Canon has announced the RF 16mm f/2.8 STM. This is a lightweight, compact prime lens and is the 25th RF mount lens to be released by Canon. It is also the first ultra-wide RF prime lens to be announced.
Previously if you wanted a prime lens that was wider than 35mm you had to buy a third-party lens. It is still a little baffling as to why Canon hasn’t released any wide L series RF prime lenses.
The RF 16mm f/2.8 STM joins the RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM, RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, and RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM prime lenses in Canon’s affordable and compact prime series.
Canon now has 7 STM RF mount lenses available, including the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM, RF 600mm F/11 STM, and RF 800mm F/11 STM.
Size & weight
The RF 16mm f/2.8 STM tips the scales at just 165g / 5.82 oz. The optical design consists of 9 elements in 7 groups and the lens has 7 aperture blades.
Other Features
The lens has a minimum focusing distance of just 13cm / 5.11″ and a front filter diameter of 43 mm.
The STM motor provides quiet and smooth autofocus performance and there is also full-time manual focus override. Additionally, a configurable Control Ring lets you adjust exposure settings, including ISO, aperture, and exposure compensation, from the lens itself.
Please note that this isn’t an IS lens.
Specifications
Price & Availability
The Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM will be available in late October for $299.99 USD.