Canon RF 135mm F/1.8 L IS USM

Specifications01

MountCANON RF

Focal length135mm

Max aperturef/1.8

TypeCinema · Portrait · Telephoto · Prime

Weight935 g

Filter size82 mm

Physical length130.3 mm

Min focus distance0.7 m

Aperture blades9

Optical elements17

Groups12

Lens hoodbarrel-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied)

Sensor coverage43.3 mm

Additional Info02

SpecialL IS USM

Category["Canon RF"]

Keywords["Canon","Prime","Tele"]

Review AuthorKlaus

Other Featuresimage stabilizer (5 to 8 f-stop claimed efficiency depending on camera) weather-sealing control ring focus stop button fluorine coating

Review VerdictThe Canon RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM is one of the sharpest - if not the sharpest - lens that we've ever tested. It's brutally sharp at all relevant settings, and that's across the frame. Lateral and axial CAs are very low, and image distortions aren't relevant either, with only marginal auto-correction needed here. The RAW vignetting is comparatively high at f/1.8, although, once again, auto-correction will come to the rescue here. A curious flaw is the "technical bokeh" in the focus transition zone. To be fair here, you will usually use the lens for very shallow depth-of-field photography where this won't be noticed anyway. However, it can be noticed in certain scenes. The build quality is great, as you can expect from a Canon L lens. It feels, and is, sturdy despite the use of engineered plastics. The AF is very fast, as with all Canon USM lenses. The image stabilizer is a unique value-add for such a lens. Optical IS is more efficient at long focal lengths, and combined with IBIS, it can give you an edge when shooting in darker places. Overall, Canon delivered an impressive piece of engineering here. PS: A special callout to the friendly folks from Rent-A-Cam who gave us a little discount when renting the lens. If you live in Sydney/Australia, you may wish to check them out, and don't hesitate to send our greetings. If you'd like to support our work, please consider shopping for this or other lenses via one of the following partners: * Amazon US * B&H US * Adorama US * KEH US (used gear)

Review Published2025-09-11T22:29:06+00:00

Optical Construction17 elements in 12 groups (3x UD)

Field Notes02

Canon RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM is a fast normal-to-tele prime for portraits and low-light work, with built-in optical image stabilization and autofocus. It focuses at close-to-moderate distances for head-and-shoulders portraits.

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Catalog note · source: opticallimits