Canon RF 75-300 mm F4-5.6: old lens, new bayonet mount
The new telephoto zoom with plenty of reach costs just 259 francs. It is based on a design that has been around for a quarter of a century.
The Canon EF 75-300 mm f/4.0-5.6 III is a whole 26 years old. The budget telephoto zoom came onto the market in 1999 and is still being sold. Canon has now announced a version with the RF bayonet. It is also intended to provide an affordable entry into wildlife photography with mirrorless cameras and without an adapter.
The «new» Canon RF 75-300 mm F4-5.6 costs 259 francs. Just like the old EF version, it consists of 13 lens elements in 9 groups and has a minimum focus distance of 1.5 metres at the long end. The new version is just as much longer than an EF-RF adapter: It measures 146 mm in total - 24 mm more than the EF version. This is necessary because the lens was not designed from scratch and the sensor is closer to the bayonet on mirrorless cameras than on the old DSLRs. The weight is 507 grams.
Low price - compromises on performance
You can't expect high imaging performance from such an old design. The EF version was never known as a particularly sharp lens. The autofocus with DC motor was also rather slow. Both of these things should also apply to the RF 75-300 mm F4-5.6. Canon does not say a word about either aspect in its press release.
Source: Canon
Instead, the Japanese emphasise the long range. The best argument in favour of the RF 75-300 mm F4-5.6 is its reasonable value for money. If you are a beginner and want to try out a long focal length for little money, the lens is definitely worth a look. However, it is only suitable for shots with fast shutter speeds due to the lack of an image stabiliser.
An interesting side note: The RF 75-300 mm F4-5.6 is not yet available in the USA without explanation. «DPReview» speculates that Canon is waiting to see where the US government's tariffs will settle. There is no official statement. In Switzerland, sales will start on 28 May.
My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.