This past week brought both good news and bad news for Canon fans.
The good news: Later this month, Canon will unveil three new RF lenses, including two pro-level super-telephotos.
The bad news: Canon has discontinued nine EF lenses, with plans to drop at least four more lenses before 2021 is out.
Let’s take a closer look.
Canon unveils new RF lenses
According to Canon Rumors, Canon will likely be announcing three RF-mount lenses before April is out:
- Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro
- Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
- Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM
The 400mm f/2.8L and the 600mm f/4L will go a long way toward making Canon’s full-frame mirrorless lineup appealing to professional sports and wildlife shooters, who frequently work with snappy f/2.8 and f/4 super-telephotos. While Canon currently offers a handful of long RF lenses (including the well-reviewed RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM), the narrow maximum apertures are a dealbreaker for serious action and low-light photography.
The Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro will debut as a mirrorless successor to the popular Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro, an ultra-sharp, close-focusing lens used by macro enthusiasts and professionals alike, plus product photographers and event photographers for key detail shots. Of course, the price remains to be seen (currently, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L goes for around $1300 USD, though when I bought mine – around five years ago – the price was a more tolerable $750 USD). But close-up photographers will undoubtedly appreciate the addition of another powerful lens to the list of macro options.
So if you do wildlife photography, sports photography, or macro photography, keep an eye out for Canon’s announcement later this month.
Canon discontinues a long list of EF lenses
While Canon’s dedication to the new RF lineup is praised by many (myself included), it’s sad to see the flip side: the wasting away of the EF/EF-S lineup.
Here’s the list of EF and EF-S lenses Canon has discontinued in the last month, as tracked by Canon Rumors:
- Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM
- Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM
- Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
- Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
- Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-f/4.5 USM
- Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
- Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM
- Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
- Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
And according to Canon Rumors, these lenses will also be discontinued in 2021:
- Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM
- Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM
- Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM
While some of these discontinued lenses undoubtedly have RF replacements on the way, others will be forgotten, at least for the foreseeable future. So if any of the above glass interests you, I’d highly recommend you buy while products remain available.
Now over to you:
How do you feel about Canon’s decision to discontinue these lenses? Did you expect such a fast break with the EF lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
