Canon launches RF 800mm f/5.6L and 1200mm f/8L lenses

Canon has announced two new super-telephoto lenses, the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM and the RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM.

Both lenses are similar to their EF mount siblings, although they offer considerable weight savings - the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM is Canon’s lightest and shortest 800mm L-series lens at 3.1kg. For context, that’s only 300g more than Canon’s EF 400mm F2.8 II lens. The RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM is also light, weighing in at 3.34kg, which makes it more than 13kgs(!) lighter than its predecessor the EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM, as well as 30cm smaller. 

The lenses are not just lighter, with Canon managing to reduce the focusing distances to just 2.6m in the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM – less than half the distance of other 800mm f/5.6 lenses – and 4.3m in the RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM.

Both lenses are also compatible with the RF 1.4 x or RF 2 x extenders, with full AF and IS functionality, and they also offer two focus presets for quickly switching between specific focus distances. The lenses are weathersealed, and feature flourine coatings on the front elements.

Both lenses are constructed of 26 elements in 18 groups, including one ultra-low dispersion (UD) element, one Super UD element and two fluorite elements. They also offer 9 blade diaphragms. 

And the price? You may need to sit down - $29,799 for the RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM and $35,099 for the RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM. The lenses will both be available in Australia at the end of May.