My Canon RF 10-20mm f4L review: first-looks with Canon's widest lens! Check prices on the Canon RF 10-20mm f4L at B&H: bhpho.to/48PCJbS // WEX UK: tidd.ly/3RUiN19 Check MPB to buy and sell used gear: bit.ly/3ULU9yL Buy Gordon a coffee: www.paypal.me/cameralabs Gordon's In Camera book: amzn.to/2n61PfI / Amazon uk: amzn.to/2mBqRVZ Cameralabs merchandise: redbubble.com/people/cameralabs/shop Gordon’s retro gear channel: kzfaq.info Equipment used for producing my videos Panasonic Lumix S5 II: amzn.to/3Hf5IcI Sony A6400: prf.hn/l/pRO0wp5 Sony e 24mm f1.8: amzn.to/2TqWNzk Rode NT USB mic: amzn.to/3AdHcUp Rode Wireless Go II mic: amzn.to/3xkCvGo Rode Lavalier Go mic: amzn.to/3ygzzKY Godox UL150 light: amzn.to/2VpVbXE Godox QR-P70 softbox: amzn.to/3yQfGdF MacBook Pro 14in (16GB / 1TB): amzn.to/3PrKbPV Music: www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Canon's lens designers deserve a lot of credit here considering how the lens size, physical design and weight are kept at reasonable levels. Also considering the unprecedented FoV while coupled with the zooming convenience I am not sure how big the actual optical FoV needs to be given the need to narrow that down to digitally correct for the likely significant distortion at the wide end.

As always, very well made preview. Special congrats on the samples of the different angles the different lenses can give 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Thanks Gordon for another quick look. I had not seen any of your videos lately and I was troubled that something may have happened to you, Keep well my friend!

I don't have a Canon camera. But it's always a pleasure to watch your reviews. You've been getting it done for a long time brutha. You always remind me what a quality review is. Keep on keeping on. Peace.

Lens looks great. Thanks for the video.

Great lens from Canon. Like the vlogging scene you did walking in the building.

Looks amazing. Pre-order is in.

Always the best most thorough, no nonsense reviews!

Ohhhh I want. It’s got it all for a ultra wide. I like my EF 11-24 but it’s a beast…thanks foe the introduction and information on this!

I loved the 11-24mm .... all of the sudden I need this lens.

Ace review thank you. I really really want one of these ;-)

wow , i was not expecting canon to produce such an incredible lens!

Thanks - A great review..

Another excellent review. With that fairly close focusing distance, you could probably get some great rule-of-thirds portraits.

Thanks for the review! Nice dual use lens for use with FF for ultraultrawide and APS-C for ultrawide with sweet spot advantage. In my situation 16mm FF equiv would be enough - buying an R6 (ii) for use with my f4 16-35 EF lens would be the better option but who knows ... just thinking about R50 with RF 10-20 ... :)

Wow that looks like an amazing lens

i really enjoy ALL of your reviews. thank you for the work you do

that size is amazing very clever people to reduce it down to such a manageable size and weight , very cool.

Kasey from Camera Conspiracies will be happy with that edge wobble containment

Great video as usual! Laowa 10-18 looks interesting as it's so much cheaper.

have the cropped efs. 10-22mm zoom. which is great!

My 11-24mm got stolen, and I didn't replace it because it gave me a tennis-elbow while using it on a two week long Moscow photo visit. That thing is heavy! This new 10-20 however looks tempting.

Gordon, great review as usual. I’m wondering how it’ll work on Red Komodo?

Thanks!

Didn't think I'd be replacing my EF 11-24 any time soon--I didn't think Canon would even look at this type of lens for the R Series bodies--but already have this on order and sold my 11-24 to help pay for it. I didn't carry the 11-24 except into real estate photo settings due to the size and weight, but will carry the 10-20 without thinking much about it, and for more than limited use like real estate. Until recently, I just didn't think an L lens was on the purchase list for 2023; and just couldn't see where any lens Canon released would get me excited (the 28mm pancake for sheer size and weight and focal width came very close, esp at that price) enough to buy it, but this one did. I've thought in wide angle since distortion-free was 28mm, and hope to find this lens blows me away for the wide range of uses alone.

I have the EF 11 24 F4.0L and the weight saving is welcome, not sure I’d upgrade though, I would like to see what the lens is like with corrections turned off.

One unnamed benefit of using the old 11-24 on mirrorless systems, is that you can use drop in lens filters.

I mainly use my RF 14-35mm for video. I'm considering replacing it with this so I can use Canon's most aggressive image stabilization setting without worrying about the resulting crop, since I'm starting with so much wiggle room.

Nice first look! I hope if you review further you’ll try it out on the R7. I love my R7 for travel (size), and this new lens keeps it small and light, but hopefully producing some sharp results the way L lens can! I’m really wanting to replace my aging sigma 8-16, as it just isn’t sharp enough…I always found I shoot most between 10-12 (on APSC bodies) so this looks perfect!

I need one for ice cave photography!

Thanks for the great review. Do you know of filters available for this lens, and in particular polarizing? .

@4:41 I can see some bowing of the black roof cover, am I thinking this is soft material moving in the wind?

Good review. Any idea if autofocus is totally silent? No ticking noise like all the other RF lenses. Thanks.

I was really impressed with the sharpness of the 11-24 ef, but the size/weight was not great. I'd gladly give up a few mm to loose that much weight and size.

thxxx for this.

Id use it once or twice at most! Rather have the 14-35mm. Actually just got the Pergear 14mm 2.8 ii for sony only £280 and pretty stunning

I shoot architecture and have (among my EF tilt-shifts) the 15-35-which in most contexts is WAY too wide... Still, I really want to try the 10-20! 😅

In another video, someone was mentioning(citing) 'recent' lens designs patented by Canon. I wonder if this new lens was incorporating some of that 'technology'. They stated they believe Canon needed to upgrade the quality of lens to match their upcoming cameras that begin to have high MP such as 60+; That at such high resolutions, the apparent 'flaws' of a lens can become more apparent, negating anything useful of having such a high level of sensor density.

The 14-35mm was recently on sale on US Amazon for $1079, snagged it last week. Normally I would be kicking myself after I finding out that there is a newer more shiny toy is available right after a big purchase, but thankfully, nope! 14mm is already insanely wide, and the linear USM motor is superior to any STM lens I have owned, so happy with my 14 mil purchase. The only reason I’d consider the new 10-20mm is for it to act as a faux shift lens (perspective corrected on software), but I may just wait for a new TS-E to come out in the RF mount. This lens looks phenomenal regardless.

this lens is literally the reason why I think about getting a R8 beside of my Sony Alpha 7 III & 6500... The only option is the Laowa 10-18, but it doesn't have AF (which isnt that big of a deal for my usecase).

Gotta love canons recent lenses they have been realising

I would consider this lens only when there is a working filter system for it released

To me the primary deal breaker of any wide angle lens is vignetting at full stop opened. You do a comparison of each lens at their widest - but what stop was being used for those shots? Since even though the KZfaq bottom and tops icons/type cover a bit of the images corner, it still appears at whatever f-stops were used, that there doesn't seem to be any vignetting at all. But I wonder what it would be like when fully opened.

another trailblazing lens from Canon its purposes includes, but not limited to: landscapes architectures interior vlogging

Awesome lens and great review! Any word on why Canon went with 20mm instead of 24mm?

The size difference is astounding.

I love the compact foot print , however at 2,000.99 it is out my budget and at F-4 is not too fast but the optics are incredible !! My wife and I have the 15-35 F2.8 which is an outstanding lens. I have the a EF- 16-35 F-4 which is about the sharpest lens in my kit. I am considering getting the new 14-35 F-4 version but can't make up my mind.

ooooooooooooooh I want one!

Cool lens, but out of my budget. For what I shoot I still use the EF17-40 with adapter or the RF 16mm. Considering the RF 14-35.

very interesting lens, Sony should be thinking to upgrade their 12-24 f4....are there any rumors of ts lenses for any of the main brands?

Canon must be praised for their unique and outstanding lens designs. The new compact size and weight are an amazing improvement over its predecessor, the EF11-24mm! However, I feel this is a "luxurious" lens mainly for those who can afford it or willing to spend much. My big dilemma on such ultra wide zooms is that it will not be used frequently. For the price, it's really not cheap. At f4, it's also not quite favoured for astrophotography. Some say it will be a great architectural lens but I beg to differ. Tilting up the lens will produce serious keystoning effect which I don't find particularly pleasing to the eye. Correcting it in post-editing will reduce your image resolution and create a narrower angle of view which defeats the purpose of the ultra wide 10mm. I am still patiently waiting for the long rumoured 14mm TS-R lens! :( Canon are you listening?! What do you think?

Hi Gordon, how much digital lens correction is there with this lens? I remember you touching on it when your compared the 2.8/15-35 against the 4.0/14-35

I DO NOT NEED it but I want it. Even on crop sensors (or in crop mode on the R5) this would be a sweet lens.

Soooo tempted - this would fit nicely with the 18-40. Although I might enquire about the projected date of an RF mount on the Laowa (I'm enjoying their 4mm fisheye, even though it does crop horribly).

Nice sir

I have the RF 14-35 and EF 11-24. At 11mm, the corners suffer a little for critical work, but clean up nicely at 12mm. I assume this 10-20 will need Lens Corrections in post, just like it's 14-35 sibling. I regret selling my EF 16-35 f4. That was very clean without any post correction. It benefited only slightly from LC. But that adapter issue. If you can live with it and you don't need 14mm, it's a lesser expensive, decent option.

Wow, this lens is lightweight. My IRIX 11mm f/4 is nice enough but quite heavy, so not for everyday. In 11mm focal you dont really need AF, but IS is good feature. But Canon price.

And people say that mirrorless didn't get smaller. Lots of people just don't understand flange distance and which lenses it matters for.

I kinda want this.

The lens I've been waiting for to complete my set of L glass which will now give me coverage from 10mm to 1000mm. I was expecting 10-18 as that was shown on the Canon RF lens roadmap last year, so 10-20 and fixed f4 is a bonus, as is the rectilinear design as my 15-35 2.8 does bend things at the edges. f4 might seem a bit narrow for the astrophotography I do a bit of, but as I've got an R3 with it's excellent low light capabilities, I suspect it will be the equivalent of putting a 2.8 on an R5/R6.

Pricey. But it will sell. They always do. The fact that it has IS baked in is pretty godly. I'd love it in my 14mm GM.

Impressive how they reduced the size and created a even ultrawider lens! Keep up the good work

Not much bigger than the old Sigma 8-16 for APS-C, but wider, brighter and for full frame. Crazy!

And we sure that distorsion is corrected optically? Or is it done in camera? In the DSLR days you would see any optical imperfections throuhh the optical viewfinder (you would literally see only the lens projection). Now we cannot see any lens inperfections anymore, because the sensor and processing are always in the way. I say this only because digital corrections introduce errors and image degradation (be it big or small). I am eagerly waiting for the full review.

Wow, nice lens.. :o

10mm x 1.43 Enhance IS for R8 is giving me 14.3mm Perfect for Vlogging 😊

Can you kindly tell me something about the drop-in filters? I have never worked with drop-in before. I have used the EF 11-24 for sunrises with the huge grey graduated filters (150mm x 150mm) from "Lensinghouse". Often in combination with a 1000x ND. How does that work with drop-in? Can I adjust the horizon of the graduated filter easily? Can I combine TWO filters at the same time with each other? THANK YOU! ☺

I would by it if it would be for EF.... because I own the nice VND EF-RF adapter... its so sad, that rear filter-mounts and filters are still not a thing in 2023+ :(

There will be plenty of users that just have to have the latest, newest lens or upgrade. However, for me, the cost does not justify the results. Considering the hefty price tag, I will be more than happy to stick with my RF 14-35 lens.

I have the 11-24L and 14-35L and every mm on the short end matters! It’s like how the iPhone UWA camera can fit some crazy scenes into the frame. It will be hard to sell my 11-24 ever since they released the ND filter with adapter. My favourite UWA lens despite the size and weight. I would replace my 14-35 without a doubt for that extra 4mm as a travel lens but no filters make it a tough replacement for the 11-24…

Looks like a great lens, I just strongly disklike front bubble lenses that you cannot protect with filters, especially for a $2200 lens. So definitely a specialty lens.

Is that geometry and vignetting assessed with lens corrections turned on?

This was unexpected, i didnt knew this was comming out 😱 , i first thought „why not 2.8“ but then i remembered what that would mean for size and weight at 10mm 😅. Tempting! But i think ill stay with my 15-35 2.8 and the adapted sigma 20mm f1.4 (love that beast!) It is tempting though, as lugging that 15-35 2.8 around on a hike is something you will notice 😂

widest full frame zoom with autofocus ? what about 8-15 ?? from canon ?

If only Canon allowed IBIS to be disabled with optical stabilisation enabled - that would mean no corner warping. In a sense the R8 is a great match for this lens as it doesn’t have IBIS.

Canon's DSLR's were at the top of the pyramid when buying a camera in the past. One of the most strong reasons for this situation was lens availability from literally all the third party lens manufacturers. I don't know why they give up from it. Although RF mount lenses are really good, there are very few of them which are cheap AND high performing. Today, I would buy a Sony FE body instead of a Canon RF body.

Is it true that the control ring doesnt have steps?

still over here dying waiting for a new RF fisheye

Canon RF-S 6-12mm f/5.6-7.1 IS STM would be superb on APS-C.

Well done. A really good review. I consider this. I have the EF 16-35 2.8 which is optically perfect but I miss IS when filming hand held. I guess the RF 15-35 2.8 IS is also interesting since it has f2.8

should be awesome with my C70

Does anyone know of plans for a rf 8mm fish eye? I need it for work, currently using an old sigma with rf adapter.

Ground breaking lens, I just wish Canon makes it possible to upload RAW files to my android phone. Obviously it's too costly and challenging to do that lol

I think Canon just need a Prime with IS at 10mm for Full Frame ane APS-C

Some gaps in your arsenal of focal lengths are okay. So 10-20mm, 24-70mm and 100-400mm would give you a 40 times zoom with two holes that may require some cropping once in a while. A 14-35mm overlaps quite a lot with a 24-70mm or 24-105mm lens that is a part of most kits. Such an overlap feels like a waste of resources to me. 10mm is quite extreme though. The corners might have straight lines, but at the expense of people in the corners getting heavily distorted. I try not to get below 24mm unless space restrictions make it really necessary.

Much Focus breathing?

How far back do u have to shoot a 14mm to get same field of view as 10mm

Delivering this in a 570gram package is a huge win.

Should’ve been nano usm linear motor.

Looks better than my rf 15-35. 🥴. Thing needs serious corrections

That price is just absurd: you could buy a good kit (camera+lens) for that kind of money. Meaning, this will only be accessible to pros. Unless for some specific use, I'd rather get the 14-35. Less expensive and a more useful (in my opinion) zoom range.

Oh I see the ibis wobble straight away.. that sucks..

I think there is such a thing as too wide. I use 14mm a lot and honestly I find that too wide. How useful is 10-14mm?

Nothing on sharpness or other elements of IQ?

Still have Canon EF 8-15L and it rocks

With an already ultra wide 15-35, a fixed 10mm plastic cheap lens wouldn’t be a miss for Canon either.

FINALLY!!!! OK now....Canon listen up...>>>> REMOVE the RED RING and the Stabilizer , change to a removable hood option* not included $40/quid extra or whatever... and make the lens slower f4 to 5.6 and price $600 or Quid or whatever that equals.... and Bobs your uncle ----Me and my other cant find work friends are hoping for THAT 10-20mm

2.699 Euro in Germany. Oeehmmm let's start talking when the price is around 2.000 Euro. Nevertheless thank you for the offer Canon!

Amazing. Canon’s top end is really top end now. But they have a marketing challenge to deal with. If this lens was a Leica selling at $6500, every ignoramus would wax lyrical about it. But now it is a Canon. So £2500 is costly.. And then of course, I want it for $150! 10mm on FF is wider than what I know what to do with. I already battle to do justice to 10mm on my R7 which equates to 16mm on FF.