Aaron Jorbin

Canon RF 16mm f2.8 – First Thoughts

My first reaction to rumors of the Canon RF 16mm f2.8: intrigue. Upon seeing the price and announcement: I’m in! My preorder was placed on September 13 and it arrived on October 21. An initial launch date of October 14 and there have been reports for supply issues, had me worried. That worry was unfounded and the lens is earning a place in my camera bag.

I took the lens out for a couple of different photo walks this weekend. I did a night walk around midtown, a morning walk around my neighborhood, a golden hour walk around my neighborhood and a daytime walk in Central Park.

Sticker on street box with MTA bus behind it shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
Hearst Building shot with canon rf 16mm f2.8

My first night with the lens showed that there is some natural fisheye. I’m hoping that when Adobe adds the camera profile, it will be able to correct this. It will make shooting architecture much more beautiful.

Canon RF 16mm f2.8 street shooting

  • sticker saying "What the Fuck is the Internet"
    This lens is so light that I handheld without a strap for the entire walk which made getting low to the ground for this shot easier.
  • Dog Statue
    I got pretty close to the statue and the 13cm focus length was handy
  • Lion Statue with flowers shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
    Getting up close with this lion and still having so much in the background shows one of the benefits of the ultrawide lens
  • Albanese Meats & Poultry in Nolitashot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
    Albanese Meats & Poultry is my local butcher shop. I loved being able to easily get the entire storefront
  • Timothy Goodman "NYC" mural shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
    Timothy Goodman did this mural in Nolita and to me it feels like a love letter to NYC

This is a light lens. So lightweight that I didn’t worry about handholding for an entire walk.Shooting Timothy Goodman’s mural with my 50mm would leave me praying for no cars and standing in the street. The ultrawide aspect makes it easy to stay on the sidewalk.

The Canon RF 16mm f2.8 is approximately 5.8 oz (165g) and to me this is one of the biggest strengths for the lens. Add on to that the small physical size of the lens at 1.6 x 2.7″ (40.6 x 68.5mm). Even if it’s not attached to my camera, I can absolutely imagine throwing this in a bag and not worrying at all about the additional weight.

Daytime Central Park shoot

  • Trefoil Arch in Central Park shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • Looking east out from the Ramble shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • The Lake in Central Park shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • Bow Bridge shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • The San Remo reflected in The Lake shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • View from the Hernshead shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • Looking South from Hernshead shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8
  • The Lake shot with Canon RF 16mm f2.8

You can order this lens from Amazon. As an amateur photographer with a relatively small kit, this fills a gap. Above all, I am happy to have the Canon RF 16mm f2.8 as an ultrawide that will regularly be in my bag if it’s not on my body. For $299, it is a steal and something I expect to get many years of value from.

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