Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

Compact and powerful

Canon's RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is a powerful telephoto zoom lens that is lighter, shorter, and more capable than previous iterations of this focal length. If you shoot weddings, portraits, sports, wildlife, or events this versatile lens will likely be a frequent go-to choice. Let's take a closer look at what makes it so special.

It all starts with image quality

You're probably hip to Canon's exceptional lineup of RF-mount lenses. The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM complements the other high-end glass in the L Series lineup, offering superb image and build quality. You'll enjoy razor-sharp focus, vibrant, punchy colors, and beautiful out-of-focus elements.

This lens features a large maximum aperture of f/2.8 that lets in lots of light. That makes it ideal for shooting fast-moving subjects at an indoor basketball game or evening soccer match where you may not have much light to work with.

Bigger isn't always better

This lens's larger sibling for DSLR cameras, the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM, is used by professional photographers around the world — virtually every pro and collegiate sporting event has at least one on the sidelines. It's a brilliant lens, but it's massive. That's not so bad if you're shooting on a tripod, but handholding a heavy lens for long periods of time takes its toll.

The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is two inches shorter than its predecessor when zoomed out, and nearly a pound lighter. That's a huge difference maker in terms of handle and strain, all without sacrificing any image quality.

The change in length is due in part to a zoomable lens barrel on this new model, which extends outward at longer focal lengths. This is Canon's shortest and lightest 70-200mm f/2.8 lens to date, and I expect it to have broad appeal for enthusiasts and pros alike.

Outstanding focus and image stabilization

One of the big improvements this lens offers over previous 70-200mm models is a new type of ultrasonic motor technology called Nano USM, which uses two independent but highly synchronized focusing motors — a first for Canon autofocus lenses.

That means you'll enjoy lightning-fast focusing on your subject, along with quiet, buttery smooth focus transition when shooting video. This is also the first Canon 70-200mm lens to offer three different image stabilization modes, which are selectable with a barrel-mounted switch.

Built-in image stabilization is part of what makes this lens so magical — at 200mm you can slow your shutter speed down without the traditional lens shake that a non-IS lens might suffer from. I've shot extensively with both types of 70-200mm lens, and believe an image-stabilized zoom lens to be one of the best purchases I've made.

No matter what you shoot, this lens is up for the task. Sure, it doesn't exactly come cheap. But like all RF L Series lenses, it's an investment that will yield gorgeous images for many years.