Canon has a number of RF mount-based macro lenses. Each can be used in a variety of applications but their individual focal lengths & features may lend themselves to certain types of projects. In this article we will discuss these lenses and where they might be best suited in your productions.
What is a Macro Lens?
Before we jump into each lens and their potential uses in production, it’s important to understand what a macro lens is.
Macro lenses are designed to capture extremely detailed images (still or moving), of subject matter at very close distances. While most macro lenses — including all mentioned in this article — will focus to infinity, they enter the world of macro as they approach their minimum focusing distance. This will give you the maximum magnification ratio of that particular lens, and the resulting images you capture can be anywhere from half life-sized to life-sized and beyond (depending on the lens).
Before going any further, we need to be clear about what we mean by “life-size” magnification. Whether you’re shooting film or digital, the term life-size means that a subject will appear the same size on the film or image sensor as it is in real life. In other words, if you recorded video or shot a still image of a coin like a US quarter (25¢), life-size magnification means it would appear on the sensor or film the same size as the actual coin. Obviously, if you shoot a digital image at that magnification, the subject would appear huge in any finished printed or on-screen image.
You may see macro capabilities mentioned in different ways. The term “life-size,” just described above, can sometimes also be expressed:
- 1:1 (reproduction ratio)
- 1x (magnification)
While a “true” macro lens magnification would be considered 1:1, there are a number of other magnification ratios that are considered macro including the 1:2 (half life-size) magnification ratio of the RF24mm, 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM and RF85mm F2 Macro IS STM lenses. All are useful and allow you to get very close to your subject matter and capture detailed, dramatic images.
To understand this better, if you set and focused a macro lens capable of a 1:1 magnification (such as the Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM), at the correct distance you would capture life sized images. With a full frame sensor size of approximately 24 x 36mm (roughly 1 x 1.5 inches), you would fill the frame with a subject or area that was also 1 x 1.5 inches in size.
If you used the Canon RF35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM lens in the same situation (on a full frame sensor camera), and set and focused it to its minimum focus distance, with its 1:2 or 0.5x magnification, you’d fill the frame with a subject or area approximately 2 x 3 inches in size.
The Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM actually can go beyond this. At its minimum focus distance, it can capture images all the way to a 1.4:1 or 1.4x magnification. This allows you to capture footage at beyond life-size, which allows for incredibly detailed images, filling the frame with a subject or area 17 x 25mm (about 0.7 x 1 inch) in size.
Before we get into each of the RF based macro lenses from Canon, it should also be noted that while Canon’s RF 24mm, 35mm & 85mm Macro IS STM lenses, and the RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM lens are designed for macro photography & video production, they all focus to infinity and can also be used in non-macro based applications. Accordingly, your choice of lens should be based primarily on perspective and angle of coverage, since all will produce macro-type images at their nearest focus distances.
Lenses like the RF 24mm and 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM lenses are great for standard wide-angle focal length applications, so they can be used in a variety of productions for both macro and normal image capture. “Portrait-length” telephoto lenses, like the RF85mm F2 Macro IS STM and the RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM, are also great solutions for footage of people, making them ideal for event-based productions like weddings, product launches & corporate events.
Following is a breakdown of the lenses…
Canon RF24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM
This wide-angle macro lens with its fast F1.8 aperture makes it suitable for low-light conditions and creative depth-of-field effects. Ideal for nature and location-based productions that require creative macro work, capturing unique perspectives with a wide-angle field of view. Excellent for standard and macro shots both in studio and on location.
- Close-up magnification: 0.5x (Half Life Size)
- Minimum Focus Distance: 5.5 in. / 0.14m
- Fast f/1.8 Maximum Aperture: Excellent for low-light conditions and shallow depth of field.
- Image Stabilization: Up to 5 stops, enhanced with in-body stabilization when available.
- STM Autofocus: Quiet and smooth, excellent for video and stills.
Canon RF35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM
Like the 24mm macro, this lens is ideal for landscapes, location-based productions & nature. Unlike short tele and telephoto macro lenses, the RF 35mm offers a broad field of view, making it a versatile lens for both macro and standard video production applications. For decades, with full-frame cameras, the 35mm focal length has been a standard for traditional street photography, many photojournalism applications, and any situation where a slightly wider-than-standard view is desired.
- Close-up magnification: 0.5x (Half Life Size)
- Minimum Focus Distance: 6.7 in. / 0.17m
- Fast F1.8 Maximum Aperture: Excellent for low-light conditions and shallow depth of field.
- Image Stabilization: Up to 5 stops, enhanced with in-body stabilization when available.
- STM Autofocus: Quiet and smooth, excellent for video and stills.
Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM
While not a macro designated lens, Canon’s RF 50mm F1.8 STM is a great cost-effective complement to the 24mm, 35mm and 85mm macro lenses outlined in this article. Slotted in between the 35mm and 85mm, it allows for a normal field of view on a full frame camera. While it doesn’t have macro levels of close-up magnification, it does have a minimum focus distance of 11.8" and has a 1:4 close-up reproduction ratio which provides a 0.25x magnification — it can fill the frame with a subject about 4 x 6 inches in size, using a full-frame camera. As with the other lenses outlined above, it’s also ideal for video-based capture and despite its low cost, it’s an excellent all-around normal lens that delivers images well above its price point.
- Close-up Magnification: 0.25x (1/4th Life Size)
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.98 ft. / 0.30m
- STM Autofocus: Quiet and smooth, excellent for video and stills.
Canon RF85mm F2 Macro IS STM
This is an excellent, cost-effective macro lens. Its short telephoto focal length is great for a wide variety of subject matter such as products, food, medical & scientific subject matter and talking heads & people. And, its f/2 maximum aperture makes it excellent indoors, or in other low-light situations. This is a sharp, portrait-length telephoto that adds true close-focusing capability as well. One additional potential benefit: in macro shooting of small subjects, its telephoto focal length means you’re farther from your subject — less likely to cast shadows upon it, and less likely to disturb any live subjects.
- Close-up Magnification: 0.5x (Half life-size)
- Minimum Focus Distance: 13.8 in. / 0.35m
- Affordable Alternative to L-Series: High-quality macro at a budget-friendly price.
- Image Stabilization: Up to 5 stops, enhanced with in-body stabilization when available.
- STM Autofocus: Quiet and smooth, excellent for video and stills.
Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM
While the RF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM is considerably more expensive than the other macro lenses in this article, it is arguably one of the most used macro lenses in the Canon lens line. The lens is capable of capturing life size and beyond images (up to 1.4x magnification), and is a staple in many professional kits. Its ability to be used for a variety of productions and capture incredibly detailed images make it a standard piece of kit for people shooting events, products and nature. It also doubles as an excellent lens for portraits and talking heads. This lens also has a unique feature which is the Spherical Aberration (SA) Control Ring which allows the user to deliberately add an optical soft-focus effect, when desired. (With its SA Control Ring at the “0” position, it’s a super-sharp macro lens.)
- Minimum Focus Distance: 10.2 in. / 0.26 m. This lens stands out with a maximum magnification ratio of 1.4:1 (1.4x), exceeding the traditional 1:1 offered by most macro lenses. This enables small, close-up subjects to be captured both life-size and larger than life-size.
- Close-up Magnification: 1.4x (greater than life-size)
- Hybrid Image Stabilization (IS): Added optical stabilization specifically tailored to close-up shooting correction
- Spherical Aberration (SA) Control Ring: Allows intentional soft-focus effects, and changes in background bokeh character.
- Dual Nano USM Autofocus: Allows for extremely fast, reliable & silent autofocus.
- L-Series Build Quality: Weather-sealed, robust, and professional-level optics.
Conclusion
Canon’s RF macro lenses cater to diverse group of content creators with each lens bringing its own unique strengths. With the wide-angle capabilities of the RF 24mm and 35mm macros, the versatility of the RF 85mm macro, and the ability to capture life size and beyond images with the RF 100mm macro, there’s a Canon RF macros lens (or lenses), to fit your production. And remember, these are superb lenses at normal focusing distances as well. Whether capturing extreme close-ups or creative wide-angle macro shots, these lenses provide exceptional image quality, stabilization, quiet and reliable autofocus for both professionals and hobbyists alike.
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