Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L

Full Frame RF Mirrorless

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Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM (95mm filters, 50.5 oz./1,433g, 1.3'/0.39m close focus, $3,099) bigger. I'd get mine at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally-approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens. Get yours only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

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Sample Images

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Pollo e Salsiccia ai Ferri

Pollo e Salsiccia ai Ferri, 24 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 28mm, f/2.8 at 1/60 at Auto ISO 200, Perfectly Clear. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.

 

Stone wall with windows

Stone Wall with Windows, 24 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 70mm, f/4 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.

 

Ryan at the Orthodontist

Ryan at the Orthodontist, 25 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Silent SCN mode, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 70mm, automatic eye-sensing autofocus, at f/2.8 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 200, Perfectly Clear. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Red Table and Chairs

Red Table and Chairs, 25 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 37mm at f/5 at 1/60 at Auto ISO 400, as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Introduction

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New   Good   Bad   Missing

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

This Canon 28-70mm f/2L sets new benchmarks in sharpness. Just like LEICA's extraordinary lenses it's as extraordinarily sharp wide-open as it is stopped down! Mortal lenses get softer at their widest apertures while this masterpiece stays just as sharp.

This 28-70 2 only works on the EOS-R mirrorless system, whose ultra-accurate direct on-sensor autofocus system allows perfect focus for ultrasharp shots wide-open at f/2 — something that was always difficult to get on DSLRs.

The 28-70/2 is a huge lens. It's as heavy as a 70-200/2.8 DSLR lens, just shorter and fatter.

It's twice as fast as f/2.8 lenses so you can shoot at half the ISO at f/2 for pictures sharper than with a lens stopped down to f/2.8 at the same shutter speed - or you can use a shutter speed twice as fast at the same ISO to stop action.

This 28-70/2 excels for astronomy and people who will actually shoot it at f/2. It is unique for sports and action in dim light because its high f/2 speed lets you shoot with higher shutter speeds than any other professional zoom. Image Stabilization can't help when the subject is moving; you either have to use a faster zoom like this or use higher ISOs or a faster fixed lens.

This is a statement lens for Canon to show its optical leadership, From a practical standpoint the RF 24-105/4L IS is smaller, a third the price and covers almost twice the zoom range and adds Image Stabilization, but it's two stops slower.

This 28-70mm f/2 is for people who deserve the very best of everything. If you excel at what you do you deserve this lens just as a one-of-a-kind showpiece. I can't imagine Canon making many other crazy lenses like this. This 28-70mm f/2L is exactly like the huge 50mm f/1L that came out with Canon's first EOS cameras in 1987: an extraordinary show-off lens that no one has ever duplicated, and is also reasonably practical for actual shooting if you can afford to buy it and carry it around.

I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

New

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com All new lens mount.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com THREE control rings: zoom, focus and a third programmable ring.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Manual focus is by wire and works great.

 

Good

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Superb optics.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Extra programmable control ring.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Huge lens that impresses the jaded and frightens the innocent.

 

Bad

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com $3,099.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Big and heavy.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Heavy.

 

Missing

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No scales other than the zoom ring; everything is read-out, including distance and depth-of-field, in the camera.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Image Stabilization (IS).

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM. bigger.

 

Compatibility

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I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

This lens only works on Canon's EOS-R series of mirrorless cameras.

It won't fit on any DSLR.

 

Specifications

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I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Name

Canon calls this the Canon Lens RF28-70mm f/2 L USM.

    RF: Works only on Canon's EOS-R full-frame mirrorless cameras.

    L: Expensive as L.

    USM: Ultrasonic Autofocus Motor.

 

Optics

Canon RF 28-70mm-f2 construction

Canon RF 28~70mm f/2L USM internal optical construction. Aspherical and UD elements. SWC sub-wavelength coating and ASC Air-Sphere Coating.

19 elements in 13 groups.

Four Aspherical elements, including ground aspherical (the most expensive kind).

Three UD elements.

ASC Air-Sphere Coating on one surface and SWC sub-wavelength coating on another.

 

Coverage

Full Frame.

 

Diaphragm

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L bigger.

9 rounded blades.

Electronically actuated.

Stops down to f/22.

 

Focal Length

28~70mm.

When used with an APS-C crop, it sees the same angle of view as a 45~110 mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or 35mm camera.

See also Crop Factor.

 

Angles of View on Full Frame

75º ~ 34º diagonal.

65º ~ 29º horizontal.

36º ~ 19.5º vertical.

 

Autofocus

USM.

Internal focus; no external movement as focused, so no air or dust is sucked in.

 

Focus Scale

No, but Canon EOS-R cameras can display this in the finder.

 

Infinity Focus Stop

No.

 

Depth of Field Scale

No, but Canon EOS-R cameras can display this in the finder.

 

Reproduction Ratio Scale

No.

 

Infrared Focus Index

No.

 

Close Focus

1.3 feet (0.39 meters).

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:5.6 (0.18 ×).

 

Optical Image Stabilizer

None.

 

Caps

95mm front cap, included.

Canon Lens Dust Cap RF rear cap, included.

 

Filters

95mm filter thread.

 

Hood

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon EW-103 hood for RF 28-70mm f/2L USM. bigger.

 

EW-103 plastic bayonet hood included.

Made in Japan.

Spring-loaded latch on left.

 

Case

Canon LP1424 case

Canon LP1424 sack case for RF 28-70mm f/2L USM. bigger.

LP1424 sack included.

 

Size

4.08" maximum diameter × 5.50" extension from flange.

103.8 mm maximum diameter × 139.8 mm extension from flange.

 

Weight

50.535 oz. (1,432.6g) actual measured weight.

Rated 50.4 oz. (1,430 g).

 

Announced

3 AM Wednesday, 05 September 2018, NYC time.

 

Promised for

10 December 2018.

 

Included

RF 28-70mm f/2L USM lens.

E-95 95mm front cap.

Rear Lens Dust Cap RF (p/n 2962C001).

EW-103 bayonet hood.

LP1424 sack.

 

Canon's Model Numbers

RF28-7020L.

Product code 2965C001AA in Japan, 2965C002AA in USA.

JAN 4549292-115642.

 

Price, USA

July 2022

$3,099 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

About $2,950 used if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

August 2020

$2,899 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.

About $2,600 used if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

September 2018 ~ February 2019

$2,999, at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.

(420,000 yen in Japan at introduction.)

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Box, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM. bigger.

 

Getting a Legal USA Version

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This section applies in the USA only, where I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

Canon USA Warranty Card

Canon USA Warranty Card. bigger.

Your lens must include a USA warranty card like the one shown above from Canon U.S.A., Inc. It should be on top inside your box as you open it. The serial number on the card must match the serial number engraved on the bottom of your lens barrel or the card is meaningless.

If you're missing this card or the serial numbers don't match, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the USA, and you probably won't be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!

Shifty dealers may include color copies of a card from a legitimate USA lens in a gray-market box, hoping you won't check serial numbers and catch their fraud. A card with the wrong serial number means nothing other than that you have no warranty coverage.

The serial number on the box doesn't have to match, but it should. It will be hidden someplace on the sticker with all the bar codes. If not, it means a shady dealer took things out of boxes and was too sloppy to put them back correctly — and it means you got a used lens if anyone other than you took it out of the box.

If a gray market version saves you $600 the risk might be worth it, but for $200 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.

Always be sure to check yours while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed. Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem.

 

Performance

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USA Version   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Bokeh

Breathing   Coma   Distortion   Ergonomics   Falloff

Filters   Flare & Ghosts   Lateral Color Fringes

Macro   Mechanics   Sharpness

Spherochromatism   Stabilization   Sunstars

 

I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Overall

Performance          top

This lens is so sharp, especially wide-open, that it sets benchmarks for all other lenses. It used to be only LEICA lenses that were just as sharp wide-open as stopped down, and now this lens loses no sharpness even out to the corners shot wide-open. Bravo!

It's a beastly large lens, and has the performance to make it worthwhile if you need its unique f/2 speed. It weighs as much as a 70-200/2.8 DSLR lens and weighs more than Canon's new RF 70-200/2.8 mirrorless lens. This 28-70/2 is shorter than an DSLR tele, but it's a lot fatter with a lot of glass inside.

It focuses very fast, but doesn't focus that close.

It has no active stabilization, but its weight gives it a about a stop of stabilization for free.

 

Autofocus

Performance          top

Autofocus is very fast, especially if the lens has to motor in and out between near and far distances.

 

Manual Focus

performance          top

The manual focus ring is electronic; there is no direct mechanical connection to anything.

 

Bokeh

Performance          top

Bokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is excellent.

Here are photos from headshot distance wide-open:

Canon 28-70 2 bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 18 February 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon 28-70 2 bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 18 February 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at 70mm at f/2 and get as close as possible.

 

Focus Breathing

Performance          top

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

The image from the 28-70 2 becomes smaller as focused more closely, enough so that it might not be the best choice for video if you're pulling focus back and forth a lot.

 

 

Coma

Performance          top

Coma, or sagittal coma flare, is often seen with fast normal to wide lenses as weird batwing shapes on bright points of light in the corners at night.

I see no coma in this fast lens, which is extraordinary. This is better than many ultraspeed LEICA M lenses. Bravo, Canon!

 

At 28mm

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 Coma performance

Nightfall, 27 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 28mm, 30 seconds at f/2 at ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L Coma performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

No coma here! The noise (grain) you're seeing is because I lightened this image and crop so you can see coma better. The stars in the sky are supposed to be blurred in this 30 second exposure.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

At 42mm

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 Coma performance

Nightfall, 27 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 42mm, 30 seconds at f/2 at ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L Coma performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

No coma here! There are some mild sunstar effects from the diaphragm.

The white outlines are because I have the Sharpening set way too high for a lens this sharp; it's not a lens artifact. The noise (grain) you're seeing is because I lightened this image and crop so you can see coma better. The stars in the sky are supposed to be blurred from the 30 second exposure.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

At 70mm

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 Coma performance

Nightfall, 27 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 70mm, 30 seconds at f/2 at ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L Coma performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

No coma here!

The white outlines are because I have the Sharpening set way too high for a lens this sharp; it's not a lens artifact. The noise (grain) you're seeing is because I lightened this image and crop so you can see coma better. The stars in the sky are supposed to be blurred from the 30 second exposure.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Distortion

Performance          top

The Canon 28-70mm f/2 has no visible distortion because Canon's EOS-R mirrorless cameras correct it by default.

Only if you're foolish enough to go out of your way to turn off this default correction and then go looking deliberately for it will you see some moderate barrel distortion at 28mm and some moderate pincushion distortion from 50mm to 70mm. Around 35mm there is no visible distortion corrected or not.

Even uncorrected the distortion is mild enough that you won't see it unless you like taking pictures of straight lines parallel to the frame edges. Leave you settings alone and there is no distortion.

Here are my lab results:

On Full-Frame and 35mm at 10' (3m)

Correction factor to use with images made with correction ON in EOS RP

Correction factor with uncorrected images

28mm
±0.00 +1.50*
35mm
±0.00 -0.50*
50mm
±0.00 -1.80
70mm
±0.00 -2.00

© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

* Some waviness remains after this correction.

 

Ergonomics

Performance          top

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L at 28mm. bigger.
Canon RF 28-70 f/2L at 70mm. bigger.

This is a big, fat, heavy lens.

You can zoom it with a single firm thumb or index finger, or ideally use two fingers.

Whether or not the electronic focus ring does anything depends on how you set your camera. It has no mechanical connection.

The frontmost ring has click stops and can be programmed to do many things in your camera, like set aperture or shutter speed or exposure compensation or ISO, for instance. All Canon's RF lenses have these and they are super handy.

 

Falloff

Performance          top

Falloff is invisible, especially because Canon's EOS-R mirrorless cameras correct it by default.

I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things. Also remember that this is at f/2, f/2.8 and f/4; most lenses only start at f/4:

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L USM falloff at infinity, correction ON (default).

 
f/2
f/2.8
f/4
28mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
35mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
50mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
70mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff

 

© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

If you're foolish enough to turn off the correction and then go looking for falloff you might see some at f/2, and it's gone by f/2.8~4 in actual photos of real things.

I've greatly exaggerated this here by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background. Also remember that this is at f/2, f/2.8 and f/4; most lenses only start at f/4:

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L USM falloff at infinity, correction OFF.

 
f/2
f/2.8
f/4
28mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
35mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
50mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
70mm
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff
Canon RF 28-70 f/2 falloff

 

© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Filters, use with

performance          top

The 95mm filter threads are plastic. They have a standard coarse 1.0mm thread pitch, not the 0.75mm pitch that's standard with smaller filter sizes. Be careful if you use junky filter adapters from China; the Chinese don't always use the correct 1mm pitch on their 95mm threads, so don't force anything and always be careful to avoid cross-threading by turning the filter backwards until you feel a mild click to align the threads before you start to turn it clockwise to attach the filter.

Be careful if you use older 95mm filters whose glass might recede into the front of the lens past the front of the filter threads. The rear of your filter's glass shouldn't go back into the lens more than about 2mm from the front of the lens' filter threads or it might touch the lens' front element. Avoid filters whose glass pokes back 2.8mm or more, the filter's glass will contact the lens' front element.

There's no need for thin filters. I can stack two big, fat 95mm screw-in filters without vignetting on full-frame — but not three.

Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.

 

Flare & Ghosts

Performance          top

With 19 elements in 13 groups this lens has a lot of air-glass surfaces, and regardless of fancy coatings it has more flare and ghosts than simpler lenses.

You will probably see some ghosts if shooting directly into bright light sources like the sun. You can see some examples at Sunstars.

 

Lateral Color Fringes

Performance          top

There are no lateral color fringes as shot on Canon cameras, which by default correct for any that may be there.

If you're crazy enough go out of your way to turn off the correction and then go looking for problems, there is only the very slightest green-magenta lateral color at 28mm, none in the middle of the zoom range, and then the opposite magenta-green at 70mm — but you'll never see this outside of a laboratory and only if you turn off the default corrections.

This is superb performance! Even with correction off it's invisible outside of a lab, and with correction left ON by default there are none.

 

 

Macro Performance

Performance          top

Macro doesn't get that close, but it is sharp at every setting, limited only by depth of field and your abilities.

 

At f/2

It's sharp even wide-open at f/2:

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Macro performance

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at 70mm at f/2 at close-focus distance, 25 February 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Macro performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

At f/8

Stopping down to f/8 gives us a lot more in focus:

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Macro performance

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at 70mm at f/8 at close-focus distance, 25 February 2019. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Macro performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Focus-Bracketed and Stacked Composite at f/4

The best solution is to use the EOS RP's focus-bracketing feature and then composite those images in the computer.

Be careful with your primary photography; you need to be on a very solid tripod as the whole system can wiggle a bit as it focuses and shoots its series, and if it wiggles it will do weird things to the subject due to the EOS RP's rolling silent shutter and not give a good composite. For macro, the EF 180mm on an EF adapter is a much better idea.

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Macro performance

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch shot with the EOS RP's focus-bracketing feature at 70mm at f/4 and then composited in the computer, 19 February 2019 (a different day than above). bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Macro performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Mechanical Quality

Performance          top

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM. bigger.

This is a big plastic and metal lens.

 

Hood

Plastic bayonet.

 

Front Bumper

None.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Hood Bayonet Mount

Plastic.

 

All Exterior Barrel Parts

Plastic.

 

Programmable Command Ring

Plastic.

 

Focus Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

 

Zoom Ring

Rubber-covered metal.

 

Mid Barrel Exterior

Section with focus lock buttons: plastic.

 

Slide Switches

Plastic.

 

Identity

Printed around front of lens between glass and filter threads.

"28-70" engraved and filled with white paint on top of plastic barrel.

 

Internals

Seem like all metal!

The zoom cams also look and feel like metal.

 

Dust Gasket at Mount

Yes.

 

Mount

Dull chromed metal.

 

Markings

Painted.

 

Serial Number

Laser engraved in black-on-black on bottom of barrel.

 

Date Code

None found.

 

Noises When Shaken

Minor clunking.

 

Made in

Japan.

 

Sharpness

Performance          top

It's ultra-sharp even wide-open at f/2, but lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.

If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 at ISO 1,600 at default sharpening in daylight through heat shimmer of rapidly moving subjects at differing distances in the same image.

 

Wide-open at f/2 at 28mm

Here are some awful photos that are super sharp. Remember that these are shot wide-open at f/2 where most lenses get softer, and that only things at infinity are in focus; everything closer is supposed to be softer:

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 sharpness sample image

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 28mm at f/2. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 sharpness sample image

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Wide-open at f/2 at 43mm

Here are some awful photos that are super sharp. Remember that these are shot wide-open at f/2 where most lenses get softer, and that only things at infinity are in focus; everything closer is supposed to be softer:

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 sharpness sample image

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 43mm at f/2. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 sharpness sample image

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Wide-open at f/2 at 70mm

Here are some awful photos that are super sharp. Remember that these are shot wide-open at f/2 where most lenses get softer, and that only things at infinity are in focus; everything closer is supposed to be softer:

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 sharpness sample image

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at 70mm at f/2. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 sharpness sample image

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Canon's MTF curves confirm this superb performance:

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 MTF

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 MTF wide-open at 10 cyc/mm (black) and 30 cyc/mm (blue). Sagittal (solid) and meridional (dashed).

 

Spherochromatism

Performance          top

Spherochromatism, also called "color bokeh" by laymen, is an advanced form of chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral color. It can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.

Miraculously this fast lens has very little spherochromatism:

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Spherochromatism

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch, 25 February 2019. Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM at close-focus distance at 70mm at f/2. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Spherochromatism

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).

 

Image Stabilization

Performance          top

While this lens has no Image Stabilization (IS), it's so heavy that it tends to stabilize itself and give perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness most of the time at half the 1/focal length speed:

% Perfectly Sharp Shots
1/2
1/4
1/8
1/15
1/30
1/60
1/125
28mm
0
0
40
70
100
100
100
44mm
0
0
0
50
70
100
100
70mm
0
0
5
17
70
90
100

 

Sunstars

Performance          top

With a rounded diaphragm at large apertures that becomes nonagonal at the smallest apertures, I get pretty good 18-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light at the smaller apertures.

Mercedes AMG GLE 63S

2018 Mercedes GLE 63S Coupe, 19 February 2019. Canon EOS RP, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM, f/22 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 640, Perfectly Clear. bigger.

 

The crazy colors you see near the sun have nothing to do with the lens; they are camera sensor artifacts caused by me doing something as stupid as pointing my camera directly at the sun and then exposing for the shadow of the tree.

Click any image to enlarge:

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

Canon 28-70mm f/2 Sunstars

 

Compared

Top   Intro   Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Overall

There is no other similar lens. This is a huge, ultrafast lens that is a halo product for Canon and most useful for people who demand the fastest possible general-purpose zoom available or use in low light with sports, action or astronomy.

If we ignore the f/2 part, then there are plenty of slower f/2.8 and f/4 lenses out there — but that's not why you own this lens.

You own this because you are the best at what you do and deserve the best of everything. You demand more from your photo gear than just great pictures.

 

Versus the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS

The RF 24-105/4L IS is smaller, a third the price and covers almost twice the zoom range. The RF 24-105/4L IS also adds Image Stabilization, but it's two stops slower. The RF 24-105/4L IS a much more practical choice; this huge f/2 lens is for people who really, really need an f/2 zoom and shoot it at f/2, or at least for people who want the very best and don't mind paying for it or carrying the extra weight.

 

Versus the EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L USM and EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM. bigger.

This massive 28-70/2 dwarfs Canon's large EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM.

You'll need an EF Adapter to use the EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM on an EOS R camera.

 

User's Guide

Top   Intro   Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L. bigger.

AF - MF Switch

AF: Auto Focus. You have instant manual focus override by turning the focus ring at any time. It will try to ignore minor accidental bumps.

MF: Manual Focus only.

 

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L

Canon RF 28-70 f/2L bigger.

Lock Switch

The LOCK position locks the lens at the 28mm setting. I don't find this useful as my lens never creeps.

 

Recommendations

Top   Intro   Compatibility   Specifications

USA Version   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

People who need this lens know who they are. It also excels for general photography, but it's big, heavy and expensive and if you're not using it at f/2 very often, you're not getting your money's worth. Of course if you're someone who deserves nice things, this lens delivers even if you don't use it.

Most people will prefer the smaller, lighter and much less expensive RF 24-105/4L IS that adds image stabilization and has a much larger zoom range — but this 28-70/2 was never intended for normal people.

I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear, otherwise I leave a clear protective filter on my lens at all times instead of a cap so I'm ready to shoot instantly.

I'd use a 95mm B+W 010M Multicoated UV filter to protect this lens. The single-coated 95mm B+W 010 UV filter isn't that much less expensive, so I'd pass on it.

A better filter for twice the price is the 95mm Hoya EVO UV. It has special dirt, dust and smudge resistant multicoatings to stay cleaner longer.

I'd get my RF 28-70mm f/2L at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken Rockwell

 

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25 July 2022, 29 Aug 2020, 24-26 Feb 2019, 11 September 2018