Lightweight and compact with a fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, the RF24mm f/1.4L VCM isn’t just perfect for video and hybrid shooters, it’s also very handy for nature and landscape photographers shooting in low light. Jiro Tateno took it on a trip to Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region in search of red autumn leaves. Here are his impressions.
When the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM was first released, Canon also teased the public with an image that showed the silhouettes of 5 lenses with the same concept. The suggestion of more lenses in the same series piqued my interest. Two of those silhouettes have now been revealed to be the RF24mm f/1.4L VCM and RF50mm f/1.4L VCM, which share the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM’s compact body size.
The video-centric features of these lenses have much been emphasised, but the portability, mobility, and easy handling of these lenses are also huge benefits to still photography.
The RF24mm f/1.4L VCM is compact and lightweight, consistent with the existing lenses in the series. The lenses also share the same 67mm filter size. While this makes video shooting more convenient especially when using gimbals or other similar setups, it is also great news for still photography.
I had a pleasant experience taking the RF24mm f/1.4L VCM to the Tohoku region of Japan on an autumn leaf hunt. 24mm is a classic wide-angle focal length that I often use for landscape photography, so I took to it like a fish to water. The lens was so small and light, I didn’t feel the strain despite spending a long time walking around with the camera in hand. It was also easier to hold the camera when shooting from unconventional angles.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/8, 1/160 sec)/ ISO 640/ WB: Auto
The vibrant autumn leaves by the lakeside and the shadow of the bare tree below it make an interesting juxtaposition. These two subjects were far apart, but shooting vertically at 24mm, I managed to capture them both in a well-balanced composition.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/8, 1/320 sec)/ ISO 160/ WB: Auto/ PL filter
The RF24mm f/1.4L VCM was so light that it made shooting a breeze. I could immerse myself in the process without my limbs protesting. For this shot, I used a PL filter to reduce the glare reflecting off the water that originally made these leaves hard to see.
I shot many images using different aperture settings ranging from wide open to narrow. All were well-resolved. The excellent performance reminded me of when I tried the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/8, 1/800 sec)/ ISO 250/ WB: Auto
I narrowed the aperture to f/8 to ensure that the colourful trees on the opposite bank were properly in focus. Even the tiny leaves on the trees further away were sharply rendered, reflecting the lens’ excellent resolving capability.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/5.6, 13 sec)/ ISO 2000/ WB: Auto
After sunset, the flowing river seems to drift on top of the terrain like dreamy blue and white silk. Despite the high ISO speed, the EOS R5 Mark II and RF24mm f/2.4L VCM combination achieved a beautifully clean image with little visible noise.
While it works only during video shooting on most cameras, the lens’ iris ring can also be used during still shooting on the EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1. Make sure it’s locked so you don’t change your aperture setting unintentionally!
The lens also has a customisable lens function button.
I was curious about how the lens would do for astrophotography, as its f/1.4 maximum aperture and wide 24mm focal length are ideal for this genre. I particularly wanted to see how well the lens could reproduce point light sources as coma aberration, which gives them “tails”, is a common issue on similar lenses. There was no sign of it: rendering was sharp and free of distortion all the way to the corners, even at the f/1.4 maximum aperture.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 4 sec)/ ISO 2000/ WB: Auto
Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS (C/2023 A3) and the Milky Way, captured in the western sky. The comet passed close to Earth during the time I had the lens for testing, so I decided to try photographing it. The lens was bright enough to capture the comet’s core clearly. I was most impressed by how it renders point light sources like stars as distortion-free dots, even at the corners.
A close-up of the area in red. There is no distortion even in the corners, and the stars are rendered as sharp points, free of coma aberration or other distortions. Focusing was easy with the f/1.4 maximum aperture. This is certainly one of the best Canon RF lenses for astrophotography.
In addition to its front screw filter thread, the RF24mm f/1.4L VCM has a rear filter holder that takes a gelatin filter. Its proximity to the image sensor reduces the likelihood of vignetting. This feature is also useful for stacking filters when creating video, where an ND filter is often used for exposure control.
There are probably many people out there who were eagerly anticipating a 24mm f/1.4 RF mount lens. This one not only delivers beautiful, finely resolved images of scenes like landscapes and starry skies, it does so in a compact, portable size that is usually unheard of for its specifications. It’s a must-buy for anyone who’s been waiting for it.
Lens construction: 15 elements in 11 groups
Closest focusing distance: 0.24m
Maximum magnification: 0.17x
No. of aperture blades: 11
Minimum aperture: f/16
Filter diameter: 67m
Size: φ76.5 x 99.3mm
Weight: approx. 515g
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