Canon Readies Release of RF-Mount Cinema Primes

Canon U.S.A., Inc., has announced seven RF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses for the Cinema EOS System. Set for release in early 2024, the solutions combine high optical performance for 4K and 8K shooting, cinema-style operability and RF-mount communications.

The seven lenses — with focal lengths and T stops of 14mm T3.1, 20mm T1.5, 24mm T1.5, 35mm T1.5, 50mm T1.3, 85mm T1.3 and 135mm T2.2 — are compatible with the EOS C70 and EOS R5 C. These lenses will allow for RF-mount protocol transmission, and operators can control magnification, chromatic aberration correction, peripheral light correction and a dual-pixel focus guide via camera-body operations. The lenses also feature lens-distortion correction.

The lenses optimally position large-diameter aspherical lens elements and lens elements with anomalous dispersion glass. Their compatibility with the full-frame large-format sensor, bright T stop values and 11-blade iris helps produce a shallow depth of field for subjects; natural, round blurring, and soft image expressions. Unified Cinema EOS color balance throughout the series helps provide consistent color, even when changing lenses.

Thanks to a unified design across the series, including the gear position of the operation ring, the diameter of the lens and the rotation angle (operation angle), lenses can be swapped in and out without the need to adjust matte boxes or external focus accessories for each lens. A new, coarse surface near the mount provides a comfortable and ergonomic fit in the user’s hand, allowing the lens to be held securely without gripping the operation ring when attaching and detaching lenses.

Canon RF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses will be priced as follows: 14mm, 20mm and 24mm, $4,220 each; 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm, $3,950 each.

Canon also recently expanded its 8K Flex Zoom Cinema Lens Series with two Super 35mm-format lenses, the CN-E14-35mm T1.7 and the CN-E31.5-95mm T1.7. Four new relay kits — the RL-S1 and RL-S2 (for Super 35mm) and the RL-F1 and RL-F2 (for full-frame) — are also available. The kits adapt each Flex Zoom lens to suit whatever sensor format is required.

The Canon Flex Zoom lens series was introduced last year to support full-frame digital-cinema cameras. The CN-E14-35mm T1.7 and CN-E31.5-95mm T1.7 expand the series to include support for Super 35mm cinema cameras. The lenses are available in interchangeable EF and PL mounts.

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