Canon’s New RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 Lens

credits: Canon

Canon just revealed the RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6, and while it’s not breaking new ground optically, it fills an important gap in the RF lineup: an affordable, lightweight telephoto zoom for beginners.

If the specs sound familiar, that’s because this lens is more or less a direct carryover of the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III from 1999 — same optical formula (13 elements in 9 groups), same seven-blade aperture, and even the same old-school DC motor for autofocus. Its 75-300mm range becomes roughly 120-480mm on APS-C bodies like the Canon EOS R100, making it a good match for hobbyist wildlife, sports, or travel photographers using Canon’s more affordable mirrorless cameras. And while it’s compatible with full-frame bodies, it’s clearly pitched more at crop-sensor shooters.

At 507g (17.9oz) and 146mm in length (about 5.8 inches), it’s relatively compact and portable. It takes 58mm filters, and the minimum focus distance is 1.5 meters, with a modest 0.25x magnification, decent for a telephoto in this price range. For now, it’s not officially announced in the U.S. yet, but Wex Photo in the UK lists it at £289.

You can see full details and sample photos on Wex Photo’s website here