- Canon could release several 'world-first' RF lenses this year
- Among them, an RF 24-70mm F2L and several 'big white' telephoto primes
- We'd love to get your votes on which ones you'd most like to see
The folks at Canon Rumors have recently been writing about a string of promising Canon RF lenses, each tipped for a 2026 release, according to its sources. There's one pro zoom that sounds dreamy, plus several primes billed as first of their kind.
For me, the RF 24-70mm F2L could be a game-changer, covering multiple professional needs with a maximum aperture that's a whole stop brighter than the f/2.8 aperture in the equivalent traditional 24-70mm f/2.8 pro zoom.
What's even more exciting is that the rumored lens could be much smaller and lighter than the RF 28-70mm F2L USM, according to Canon Rumors, even with that wider zoom.
That original 28-70mm zoom with constant f/2 aperture was launched around the time Canon debuted its EOS R mirrorless camera system and RF-mount in 2018, marking a new, post-DSLR age, and was an optic that we couldn't have imagined for Canon's EF-mount DSLRs.
It's a gargantuan lens, mind you, and I'm sure Canon fans will be excited by the possibility of a lightweight alternative with an even wider zoom range and equally bright constant f/2 aperture. And the 24-70mm F2 isn't the only lens being talked about.
Primed for action
Canon Rumors says that an RF 24-70mm F2L could be one of several new RF lenses ready for a 2026 launch — that's one way to keep Canon fans happy especially since Sony has been busy launching it's own lighter f/2 zooms, such as the 28-70mm F2 GM and 50-150mm F2 GM — both five star rated lenses.
Other Canon lenses potentially in the pipeline, according to Canon Rumors, are a new 500mm F5.6L and updates to the current 400mm and 600mm telephoto primes, all 'big-white' pro primes with 'new and unseen technology', the details of which we don't know yet. The 400mm and 600mm primes could feature a built-in 1.4x teleconverter, and eye-watering price tag.
There is also a suggestion that Canon won't stop at a single f/2 zoom lens, and Canon Rumors readers have been speculating about a 70-180mm F2L and 12-24mm F2L in the comments of the Canon Rumors article. There's also mention of a showpiece RF 85mm prime with maximum F1 aperture!
That's a serious collection of pro primes and zooms, though these are all rumored products and by no means guaranteed. I know which lens from the above excites me the most, but I'm keen to hear what you think. Have your say in the poll below — you can vote for multiple lenses, including all seven if you can't decide between them.
