After surpassing my “10,000 photos before I make a review” rule with the Canon 35mm F1.4 RF L Series VCM lens, I’ve got a lot to say about it. Canon’s decision to give this lens a video-centric “VCM” label indicates a (literal) shift in focus, and is it really suited for photographers? Let’s dive into the details.
Summary Ratings
• Build Quality: 9/10
• Image Quality: 7/10
• Video Performance: 9/10
• Autofocus: 9/10
• Sunstar Effect and Flare: 7/10
• Overall Versatility: 7/10
Upon receiving the Canon 35mm F1.4 RF L Series VCM lens, my initial excitement was tempered by some concerns. The first thing that struck me was the unsettling rattle of the floating element inside the lens when it was detached from the camera. This noise, which I assume is caused by the Voice Coil Motor balancing internal elements, initially made me worry that the lens was damaged in transit. However, the noise disappeared once the lens was attached to the camera body and powered up.
The exterior build quality of the lens is excellent, as expected from Canon’s L series. However, the inclusion of an aperture ring is a bit of a mixed bag. While it’s a fantastic feature for videographers, allowing smooth aperture changes during filming, it’s less useful for still photographers… in fact it doens’t work at all while shooting stills. Most photographers I know rarely use manual aperture rings, and the previous EF Mount 35mm F1.4 L Series lens managed just fine without one. The aperture ring adds to the size and weight of the lens, making it bulkier compared to its EF counterpart.
One of the most significant drawbacks I encountered was the inability to disable image distortion correction in-camera. This feature is always applied, which can be problematic for photographers who prefer to see the true representation of their images before editing. In Adobe Lightroom Classic, the distortion becomes evident upon importing the raw files. While it can be corrected, it often results in a significant crop, reducing the resolution and altering the composition.
