8 Best Lenses For Canon EOS RP

Mirrorless cameras are taking over and this means you need to find the best lenses for Canon RP!

Our list of the best lenses for Canon RP starts with the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM lens. It’s the all-around winner with the right features for nearly every style of photographer. However, you might want to check out our other picks for the best zoom lens or some surprising choices for wide-angle shooting.

Let’s get started exploring the best lenses for Canon RP mirrorless camera kits!

Let’s jump right into the 8 best lenses for the Canon EOS RP!

First, let’s start with Canon’s Trinity RF lenses, these three RF lenses are covering ultra-wide (Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8), standard (Canon RF 28-70mm f/2), and telephoto zoom ranges (Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8), they are practically for shooting in any situation from landscapes, portraits, and sports, to interiors, fashion, and cityscapes.

1.  Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens: The Best All-Round Lens for Canon RP

One Lens for Every Style and Every Occasion

Would you be surprised to know that the best overall lens for Canon’s mirrorless cameras is also the best travel lens for Canon RP?

The Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM is one of the most impressive lenses we’ve seen from Canon in a while. It’s definitely got everything you’d expect from Canon’s famous L series lenses.

This lens is packed with L series glass which limits distortions like chromatic aberration and color fringing. It’s also got the L series weather sealing which is perfect for outdoor and professional photography.

We also need to focus on that constant f/2 aperture. That’s an amazing feature. Lenses usually have their aperture drop off as the focal length increases, but this lens gives you low-light options at any distance. This also means you get amazing bokeh and creative options throughout the focal length.

It’s this focal length that makes this lens the best all-around choice for the Canon EOS RP. This allows you to shoot everything from wide-angle photography to portraits. If you’re looking for a one-lens kit, the only lens you take with you on vacation, or even your first professional lens to handle a variety of jobs, this is the one for you.

If you only had to buy one lens, make it this one.

Pros

• Constant f/2 aperture
• Ultrasonic Motor focussing system
• Configurable control ring
• Ultra-Low Dispersion elements reduce distortion in your photographs

Cons

• This lens costs more than the Canon EOS RP camera
• No image stabilization

2. Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens: Your New Favorite 35mm Lens for Canon RP—And More!

Enjoy Classic 35mm Photography Without Breaking the Bank

The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens is actually the best option for shooting 35mm on the Canon EOS RP mirrorless camera. You get additional wide-angle coverage as a bonus as well as some impressive features from Canon.

It’s great for shooting wide. although, it’s not as wide as the 11-24, but it will give you a nice range, and the 15-35 has that extra reach when you need it, and 15 is great for when you’re photographing environmental portraits, like in a kitchen, and you’re and you want to get the subject and the wide-angle to get the details.

There’s not a lot of distortion in the corners of this lens, and it’s a great lens to have in your bag. It’s also good for environmental portraits, weddings, and sports (if it’s up close). This lens is going to be great for just about anything you can think of and should be a staple of your kit.

35mm is a classic focal length for photography and this lens delivers on that and some wide-angle zoom options!

The additional coverage from 15 mm up to the top of 35 mm is perfect for nature, architecture, and landscape photography. This lens can also serve as an ideal choice for an astrophotography lens.

By adding in 35mm, you can also have this lens pull double-duty in events, street, or even in 35mm portraiture. It’s really a wide-angle Swiss army knife of a lens.

The body is built to the Canon L-series standards and features image stabilization and weather sealing.

This lens also has an excellent series of elements and coatings. You get everything from a protective flooring coating to lens elements that help reduce chromatic aberration and other visual distortions. This winds up being vital when you have a lens that can handle as diverse a set of photography Styles as this one.

Sometimes the best way to pick up a 35 mm lens is to go for a wide-angle zoom.

Pros

• Very affordable
• One of the most flexible focal lengths
• Small form factor is great for travel and street photography
• A go-to choice for weddings, events, and even nature photography

Cons

• Could have a brighter maximum aperture

3. Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens: best telephoto lens for Canon RP

The ultimate sports lens

To round out the RF Canons Trinity lenses, its the 70-200 2.8 L IS USM.

This is a fantastic lens, it zooms out and isn’t all internal zooming like the other 70 to 200 in the past, but it’s also a smaller and more compact lens that you can put in your bag and travel with.

It’s basically the same size as the other two RF Trinity lenses, you can just have the three lenses to go with your EOS RP or any Canon full-frame mirrorless like the EOS R, EOS Ra, EOS R5 and R5 C, EOS R6, and the EOS R3.
You can shoot weddings, portraits, landscapes, photojournalistic stuff, and sports. This is my ultimate sports lens.
This is a staple of every photographer’s bag if you’re shooting sports, this is going to be a great sports lens as long as you don’t need extra extra reach.

It’s going to be great for portraits, if you don’t have the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L for portraits, its fast auto focusing, the colors, the tones, everything about it is tremendous.

This lens has some of the best glass for mirrorless cameras that you can find across the board.

The benefits of this lens aren’t just about how easy it is to hold. This lens also has some amazing coatings and elements that help produce crystal-clear images.

You also get nearly silent autofocus, removal tripod collar, and the high-end build quality you expect from Canon L-series lenses.

This is really the pinnacle of design regarding telephoto zoom lenses on a mirrorless camera. This is a must-have for anyone shooting with a Canon RP camera.

Pros

• A new, compact form factor
• Image stabilization
• Canon’s high-end L-series quality
• f/2.8 constant maximum aperture
• Removable tripod collar

Cons

• Not a budget-friendly lens

4. Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS Lens: The Best Portrait Lens for Canon RP

Take the Best Mirrorless Portraits of Your Life!

This is the best 85mm lens for Canon RP cameras. Not only do you get stunning portrait quality, you get a professional lens that is more than capable of becoming your new work horse.

The first thing we need to talk about is Canon’s new Defocus Smoothing “DS” coating technology. This creates a gradient feathering on the edge of your shots that helps to smooth out the bokeh and separate the subject from the background.

The DS coating requires an increase in your f-stop to get the effect. This means that you’ll only “see” the DS coating when shooting at f-stops that are a little higher than you would normally want. However, you will see the impact of this new coating!

Shooting portraits also means working in some rough conditions. You might be outdoors, at events, or using in-frame effects that can expose your lens to the elements. Canon’s RF 85mm L lenses can stand up to this wear and tear with ease.

Mirrorless cameras are changing the game when it comes to shooting portraits, why not get the best lens around for this style of portraiture?

Pros

• Canon’s Defocus Smoothing coating technology
• Premier L glass weather sealing
• Great aperture and focal length combination
• Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics creates stunning portraits

Cons

• DS coating might not be for everyone depending on your style
• The DS coating makes this lens more expensive than the same model without the coating

5. Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens: Here’s the Best Vlogging Lens for Canon EOS RP

What Makes a Great Mirrorless Video Lens?

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens has everything you need to start, or expand, your mirrorless videography skills. Let’s break down what this lens offers and why aspiring filmmakers should use this lens with their Canon RP cameras.

The first thing to look at in this lens is the focal length range. This lens offers you everything from wide-angle coverage all the way up to some pretty good telephoto distances. This means you can use this lens to film YouTube videos in tight apartments or take it out in the field for a diverse range of shots.

The constant f/4 aperture might be a little dim for some conditions, but as a videographer, you should be in control of your lighting most of the time. The aperture might struggle in the toughest lighting conditions, but it will serve you well in everything from weddings to studio work.

One of the most important things for a videography lens is to have quiet autofocusing. You don’t want to be bugging your sound guy to constantly have to remove the sound of an autofocus motor. Canon’s Nano USM delivery is nearly silent autofocusing even in this zoom lens.

If you’re looking for one lens to handle all of your filmmaking, this is it.

Pros

• Optical Image Stabilizer
• Whisper Quiet Nano USM
• L-series build quality
• Ideal for video shot at both wide angles and zooms

Cons

• A prime lens might be better for video
• F/4 aperture might be too dim for some lighting conditions

6. Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro Lens: The Best Macro Lens for Canon RP

The Smallest Subjects are About to be Larger Than Life

Canon has a great reputation for making some of the best macro lenses in the whole world of photography, but it turns out that the best macro lens for the Canon EOS RP camera is actually made by Venus Optics.

The Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro Lens is a surprisingly powerful lens in an affordable body. This lens delivers on 2.5:1 to 5:1 magnification which lets you take larger-than-life shots of your favorite macro subjects.

This lens also has a streamlined design which is perfect for handheld photography or working with delicate subjects in natural settings.

One interesting feature of this lens is that it is manual focus only. This might come as a surprise to people who are used to lenses with autofocus as a default, but there are actually some benefits to having manual focus on an ultra macro lens.

The most noticeable is that it’s going to lower the price of this lens considerably, but it’s also going to give you some advantages for macro photography. You’ll have total control over your focusing on small subjects which autofocus often struggles to catch. It will also let you focus slowly, silently, and in a way that won’t disturb the subjects of your photography.

Pros

• Impressive 2.5:1 to 5:1 magnification
• Wide-angle depth of field at high magnifications
• Manual focus only for total control over difficult focussing situations
• Impressive design makes it easy to handle even when shooting macro photography

Cons

• The lack of autofocus does create some challenges for those used to AF systems
• No weather sealing

7. Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM: The Best Wide Angle Lens for Canon EOS RP

Enjoy A Wide Angle in a Slim Package

One of the areas where can and really steals the show are with their budget-friendly wide-angle lenses. You can always expect to find a wide-angle lens that comes in at a cheap price, but can still deliver professional-quality images. The Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM is the latest in this tradition.

This lens delivers stunning wide-angle quality. You’ll be able to tackle group shots and sweeping natural vistas with ease using this lens.

This could be the best landscape lens for Canon EOS RP—period.

It’s also got a minimum focal distance of 5.1″ and a decent magnification which gives you plenty of options for close-up photography. It’s really a jack of all trades in a wide-angle body.

This lens is also lightweight with an incredibly small form factor. This means I can even serve as a body cap that doubles as a lens. Throw this lens in your photography case, and you won’t even feel the additional weight.

This means that you’ve always got a wide-angle option on hand even if you’re used to shooting telephoto. This unlocks all kinds of new potential for your photography style and gives you some more options as things change up in the field.

Pros

• Crystal clear images thanks to the Super Spectra Coating
• Canon’s quiet and quick STM AF system
• Great for closeup work and landscapes
• Extremely budget-friendly

Cons

• Not weather sealed
• Fewer features than more expensive lenses

8. Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens: The Best Budget Lenses for Canon RP

Save Money—But Still Get Great Shots!

The best prime lens for Canon RP will hardly cost you 1/10th the value of your Canon EOS RP camera. Who says you can’t have high-end quality with value-friendly prices?

The best 50mm lens for Canon RP is also the best budget choice. Canon is still the best game in town when it comes to the “Nifty Fifty” budget 50 mm lens. Where other brands chard several times this much for nearly the same quality, Canon is almost giving away one of photography’s best kept secrets.

The ultra-bright f/1.8 aperture combines with a smooth seven-blade diaphragm for sweeping bokeh. This makes this lens a star for portraiture, street photography, and travel.

The aperture also lets you handle fast-moving subjects as long as you can get close enough to the action!

If you’re into video, this lens has you covered. The near-silent STM motor allows for quick autofocus without making too much distracting noise.

You’re also going to love the slim form factor of this lens. It’s lightweight and can easily be added to any travel case or even our current photography bag.

This is the one budget prime lens for Canon EOS RP cameras that you must have. This also makes it the best choice for your first mirrorless lens!

Pros

• Super Spectra Coating
• Lightweight and budget-friendly
• 50mm is versatile enough for every style
• Great addition to any kit as an all-around utility lens

Cons

• No image stabilization
• No weather sealing

How to Buy the Best Lenses for Canon EOS RP

Have you got a question about how to choose a lens for a mirrorless camera? We’ve got answers to every question you’ve got!

What lenses mount does Canon RP Use

The Canon RP camera is a full-frame mirrorless camera which means it uses the Canon RF mount. This is the mount that canon has especially designed for its mirrorless cameras. It is designed to accommodate their streamlined size and enhanced tech features.

Do EF lenses fit Canon EOS RP

Canon RP lens compatibility can be a complicated issue. Cameras that use Canon RF mounts can only naturally fit Canon RF lenses, but there is a way to get other lens mounts to fit. You can buy Canon’s official EF to RF converter to make sure of your old DSLR lenses on Canon’s latest cameras.

You can also buy third-party mount adapters to use lenses from other brands. You can even get a little risky and daisy chain a few adapters together to bridge a lens mounting system divide. Just keep in mind that each adapter you add changes the viewing angle and focal length of your lenses by slight amounts.

What is the difference between RF and EF lenses?

There are a few big changes between the Canon EF lenses and Canon RF lenses. The biggest of these changes is that the Canon RF lens system is new and designed for their new line of Canon mirrorless cameras. There are a few specific changes worth keeping in mind.

The first is that Canon RF lenses are designed for the lighter and streamlined bodies of Canon mirrorless cameras. Older Canon EF lenses might be too bulky to comfortably use on these smaller mirrorless camera bodies.

Canon RF lenses are also designed for a purely digital world. They have more potential for high-tech features and are designed to natively work in a digital environment while the older EF lenses were built in an age where film and digital often work side-by-side.

Why are RF lenses so expensive?

Canon RF lenses are so expensive because they’re all relatively brand new. Mirrorless cameras have only been out for a few years which means that the lenses for these cameras still cost a premium. We can expect that the cost of Canon RF lenses will start to go down as the newer models are released, and third-party manufacturers start to enter the lens production game.

Are RF lenses sharper than EF?

The best lenses for Canon EOS RP earned their reputation by offering cleaner images. RF lenses are able to take full advantage of in-camera image correction which yields cleaner images than their older alternatives.

What does RF stand for in Canon lenses?

The “RF” in lenses for Canon RP camera stands for “Re-Imagined Focus.” This is Canon’s new branding for their full-frame mirrorless lenses. These lenses do feature new focussing technology and a reimagined look at how lenses work on Canon cameras.

Is EOS RP weather sealed?

The Canon EOS RP mirrorless camera is advertised as being weather sealed. This camera has weather sealing that should be resistant to dust, water, and moisture. This is an ideal choice for professional photographers who need some extra protection on their lenses and cameras.

Is Sigma making RF lenses?

We’re still waiting on the release of Sigma lenses for Canon RP. The best Sigma lenses for Canon EOS RP are probably going to be released over the next few years. Sigma is planning to release its first RF lenses in late 2022.

There will likely also be Tamron lenses for Canon RP and Samyang lenses for Canon RP coming out in the near future. It is common for third-party lens brands to hold off on development until new lens mounting systems are more established in the market.

Conclusion – Which lens should I buy for Canon EOS RP

We’ve covered some great options for the Canon RP best lens, but the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM lens is the clear winner.

If you’re looking for a prime lens for Canon RP, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is the way to go while the best RF lens for Canon RP macro photography is a surprise win for the Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro lens. No matter which style of photography you are into, there’s a great option for your Canon EOS RP camera.

Which RF lens is the one you’re adding to your photography bag next?