Ranking EVERY Canon RF Lens I Have Tested! | Ranked Tier List 

I really struggled with your lens ratings and in fact totally disagree with some of the choices. Let’s start with the RF 24-70mm f2.8L “B” I think is truly doing this lens a disservice. Yes it’s not as good as the RF 28-70mm f2L but then it’s a £ 1,000 cheaper. For me this is a solid workhorse and I would rate it “A”. The RF 100-400mm is one fifth of the price of the RF 100-500mm whilst I think the “B’ rating is fair I think your comments on its build quality are unfair. You also didn’t mention this lens has a nano USM motor and a control ring which makes the price it’s sells for the best bargain in the RF lineup. I have the RF 50mm f1.8 and would agree it deserves the “D” rating. I also have the RF 50mm f1.2L and for portraits it’s a killer lens and one I would advise any portrait photographer to buy. I tested the RF 85mm f2.0 macro and it’s an awful lens, a real loud STM motor, poor focus lock on the R6 & R6 MKII. The RF 85mm f1.2L I extensively tested against the EF 85mm f1.4L IS USM. No question the RF 85mm f1.2L is a stellar lens with great bokeh but the differences to the EF 85mm f1.4L were so tiny I could not justify dropping nearly £ 3K. I’ve not used the RF 35mm f1.8 lens Im hoping in 2024 Canon release the RF 35mm f1.4 / f1.2L lens but placing the RF 35mm f1.8 above the RF 24-70mm f2.8L based on what I’ve seen of the RF 35mm f1.8 results is a nuts decision. For 45 years I worked in the motion picture and professional still camera & lighting rental market and have tested hundreds of lenses. That sometimes included non professional level equipment that was regularly requested mainly lenses. I rarely saw lenses that didn’t hold up well such is the build quality we see today and their past metal counter-parts. Drop a RF 100-500 from just waist height and it’s the luck of the draw whether it’s damaged or not and the same applies to a RF 100-400. Once on Dartmoor I slipped and fell on wet ground catching an EF 100-400mm f4-5.6L MKII on a piece of granite. It damaged the hood but the lens was fine. In Snowdonia the same lens glanced against a boulder climbing down a path and cracked the focus barrel. My point being all equipment will break if subjected to the right forces those buying a RF 100-400mm should not worry about its longevity.

No RF lens list is complete without the 85mm 1.2 and 50mm 1.2 . I believe to 100mm 3.8 as portrait lens is underrated

Thanks for the video, I still use the ef18-55 Kitt lens because I us it not that often and hope for a cheeper sigma lens, I have the 35 and 85 f2 what I love and hope for a cheeper sigma 50 1.4 as the canon 50 1.2 what is for sure a great lens but expensive. I have also the new 200-800 would like to hear what you say about this lens, and I have also the 24-105 f4 is a workhorse but I like it, and the old er 70-300 I think it’s doing the job most of the time

I honestly used to shoot on 24-70mm 2.8 all the time and while it’s great it just keeps me lazy/boring in a way. I just pick up a 15-35mm 2.8mm and it’s just different! In a creative way. The 50mm 1.2 or 85mm 1.2 is next🤟🏾

Using the focus limiter switch on the 85F2 greatly increases the autofocus speed. Because it’s a macro lens also, having it set to ‘Full’ causes it to focus much slower as it goes through the entire range. I keep it in the middle for weddings/portraits/etc and switch it if I need to do something extremely close up.

Hi! I would love to see your review of canon rf 200-800mm

How woukd you rank the 24-104 f4, im considering that lens

Waiting on the RF 70-200 F2 L IS USM Z with internal zoom.

The 50mm 1.8 has terrible chromatic aberration issues that aren’t present in the 1.2 and the focus is a little strange how it behaves.

24-70, b tier! we'll be having words 😂

Thanks for this video rating. I start in Canon Rf. And I own the 35mm. Very good lens as you explained. Now I'm waiting for Sigma lenses.😂 Cross fingers! If not I would certainly go for the 70-200 f4, and the 24-105 f4. Wait and see.

Like you I don't really like the 50mm rather have a 35 or 85, have the 100-500 great lens but just tried the new 200-800 and way better you lose the macro on the other one but gain 200mm more and at 600mm you are at 6.3 not 7.1, did borrow an 85 1.2 and wow the bokeh is insane (droll).

Do you breathe helium?

To be honest if this tier-list would be image quality wise 100 RF would be in S-tier..

I find your rating system very odd. You shoot a specific genre of photography. So any lens that doesn’t fit in your workflow or isn’t a focal length you prefer you give it a lower rating.

Hello. I agree with you on the 50mm. I’ve been shooting for over 40 years and the 50mm is one that i almost never carry with me. It’s just not my focal length. I’m curious to know why you rated the 28-70 as an S if it has such a similar focal length as the 24-70 and as you said is not wide enough or long enough. Is it because the f2.8? I owned the 100-400 which I later upgraded to the superb 100-500. I agree with your rating of the 100-400 and yes, for someone starting in wildlife, it would be the ideal lens. Since I’m shooting now with R5, I’m still waiting for that 35mm f1.4 (I’m sure it will be an L series) or for canon to open the flood gates and let sigma start producing some Art series primes, hopefully a 35mm. Thank you for an awesome video a rating.

I think the only lens anyone needs is the 150-600mm sigma sport.