Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Lens

The Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Lens is an ultra‑wide‑angle prime lens designed for Canon’s full‑frame EOS R mirrorless camera system. With its fixed 16 mm focal length and a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture, this lens delivers an expansive field of view of approximately 108° diagonally, making it ideal for genres like landscape, architecture, street photography, creative content, and environmental shots where capturing a broad perspective is essential.

One of the key strengths of this lens is its compact and lightweight design. Measuring only about 69.2 mm in length, with a diameter around 40.2 mm, and weighing approximately 165 g, it is one of the smallest and lightest full‑frame RF lenses available, making it an excellent choice for travel, everyday carry, or situations where you want high performance without bulk.

Despite its small size, the lens boasts a thoughtful optical construction with 9 elements in 7 groups, including a PMo aspherical element that helps reduce distortion and improve clarity across the frame. Canon’s Super Spectra Coating is applied to the elements to help minimize flare and ghosting when shooting in bright or backlit conditions, contributing to enhanced contrast and color fidelity.

The f/2.8 maximum aperture enables better performance in low‑light environments and delivers a wide depth of field characteristic of ultra‑wide lenses while still allowing some background separation when used up close. This aperture also supports faster shutter speeds, which is helpful when shooting handheld or tracking motion in dynamic situations.

Focusing on this lens is driven by a Stepping Motor (STM) system, which offers smooth, reliable, and relatively quiet autofocus, making it suitable for both photography and video recording. The lens supports full‑time manual focus override, giving photographers precise control without having to switch out of autofocus mode.

One of the practical advantages of the RF 16mm f/2.8 is its close minimum focusing distance of approximately 0.13 m (13 cm), which paired with a maximum magnification of 0.26x, allows for creative, close‑to‑subject ultra‑wide shots with dramatic perspective and foreground emphasis.

Although this lens does not include built‑in image stabilization, when used on EOS R bodies equipped with In‑Body Image Stabilization (IBIS), overall stability during handheld shooting can still be improved through the camera’s stabilization system.

The RF mount’s large diameter and short flange distance help Canon pack this optical performance into a pocket‑friendly package while maintaining good image quality from the center to the edges of the frame. Its ultra‑wide perspective and fast aperture make it especially suited for expansive landscapes, tight interiors, creative video shots, and travel photography where lightweight gear is preferred.