Canon’s Latest Lens Redefines a New RF Standard
Enrich ultra-wide images with the RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM’s rich f/2.8 bokeh expressiveness
RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM with EOS R6 Mark II
SINGAPORE, 23 January 2025 — Canon today announced the RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM, a new full-frame RF mount wide-angle zoom lens for the EOS R mirrorless system. Equipped with a bright f/2.8 constant aperture, the RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM is Canon’s second non-professional-grade constant aperture zoom lens.
“With the new RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM, users have a high-performance wide-angle zoom option that is affordable, provides premium image quality and versatility of a bright, constant f/2.8 aperture. Its compact portable body supplements the RF28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM standard zoom lens, and both are our latest offerings in a new series that will raise standards for RF lenses,” said Ichinomiya Takashi, Director of Regional ICB Sales & Marketing Division, Canon Singapore.
Versatile Ultra-Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Ultra-wide angle zoom lenses are an extremely popular next lens to get and especially so for creators due to their wider coverage, dynamic perspective, and framing flexibility. The RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM will be the first of its class to supercharge these features with a bright, constant f/2.8 aperture. Previously only available on prime lenses or professional-grade lenses, it is now possible for creators who are on a tight budget to create beautiful bokeh or shoot in low light with increased control over exposure settings, regardless if they are creating dramatic compositions at 16 mm or more natural-looking context-filled portraits at 28 mm.
The lens can also be utilised as a constant aperture standard zoom lens when paired with APS-C cameras, offering a highly versatile full-frame equivalent focal range of 25.6 mm to 44.8 mm, ideal for scenes as diverse as landscapes, street and documentary, everyday life, and portraiture.
Handheld Still and Video Shooting with Ease
Designed to be compact and lightweight, the RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM is around 9.1 cm long when fully retracted, and weighs about 445 g, which is similar to the RF28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM. It can also be fitted onto a gimbal, creating a lighter and user-friendly setup that is ideal for travel, hikes, and exploration.
When using compatible cameras such as the EOS R6 Mark II, the lens’ built-in optical image stabiliser (Optical IS) supports peripheral coordinated control, which corrects the blurring that occurs in the edges of the image that characteristically occurs when shooting stills with wide-angle lenses.
Its image stabilisation capabilities during still shooting are shown as below (according to CIPA 2024 standards):
| Optical IS Only | Coordinated Control IS (on camera with In-Body IS) | |
| Centre | Up to 5.5 stops1 | Up to 8.0 stops2 |
| Corner | N.A. | Up to 7.5 stops3 |
When the lens is used with cameras that support Movie Digital IS, the two IS systems coordinate with each other to enhance stabilisation of handheld footage shot while moving.
Accurate and Seamless Autofocusing
Driven by the fast and highly responsive lead-screw type STM, the AF on the RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM can provide swift, precise and accurate AF during stills and excellent control required for smooth, quiet focus transitions when shooting videos. It also supports focus breathing correction when used with compatible cameras, where the camera digitally corrects fluctuations in the angle of view caused by focus movement during video shooting.
Durable Build and Outstanding Image Quality
The RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM has a dust- and drip-resistant build equivalent to that of professional-grade L-series lenses, with a weather-sealed ring and mount joints for better peace of mind when shooting outdoors.
Discerning and detail-oriented creators will be delighted by the lens’ impeccable optical quality, which is comparable to professional-grade L-series lenses. Improvements to the manufacturing process have enabled usage of a larger replica aspherical lens as the frontmost element, correcting aberrations more thoroughly resulting in even better image quality.
Product Specifications
| Product | RF16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM |
| Focal Length | 16-28 mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 0.25 m (focal length = 16 mm) 0.2 m (focal length = 28 mm) |
| Maximum Magnification | 0.11x (focal length = 16 mm) 0.26x (focal length = 28 mm) |
| Lens Construction | 16 elements in 13 groups |
| Filter Size Diameter | Ø67 mm |
| Aperture Blades | 9 |
| IS (CIPA Standard Correction Effect) | Yes (up to 5.5 stops) |
| Coordinated Control IS (With IBIS Equipped Camera) | Yes (up to 8.0 stops) |
| Maximum Diameter and Length | Approx. 76.5 mm × 91.0 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 445 g |
About Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Canon is a global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions. Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd. is the headquarters for South & Southeast Asia driving sales, marketing and service strategies. Besides handling the domestic market, the company covers 22 other countries and regions. The parent company Canon Inc. has a global network of more than 300 companies and employs about 169,000 people worldwide. Canon is guided by its kyosei philosophy that focuses on living and working together for the common good.
More information is available at https://asia.canon.
1 Focal length of 28 mm using an EOS R1; Yaw/Pitch axes.
2 Focal length of 28 mm using an EOS R1; Yaw/Pitch/Roll axes.
3 Focal length of 28 mm using an EOS R1; Yaw/Pitch/Roll axes.
