Canon RF 28-70mm F/2.8 IS STM lens

Canon RF 28-70 f/2.8 Compared

Kamera Express

Compare the Canon RF 24-50mm, RF 28-70mm and RF 24-70mm lenses

Discover your creative freedom with these versatile Canon RF zoom lenses. Whether you shoot portraits, macro images or landscapes; every situation calls for a different approach. For photographers and videographers, a lens is essential. That is why it is always useful to have a fast all-round zoom lens in your kit. Some advantages of this are: shooting handheld for longer, beautiful depth of field, less noise and more options in low-light situations.

With the announcement of the Canon RF 28-70mm F/2.8, you can upgrade your kit to the next level. To help you get started, we compare it with the RF 24-50mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM and the RF 24-70mm F/2.8L IS USM. Read the key differences between the lenses here, so you can make the perfect choice.

Canon RF 24-50mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM

The Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM is a versatile, compact lens with a 24-50mm zoom range. With this zoom lens, you get a portable lens with excellent value for money for anyone looking for an all-round lens for everyday use. This lens can be used to photograph landscapes and architecture as well as portraits. To compensate for camera movement to some extent, the lens has built-in image stabilisation. This allows you to use slower shutter speeds without a tripod, with less chance of motion blur. The lens features a quiet, smooth autofocus motor, allowing you to create fluid video footage. With a maximum aperture of F/4.5-6.3, the lens is not extremely fast, but you do benefit from good depth of field.

Canon RF 28-70mm F/2.8 IS STM

Canon RF 28-70mm F/2.8 is a fast, compact zoom lens with a maximum aperture of F/2.8 across the entire zoom range. The lens has weather-resistant sealing, making it easy to take with you when travelling. Thanks to the 28-70mm zoom range, the lens is also very suitable for landscapes and portraits. Bokeh enthusiasts can capture the most beautiful portraits thanks to the large maximum aperture. The RF 28-70 has built-in image stabilisation of up to 5.5 stops, but in combination with in-body stabilisation in the camera, this can even be corrected up to 8 stops. The lens has quiet, accurate autofocus, allowing you to shoot quickly or enjoy very smooth focus transitions while filming. Thanks to the control/focus ring, you can adjust the shutter speed, aperture or ISO values while recording.

Canon RF 24-70mm F/2.8L IS USM

The Canon RF 24-70mm is an L lens from the Trinity collection. It is known for its high optical quality, durability and versatility. With this lens, you enjoy a fast F/2.8 aperture across the entire 24-70 mm zoom range, excellent optical performance and built-in image stabilisation in a robust body. This lens is therefore resistant to intensive use. The maximum aperture of F/2.8 across the entire zoom range offers consistency in exposure and sharpness, regardless of the focal length. Thanks to its high optical performance, you can create images with excellent sharpness and contrast combined with minimal distortion. Photographers who enjoy capturing landscapes, portraits, events or reports benefit from the lens’s fast aperture and image stabilizer of up to 5 stops. Thanks to the quiet, accurate Nano USM motor, you can capture images at lightning speed.

What are the differences between the Canon RF 24-50mm, RF 28-70mm and RF 24-70mm lenses?

The table below shows the key specifications of the lenses, so you can see the differences at a glance.

Canon RF 24-50mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM

Canon RF 28-70mm F/2.8 IS STM

Canon RF 24-70mm F/2.8L IS USM

Focal length 24-50mm 28-70mm 24-70mm
Maximum aperture F/4.5 - F/6.3 F/2.8 F/2.8
Minimum aperture F/22 - F/32 F/22 F/22
Constant maximum aperture across the entire zoom range No Yes Yes
Image stabilizer 4.5 stops 5.5 stops 5 stops
Image stabilizer combined with in-body stabilisation 7 stops 8 stops -
Minimum focusing distance 19 cm 27 cm 21 cm
Focus breathing correction No Yes No
Control/focus ring Yes Yes Yes
AF/MF/control switch Yes Yes No
Type of focus motor STM STM Nano USM
Filter size 58mm 67mm 82mm
Type of photography Landscapes, architecture, portraits and street Travel, landscapes and portraits Portraits, landscapes, events and reports
Weather-resistant sealing No Yes Yes
Coatings Super Spectra Super Spectra Air Sphere coating
Weight 210 grams 490 grams 900 grams
Launch year 2023 2024 2019

Why should I choose the Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens?

The Canon RF 24-50mm is ideal for interiors, landscapes, portraits and street photography. This lens offers a good balance between performance and portability at an affordable price. Thanks to the quiet, smooth autofocus, both photographers and videographers can work with it extremely well. Especially in an environment where you want to make as little noise as possible. The built-in image stabilisation ensures that you can shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds and create fluid video recordings. With the RF 24-50mm, you have a versatile lens in your kit that you can easily take anywhere with you.

Why should I choose the Canon RF 28-70mm lens?

The Canon RF 28-70mm is a versatile zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture of F/2.8 across the entire zoom range. Take the lens with you when travelling to capture the most beautiful landscapes and portraits. With the built-in image stabilisation in combination with the camera’s in-body stabilisation, up to 8 stops of camera shake and movement can be corrected, making it even easier to shoot handheld photos and videos. Thanks to the quiet, accurate autofocus, you benefit from smooth focus transitions as a videomaker. For full creative control, you can adjust the shutter speed, aperture or ISO values during your recordings via the control/focus ring. In short: this lens is the ideal travel companion for enthusiasts looking for a compact, fast lens with weather-resistant sealing.

Why should I choose the Canon RF 24-70mm F/2.8L IS USM?

The Canon RF 24-70mm F/2.8L is a high-quality zoom lens from the Trinity collection. This lens is characterised by a combination of optical quality, a fast aperture and built-in image stabilisation. This lens is multi-purpose thanks to the large 24-70mm zoom range combined with a constant maximum aperture of F/2.8. As a result, you always enjoy consistent exposure across the entire zoom range, allowing you to still use a fast shutter speed in low-light situations. This zoom lens is the perfect choice if you are looking for a robust lens for razor-sharp details in your photos and videos.