Specifications of the Canon RF 24-105 IS STM emerge

We have our first details of the upcoming Canon RF 24-105 IS STM, and the first thing that everyone is going to key on is the aperture.  Canon's designed this as a pretty slow variable zoom with a F4-7.1 aperture.  Some certainly won't like it's small aperture on the telephoto end but then there is the 24-105 F4.0L, 24-70 F2.8, and 28-70 F2.0L for those folks.  Canon has more of a need for this: a very small kit lens for the RP and upcoming R6 camera bodies.  You may not like it - but this will take perfectly acceptable photos for a kit lens.

The specs we know, as compared to the Canon EF 24-105 IS STM F3.5-5.6 and the Canon RF 24-105 F4L immediately show why this lens is F7.1 on the long end. It's much smaller, and lighter than even the Canon EF 24-105 STM, and also considerably lighter and smaller than the Canon RF 24-105 F4L.  There are obviously optical tradeoffs to get the lens this much smaller and lighter.

Here is an approximation of the two RF lenses side by side. The IS STM lens looks almost like a prime.

We were also asked about Canon's other consumer zoom that is in this realm and why Canon decided to come out with a new Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 when there's the pretty good Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3. Adding in the 24-240mm shows I think the primary reason Canon thought this lens was necessary.

This really highlights the difference in the two "kit" lenses.  Small sells.  Canon knows this from the EOS-M.  They are certainly going to make a small kit lens for the smaller / cheaper, more consumer RF cameras.

Intriguingly the lens will have have the ability to focus closer than .4x but only with manual focus, down to 1:2 macro.  It will be interesting to see how this works in practice.

More details to come.  The announcement is expected near the end of this week.

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