Canon RF 100–300mm F2.8L IS USM vs Canon RF 20mm F1.4 L VCM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonRF 100–300mm F2.8L IS USM | CanonRF 20mm F1.4 L VCM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | May 2023 | April 2025 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Zoom | Prime |
| Focal length | 100–300 mm | 20 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.4 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 | f/16 |
| Optical construction | Twenty-three elements in eighteen groups | Fifteen elements in eleven groups |
| Special elements | One fluorite, four UD and one glass-moulded aspherical element | One Super UD, two UD, one BR and two glass-moulded aspherical elements; ASC, SWC and Super Spectra coatings; front fluorine coating |
| Coatings | Super Spectra, ASC and fluorine coatings | – |
| Aperture detail | Constant maximum f/2.8; minimum f/22 | – |
| Diaphragm | Nine blades | Eleven blades with circular aperture |
| Angle of view | Full-frame diagonal 24°–8°15′; horizontal 20°–6°50′; vertical 14°–4°35′ | – |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon RF | Canon RF |
| Image circle | Full frame | Full frame |
| Compatibility | Canon RF mount for full-frame and APS-C EOS R cameras | Canon RF mount for full-frame and APS-C EOS R cameras; RF extenders not compatible. Iris ring provides movie aperture control; Canon lists EOS R, RP, Ra, R3, R5, R6, R6 Mark II, R7, R8, R10, R50, R100 and R5 C as unable to set still-photo aperture with this ring even with their latest firmware |
| Teleconverter support | RF 1.4× gives 140–420 mm f/4; RF 2× gives 200–600 mm f/5.6 | – |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 1.8 m | 0.2 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.16× | 0.19× |
| Optical stabilisation | Yes | No |
| Autofocus detail | Two Nano USM motors independently drive the electronic floating-focus groups; full-time electronic manual focus | Rear focusing system driven by a VCM motor |
| Focus distance detail | 1.8 m minimum focus throughout the zoom range; limiter selects full range or 6 m–infinity | Minimum focus 0.2 m |
| Magnification detail | 0.06× at 100 mm and 0.16× at 300 mm | Maximum 0.19× |
| Stabilisation detail | Canon rates lens optical IS at 5.5 stops under CIPA conditions, and coordinated IS at up to 6 stops with EOS R5 and compatible bodies | No optical stabiliser; Canon rates EOS R1 in-body stabilisation at 8 stops centrally and 5 stops in the corners under CIPA-2024 testing |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Filter diameter | 112 mm | 67 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 128 mm | 76.5 mm |
| Length | 323.4 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Weight | 2,590 g | 519 g (better) |
| Controls | Separate focus, zoom and clicking control rings; front lens-function buttons and focus-preset controls | Electronic manual-focus, customisable control and smooth-action iris rings; iris Auto-position lock; customisable lens function button; AF/MF switch |
| Zoom design | Internal zoom maintains barrel length | – |
| Filter detail | 112 mm front screw-in thread; no rear drop-in filter | 67 mm front thread and rear filter holder; Canon specifies a single rear filter no thicker than 0.2 mm and recommends removing the holder when unused to avoid possible ghosting |
| Weather resistance | Dust- and moisture-resistant construction with heat-blocking white paint | Dust and moisture resistant construction with mount rubber seal |
| Dimensions detail | 128 mm maximum diameter × 323.4 mm length | Approximately 76.5 mm maximum diameter × 99.3 mm length |
| Weight detail | Approximately 2,590 g, as listed by Canon UK, Canon Japan and Canon Camera Museum | Approximately 519 g lens |
| Tripod mount | Rotating tripod collar with support foot | – |
| Lens hood | ET-124 included | EW-73H hood included |
| In the box | Lens, E-112 front cap, RF dust cap, ET-124 hood, LS100-300 soft case and user manual | Lens, E-67 II front cap, RF dust cap, EW-73H hood, LP1219 case, rear filter holder and user manual |
| Release detail | May 2023 first release confirmed by Canon's June 2023 retrospective announcement and Camera Museum | April 2025 marketed month in Canon Camera Museum |
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