Announced on 27 March 2025, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM is the first ultra-wide-angle lens in its photo/video hybrid prime lens series. Sharing the same sleek, compact design, bright f/1.4 maximum aperture, and video-centric ergonomics as the other lenses in the series, the new lens provides breathtaking wide perspectives and lovely bokeh with impeccable optical quality.
Enrich your perspective
What can you do with 20mm?
With its focal length of 20mm, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM covers an extremely wide field of view that lets you capture many things in the scene, even when shooting in narrow spaces. It’s the lens you use to make close-up subjects suddenly seem larger than life and scenes take on an immersive feel, all due to the unique ultra-wide-angle perspective.
On APS-C format cameras or in 1.6x crop mode on a full-frame EOS R series camera, the lens achieves a field of view equivalent to 32mm on a full-frame sensor—still decently wide-angle, and close to the 35mm-equivalent focal length often used for street and documentary photography.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/10, 1/1000 sec, EV -0.7)/ ISO 250
20mm opens up new composition possibilities—the frame-within-a-frame composition, for example, becomes easier to execute even in tight spaces. Tilt your camera up to make the tall structures above you look just as massive in your images as they appear in real life.
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/1.4, 1/2000 sec, EV -1)/ ISO 500
20mm lets you achieve portraits that feel more intimate by drawing the viewer in, and at the same time capture the context that completes the story. The distinctive wide-angle perspective distortion exaggerates distances, lengthens lines, and makes things near the lens look larger. Use it creatively to make your images look even more interesting!
Also see:
Composition Techniques for Wide-Angle Lenses
The possibilities unlocked by 20mm f/1.4
Cinematic shallow depth of field
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/125 sec)/ ISO 400
Ultra-wide-angle lenses intrinsically have a larger depth of field, so the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM’s large maximum aperture of f/1.4 makes a huge difference when shallow focus is part of your creative intention. You’ll have more flexibility over how much to blur out distractions and make subjects pop. Video benefits too: focus transitions will look obvious even when the subject and the background are relatively near each other.
Amazing low light possibilities
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/4 sec, EV -0.7)/ ISO 6400
Waves lapping against the beach after sundown, shot at a shutter speed that perfectly expresses the flowy movement. The RF20mm f/1.4L VCM’s large f/1.4 maximum aperture makes it the perfect low-light lens, allowing you to capture cleaner images without compromising your shutter speed and ISO speed in dim or dark conditions.
Pro tip: Shooting video? Use the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM’s clickless iris ring for hands-on aperture control.
Delightful astrophotography
20mm and f/1.4 provide an excellent combination for photographing starscapes: wide enough to capture a large expanse of sky and bright enough to freeze them without noise or trailing. In addition, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM’s optics are designed to capture point light sources like stars as faithfully as possible with minimal distortion.
Takes both front and rear filters
Soft filters make stars more obvious. The RF20mm f/1.4L VCM has a 67mm front filter thread for screw-on filters, and a rear filter holder that takes a sheet-type filter. The latter places the filter closer to the image sensor, reducing common front filter issues like vignetting and distortion.
Dynamic close-ups
Fill the frame with impact like no other
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2, 1/800 sec, EV -1.3)/ ISO 320
With a closest focusing distance of just 20cm, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM allows you to shoot closer to smaller subjects to fill the frame with them. This achieves unique wide-angle close-ups that retain ample background context—which can be blurred into beautiful background bokeh if that’s how you intend it!
Compact, lightweight, and mobile
Keeps you agile for those dynamic camera movements
At just around 519g, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM overturns the conventional idea that professional large aperture ultra-wide-angle lenses are large and heavy. It is around the same compact size as the RF35mm f/1.4L VCM, RF50mm f/1.4L VCM, and RF24mm f/1.4L VCM: perfect for agile, dynamic shooting. This was made possible by the RF mount’s short back focus and large diameter, which facilitates new optical designs such as more compact wide-angle lenses.
Easier lens swapping when using a gimbal or rig
As the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM shares the same exterior design and 67mm filter thread as the other f/1.4L hybrid lenses, just like a cinema lens set, you don’t have to readjust your gimbal or rig too much if at all when you swap between them.
Convenient controls
While sleek and streamlined in design, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM is also crafted for functionality with both videography and still shooting in mind. For example, the clickless iris ring allows video shooters to adjust the aperture seamlessly and silently, great for exposure control when shooting a single take that involves transiting between bright and dark conditions.
Watch: Iris ring in action
Handy buttons and switches
The lens has controls that benefit still shooting too, such as the programmable lens function button (in the middle), which can be turned into a shortcut for various functions. By default, it functions as an AF stop button.
The iris ring lock release switch disables the iris ring so an accidental nudge doesn’t change your aperture settings.
Fast and precise focusing with excellent control
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/3.5, 1/1600 sec, EV -0.3)/ ISO 640
Swift focusing is what the VCM (Voice Coil Motor) is known for. Using a magnetic field to convert electrical energy into kinetic energy, its high thrust moves the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM’s heavy focus lens group quickly and precisely.
The VCM works in tandem with the lens’ high-performance microprocessor and the Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system on the EOS R1 and R5 Mark II, or the Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system to respond effectively to the needs of the shooter and scene whether it’s fast and precise AF during still shooting or seamless silent tracking during video shooting.
Designed to reduce focus breathing
The RF20mm f/1.4L VCM is engineered to curb the fluctuations in the field of view (focus breathing) that occur when the focus position shifts. This achieves stable compositions even when used on a camera with no Focus Breathing Control function, delivering footage that looks more professional.
Professional-grade image quality with beautiful colours
RF20mm f/1.4L VCM lens configuration
A: Super UD lens/UD lenses
B: GMo (glass-moulded) aspheric lenses
The RF20mm f/1.4L VCM incorporates multiple optical technologies to thoroughly correct the chromatic aberration that plagues large aperture ultra-wide-angle lenses.
Besides one Super UD and two UD lenses, it is also only the third RF lens (after the RF85mm f/1.2L USM and RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS) to incorporate BR (Blue spectrum Refractive) optics, which refracts blue light (short wavelengths) to correct chromatic aberration even more effectively.
Other special lenses and coatings include:
- ASC (Air Sphere Coating) and SWC (Subwavelength Structure Coating): Anti-reflective coatings that reduce flare and ghosting, ensuring clean and clear images even when shooting into the sun.
- Two optimally placed GMo aspheric lenses that control spherical aberration, image distortion, and the sagittal coma flare that gives point light sources like stars “tails”.
Centre
Corner
L-lens reliability
Better durability, better mileage
As a professional-grade L-series lens, the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM is built to enable you to keep shooting high-quality images even under harsh conditions.
Weather sealing
The RF20mm f/1.4L VCM is a lens you’ll want to use outdoors often—and you can do so with peace of mind with its dust- and drip-resistant construction. The control rings and switch panel are sealed to prevent dust and water from entering.
Fluorine coating
Smudge-resistant fluorine coating on the frontmost element prevents dust and dirt from sticking onto the lens, and allows them to be easily wiped off with a cleaning cloth.
RF20mm f/1.4L VCM: Key specifications
Lens construction: 15 elements in 11 groups
Closest focusing distance: 0.2m
Maximum magnification: 0.19x
No. of aperture blades: 11
Filter diameter: 67m
Size: φ76.5 x 99.3mm
Weight: approx. 519g
Bundled accessories
Lens Hood EW-73H
RF50mm f/1.4L VCM: Sample images
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Manual exposure (f/1.4, 1/80 sec)/ ISO 400
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/5.6, 1/40 sec, EV +0.7)/ ISO 1600
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2, 1/1000 sec, EV -1)/ ISO 500
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Manual exposure (f/16, 20 sec)/ ISO 100
EOS R5 Mark II/ RF20mm f/1.4L VCM/ FL: 20mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/9, 1/320 sec, EV -0.3)/ ISO 400
Watch the playlist below for more examples of what the RF20mm f/1.4L VCM can do!
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