Vistilen’s New AF 35mm f/1.8 Lens
Vistilen’s AF 35mm f/1.8 Pro EFR is here, a new full frame autofocus prime lens for Canon RF mirrorless cameras. On the inside, it uses 12 elements arranged in 10 groups, including three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and two aspherical elements. There is also a multi-layer nano-coating, which is intended to reduce flare and unwanted reflections when shooting against bright light sources. The aperture ranges from f/1.8 to f/16, with a nine-blade diaphragm, and the lens accepts regular 58mm front filters. The minimum focusing distance is 35cm, with a maximum magnification ratio of 0.12x.
For autofocus, Vistilen uses an STM stepping motor together with a system it calls NanoDrive, which is supposed to make focusing faster and quieter. The lens also has a dedicated AF/MF switch and an aperture ring with an automatic setting. As for the construction, the housing is made from plastic, measures 74 × 91mm and weighs around 405g. One detail worth mentioning is that Vistilen calls the mount EFR instead of RF, even though the lens is made for Canon's RF system. According to the manufacturer, it works with several full-frame and APS-C EOS R cameras, including the R1, R3, R5 Mark II, R6 Mark III, R8 and R100. On APS-C models such as the R7, R10 and R50, the 35mm focal length gives you a field of view roughly equivalent to 56mm on full-frame.
The release is also interesting because third-party full-frame autofocus lenses are still a complicated topic for Canon's RF system. Back in 2022, Canon asked Viltrox to stop selling its RF autofocus lenses, citing patent and design rights. Canon later started licensing the mount to selected manufacturers, and Sigma and Tamron announced their first licensed RF-S lenses in 2024. However, those were designed for APS-C cameras, and there are still no officially licensed third-party full-frame autofocus lenses available for the system. Vistilen already sells a few other RF-compatible primes, including a 35mm f/2, 55mm f/1.8 Pro and several 85mm models. The new 35mm f/1.8 has also been available for Sony E-mount since May. Whether Vistilen has an official licensing agreement with Canon is not known. The new Vistilen AF 35mm f/1.8 Pro EFR is priced at $400.
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