Canon RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual Lens Is Built for 3D and VR Content Creation

Oct 29, 2024

Jeremy Gray

A Canon EOS R7 camera with a black body is displayed against a white background. The lens cap is on, showcasing the camera's compact design and various buttons for functionality.

Apple previewed a new Canon RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual lens at its WWDC presentation in June, and the lens, designed for social media content creators and enthusiast videographers, is finally here. The new lens is compatible with the Canon EOS R7 APS-C camera and is built to create content for virtual reality (VR) and 3D applications.

The RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual lens joins the RF-S 3.9mm f/3.5 Dual Fisheye lens, another VR-centric lens built for the EOS R7 and Canon’s growing EOS VR system. Unlike that fisheye lens, the new 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual is much smaller and mostly looks like a typical lens, albeit one with two openings at the front. Where the fisheye lens is bulbous and looks like someone strapped a pair of binoculars to the front of a camera, the 7.8mm lens is just 69.2 millimeters (2.7 inches) wide and accepts 58mm screw-on filters.

Canon RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual

The lens has an 11.8-millimeter interpupillary distance — the distance between the center of the left and right lenses — and has a 63-degree angle of view. With the R7’s 1.6 times crop factor, the 7.8mm lens is equivalent to a nearly 13 mm ultra-wide angle lens, which is well-suited to virtual reality content creation.

“With the RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual lens, Canon is not only providing a new visual tool but also enhancing the way creators communicate using emerging VR, spatial and 3D technologies,” says Hiroto Kato, vice president, Imaging Products & Solutions at Canon U.S.A., Inc. “This lens allows users to capture immersive content, bridging the gap between traditional content creation and the latest in VR and Spatial imagery. It’s an exciting step forward in making high-quality 3D content more approachable for everyone.”

A Canon EOS R7 digital camera with a lens attached is shown. The camera features various buttons and dials for settings adjustments. It is angled slightly, revealing the brand name and model prominently on the body.

Canon believes strongly in the burgeoning VR space, citing the growing need for user-friendly 3D imaging equipment. The new RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual lens works seamlessly with a range of popular spatial devices, including the Apple Vision Pro, which Canon notably said no camera could create suitable content for in March, mere months before hitting Apple’s stage at WWDC, and VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3.

Canon tells PetaPixel its new lens and the required EOS VR software supports three different image formats: 3D 180°, 3D Theater, and Spatial Video (like what Apple supports with its Vision Pro headset). The EOS VR Utility, which has a plug-in for Adobe Premiere Pro, supports content delivery for numerous head-mounted devices beyond the Meeta Quest and Apple Vision Pro, including the Pico G2 4K, Pico 4, and more. As of now, however, the software only supports video imagery processing, not Spatial Photos. However, Canon says that from a stills perspective, its software does support other 3D photo formats.

A dual fisheye lens featuring a sleek, compact design in black and gray. The lens includes a knob labeled "Adjust" and a small red indicator. Its brand name is visible on the side.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual lens is shipping in November with a suggested retail price of $449.99. Again, the lens only works with the Canon EOS R7 and requires Canon’s EOS VR Utility to create 3D content ready for consumption on compatible head-mounted devices.

Image credits: Canon