Canon RF 15–35mm f/2.8L IS USM: Exceptional, But at a Cost

Conchita Fernandes tests the Canon RF 15–35mm f/2.8L IS USM, the latest ultra-wide zoom lens, to see if it is as good as its competitors.

- Conchita Fernandes

The RF 15–35mm f/2.8L IS USM lens is part of what is known as Canon’s holy trinity of RF lenses (which includes the RF 24–70mm f/2.8L IS USM and the RF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USM) for its mirrorless systems; the only three lenses you’ll need for your photography exploits, considering the wide range of subjects you can photograph. The 15–35mm, in particular, is the fastest and only ultra-wide angle zoom lens amongst Canon’s RF lineup, with f/2.8 constant aperture. Let’s find out how it performs.

Features

The lens is constructed of 16 elements in 12 groups, has 9 diaphragm blades, 3 aspherical and 2 UD elements, a Nano USM drive system that moves the focusing group quickly and quietly, a maximum magnification of 0.21x, a close focusing distance of 0.28m, and has built-in image stabilisation that reduces shake by up to 5-stops. This (IS) is a new addition; it wasn’t there in the EF 16–35mm f/2.8L III USM lens. It also comes with a lens hood.

Handling