Fast Wide-Angle Lens with Macro Capabilities

Review by Fernando Santos

If you’re like me, you enjoy fast lenses; but the problem is that they’re usually large, heavy, and expensive. The good news is that this new Canon RF24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM lens is none of those. Let me tell you some of its specifications.

Weighing just 0.6 lb./270g, with a 52mm filter size, the lens has a diameter of 2.9”/74.4mm, and is 2.5”/63.1mm long. That’s small and light enough for you to keep it in your camera bag all the time. Unlike some non-L series Canon RF lenses, this one does include a control ring separate from the focus ring, which many people will appreciate. It also provides optical image stabilization up to 5.5 stops of shake correction, or up to 6.5 stops if used with a compatible camera body with IBIS. The lens also has macro capabilities: You can focus as close as just 5.5” (14 cm) for a magnification of 0.5x. The 9-blade aperture provides a nice circular out-of-focus background that will be appreciated for environmental portraits.

The f/1.8 maximum aperture and the 24mm wide angle make this a great travel lens that you’ll want to use inside churches and museums that are poorly lit, where a tripod isn’t an option, and you need all the light you can get. Those who do night photography, particularly the Milky Way, may also enjoy the wide aperture; however, keep in mind that the lens doesn’t have a special dust/weather-resistant construction.

Lens quality is on par with what we’re used to expecting from Canon RF lenses. Same goes for the EW-65B lens hood and the LP1016 lens pouch, neither of which are included (as you might expect). Overall, the Canon RF24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM is a fine lens to have in your kit.