Looking for the best possible lenses to supplement your standard zoom lens for your travel photography? Get optimum versatility with the RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. Rain or shine, in darkness or strong light, these professional-grade lenses will go the distance with you, delivering top-of-the-line performance and reliability.
RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM
Professional-grade wide-angle zoom
RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Professional-grade telephoto zoom
Key characteristics of both lenses
- Native full-frame RF mount lenses: Built for the EOS R mirrorless system
- Maximum aperture f/2.8 throughout the whole zoom range
- L-series: Professional-grade optical quality and build
- Weather-sealed: Dust and drip resistant
- Fluorine coating: This makes the front and rear lens element surfaces smudge-resistant, water repellent, and easy to maintain. All you need to do is wipe with a dry cloth.
Also see:
What Does a Lens Name Mean and Why are Some Lenses White?
RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM: Wide-angle wonder
Stunning immersive pictures of sprawling vistas
EOS R8 + RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 15mm, f/11, 1/80 sec, ISO 100
There’s nothing like an ultra-wide-angle lens to capture awe-inspiring scenery that surrounds you 360-degrees around. With its wide field of view and unique perspective, the RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM captures images that transport viewers into the scene, so they feel like they are right there, too!
Because it’s an L-lens: Grab those backlit opportunities
Don’t hesitate to shoot into backlight: it can create beautiful effects like the sunstar in the image above. Special anti-reflective coatings such as SWC (Subwavelength Structure Coating) and ASC (Air Sphere Coating) keep ghosting and flaring minimum, so your images are clean and pristine. After all, it’s easier to add creative flaring into images than to remove them!
Shoot handheld, travel light
EOS R6 Mark II + RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 15mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO 100
Love visiting museums, galleries, or exploring the city at night? You won’t miss out on shooting opportunities even if you have to leave your tripod behind. The RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is powerful when shooting handheld in low light situations, thanks to its f/2.8 maximum aperture and up to 5 stops’ built-in optical image stabilisation (Optical IS). With the latter, you can potentially achieve blur-free shots with a shutter speed of 2 seconds at 15mm*.
When combined with a camera with In-Body IS like the EOS R5 or EOS R6 Mark II, it’s possible to take even longer exposures. The camera and lens’ IS systems coordinate to perform up to 7 stops’ image stabilisation.
*Based on the conventional guideline for avoiding camera shake: shutter speed must be at least 1/(focal length) seconds, i.e., 1/15 seconds when shooting at 15mm.
Also see:
3 Types of Scenes That Take Full Advantage of In-Body IS
How are Image Stabilisation Stops Determined?
Stellar image quality: Great for photographing the Milky Way
EOS R8 + RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 15mm, f/2.8, 25 sec, ISO 3200
What’s a nature getaway without some stargazing? This is one lens you’ll have to take with you the next time you travel to a quiet rural location far away from city lights. The wider your lens’ maximum aperture, the easier it is to capture stars especially if you don’t want trailing. And the 15mm wide end easily fits the entire Milky Way into the frame.
Because it’s an L lens: Lovely point light sources
The professional-grade optical design corrects coma, spherical, and chromatic aberrations so point sources of light—such as stars—appear sharp, clean, and bright.
Also see:
Astrophotography Techniques to Try with the EOS R (or any EOS R series camera)
Shooting to Balance Colours: The Glittering Milky Way Over Greenery
One Location, Two Looks: Photographing a Lighthouse in Moonlight v.s Under the Stars
RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM: Put more within your reach
Stunning views from high ground in both day and night
EOS R6 Mark II + RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM @115mm, f/8, 1.3 sec, ISO 1000
Those buildings may be huge when viewed from ground level, but when you’re way up on a mountain or observatory, they become tinier than toys! That’s why a telephoto lens is indispensable for capturing landscapes and streetscapes from up high.
The f/2.8 maximum aperture of this lens, combined with up to 5 stops’ built-in optical image stabilisation (Optical IS) make handheld shooting viable even in low light, so feel free to catch the morning blue hour or stick around as the sun goes down.
Fascinating perspectives
EOS R6 Mark II + RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM @147mm, f/16, 1/40 sec, ISO 125
With a telephoto lens, you can get creative with compressed perspectives—see how the building faraway in the background and the flowers in the foreground seem impossibly close in size! The telephoto + f/2.8 combination also holds abundant potential for bokeh and shallow depth of field effects: if it’s this blurred at f/16, imagine the possibilities at f/2.8!
Because it’s an L lens: Built for shooting under the sun
Like all Canon professional telephoto lenses, the RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM features a white heat shield coating that prevents the lens barrel from overheating in hot weather, maintaining shooting comfort, optical quality, and durability. You’ll be well-equipped to shoot like a pro even if you’re not one yet! Anti-reflective SWC coating prevents ghosting and flaring for clean and clear shots in backlight.
The lens’ bundled white lens hood has a sliding window that allows PL and variable ND filters to be operated even when the hood is attached. Easily capture stunning long exposures and beautiful f/2.8 bokeh even in the daytime.
Also see:
How Do I Effectively Use Foreground Bokeh on a Telephoto Lens?
Go for dynamism
EOS R6 Mark II + RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM @200mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec, ISO 4000
Images of things in motion give off a unique energy, whether they are of unique forms of transport you’ll never see in your hometown or action-packed festivals like Holi or Songkran. A fast telephoto zoom lens like the RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM helps you get the shot while keeping you (and your gear) a safe distance away! Its ultra-responsive dual Nano USM-driven autofocus system was designed with professional sports photography in mind, so you’re definitely geared up for the action.
Compact and mobile: Enjoy top-notch performance everywhere
It may have a long focal length, but the RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is only around 146mm when stored. This allows it to fit vertically into the average camera bag with room for another lens. In fact, it is the shortest 70-200mm f/2.8 professional lens for full-frame cameras in the world*!
*As at May 2024.
