooth autofocus performance even when shooting video.
Given the size of the optic (it measures 2.7 by 1.0 inches), there isn’t a lot of room in there for anything other than the optics and the autofocus mechanism, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the lens doesn’t feature optical image stabilization. It does, however, have an electronic manual focus ring that has no physical limit to the rotation angle.
The lens does appear to physically change its dimensions when focusing and extend outward.
The lens features a clsoe focusing distance of 9.1 inches and has a maximum magnification of 0.17x. The front filter diameter measure 55mm. On the R5, R7, and R10, the lens has 100% coverage of the Dual Pixel CMOS area. On the EOS R, it reaches 100% of the vertical coverage but only 88% of the horizontal coverage.
Canon will offer a lens hood that is compatible with the 28mm f/2.8 STM, but it doesn’t ship with one. It does, however, include the lens cap and rear cap.
The RF28mm f/2.8 STM lens is scheduled to be available in July for $300.
Image credits: Canon
