Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens

The Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM is a versatile and compact prime lens designed for Canon’s RF‑mount full‑frame mirrorless cameras. It combines the classic 35mm field of view with robust features such as image stabilization, a bright f/1.8 aperture, and close‑focusing macro capability, making it equally adept for everyday photography, travel, street scenes, and creative close‑up work.

At its core, this lens offers a 35mm fixed focal length with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, allowing photographers to work confidently in a wide range of lighting conditions while exercising precise control over depth of field for subject isolation and attractive background separation.

Optically, the lens is built with an 11‑element, 9‑group design that includes high‑quality glass elements alongside Canon’s Super Spectra Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, which helps maintain high contrast and natural color rendition even in challenging lighting conditions.

A standout feature is the lens’s Macro capability — it can focus down to approximately 0.17 m (17 cm), achieving up to 0.5x (1:2) magnification. This allows photographers to capture detailed close‑up images of small subjects, such as flowers, food, and textures, without the bulk of a dedicated macro setup.

The lens incorporates an Optical Image Stabilizer (IS) capable of approximately 5 stops of shake reduction, helping ensure sharp handheld images even in low‑light situations or at slower shutter speeds. When used on a Canon camera body with In‑Body Image Stabilization (IBIS), coordinated stabilization can extend performance even further.

Autofocus performance is driven by a Stepping Motor (STM) system, which delivers fast, smooth, and near‑silent focusing — especially beneficial for both still photography and video capture. The STM mechanism also supports full‑time manual focus override, enabling precise focus adjustment without switching out of autofocus mode.

A helpful ergonomic feature of this lens is the configurable Control Ring, which lets users assign adjustments such as aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation directly from the lens barrel, streamlining the shooting experience.

The lens’s rounded 9‑blade diaphragm contributes to smooth and pleasing out‑of‑focus rendering, enhancing the aesthetic quality of portraits and subject‑isolated scenes.

Physically, the RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM is compact and lightweight, with dimensions of approximately Ø74.4 × 62.8 mm and weighing about 305 g, making it an excellent companion for travel and everyday carry without sacrificing performance.

In practical use, this lens excels as an all‑around optic. Its natural wide‑angle perspective is ideal for street photography, environmental portraits, landscapes, and documentary shooting, while its macro capability adds creative flexibility for close‑up work without switching lenses. The combination of bright aperture, effective stabilization, and smooth autofocus makes it a highly capable option for photographers and hybrid shooters seeking a single lens that performs across a variety of scenarios.

Overall, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM stands out for its blend of optical quality, stabilization, autofocus performance, and macro versatility, all packaged in a portable form factor suited to Canon’s RF mirrorless ecosystem.