Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

Big performance, small size in this telephoto

- James Artaius

1 The customisable control ring can be mapped to adjust exposure values such as ISO, white balance and shutter speed.

2 The telescoping zoom mechanism extends the lens barrel as you zoom in. It features a perforated seal on the moving inner barrel, to enable air movement while keeping dust and moisture out.

3 The optic is weather sealed and built to last, with vibration- and shock-resistant construction.

£1,719/$1,599

The Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM arrived with far more fanfare than traditional f/4 zoom lenses. For starters, it’s the shortest and lightest 70-200mm f/4 in the world – it’s only just larger than a fizzy drink can when collapsed!

And it delivers an astonishing maximum of 7.5 stops of stabilisation on recent IBIS-enabled R-series cameras, making it truly formidable for handheld shooting.

While there’s a lot to like about this lens, it is incompatible with the Canon RF Extender RF 1.4x and RF 2.0x teleconverters. This is a physical limitation due to the collapsing nature of the lens, but it’s a big drawback for a 70-200mm optic.