Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS STM Macro Review

Right on the heels of the sample gallery from dpreview, we have a review from Dustin Abbott on the Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS STM Macro.

He considers the lens a competent performance, but not exceptional.  Which makes sense given it's price categorization.

Pros:

• Compact size
• Reasonable price
• Good center sharpness
• Good edge performance stopped down
• Beautiful sunburst
• Accurate autofocus
• Versatility of macro
• Effective IS

Cons:

• Heavy vignette
• More distortion than many macro lenses
• Bokeh can be busy
• STM focus a little noisy
• Light transmission lags behind aperture

From his conclusion;

What I found, however, was a lens that left me a little underwhelmed.  It is competent, but not exceptional.  I can live with some of the basic flaws (vignette and distortion), but I didn’t find the images I took with the lens to show any particular “sparkle”. 

Don’t get me wrong; I think this is an important lens.  It is the only reasonably priced native RF mount lens at the time of this review, and the focal length, aperture, and macro abilities make this a very versatile lens.  It is highly functional and will get the job done in a lot of situations.  For many users that will be enough, and I don’t want to discourage you away from the lens.  But for those looking for something more exceptional in either build or performance, you might be better served looking elsewhere. 

Read the full review here

The Canon RF 35mm 1.8 IS STM Macro at a glance;

• RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
• Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
• Super Spectra Coating
• STM Stepping AF Motor
• 1:2 Max. Magnification, 6.7" Min. Focus
• Optical Image Stabilizer
• Customizable Control Ring
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Buy it now