Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens Review

When Canon asked which RF lenses I wanted next, this one was at the top of my list. At the RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM's announcement, a 24mm f/1.4 L lens was included in the EF lens series for 29 years. However, 6 years into the Canon RF series, that model in an RF mount remained missing. It was needed, and surely, I was not the only one asking for it.

To Canon's credit, the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens was available, and this lens is easily adaptable to R-series cameras. So, technically, the need was covered. But, the EF II version of that lens was 16 years old, and a version III was desperately needed, especially from an optical performance perspective.

Now, the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens fills that glaring RF series hole, and it delivers the image quality we've long wanted.

The 24mm angle of view and ultra-wide f/1.4 aperture are tremendously useful, and the look of images captured with that combination is highly desired and much loved. This relatively compact lens's "L" nameplate assures optimal build and high optical performance, the VCM plus nano USM AF system provides extremely fast, smooth, and quiet operation, and the manual aperture ring further facilitates hybrid use.

Focal Length

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The focal length (or the focal length range for a zoom lens) is the first attribute to consider for lens selection. Focal length drives subject distance choices, which determine perspective.

The 24mm focal length, just breaking into the ultra-wide class, is extremely popular.

Landscape photography is a perfect use for a 24mm lens. This focal length is quite wide and can allow an entire scene to remain in focus. Still, 24mm is not so wide that it complicates composition and not so wide that it makes distant details (such as mountains) tiny. A solid percentage of my landscape images are captured at 24mm.

Why did I ask Canon for a 24mm f/1.4 lens? I want to use it for astrophotography, primarily Milky Way and Northern Lights photography, and Canon confirmed that this lens is "Designed with astrophotographers in mind". This focal length is optimal for nightscapes, and especially with the ultra-wide aperture, this lens is a great choice for these uses.

Wedding and event photography often utilize a wide-angle lens for capturing the large scene, for environmental-type portraits, and for group portraits, including in tight spaces. Even groups of your largest subjects will fit in the frame.

Photojournalists' needs are often similar to those of a wedding photographer and regularly include 24mm. Videographers frequently find the 24mm focal length to be just right for their needs.

Architectural photography, large product photography, interior photography, and birthday parties form a random list of 24mm uses. This is another convenient focal length to leave mounted on the camera, ready to document life.

This lens is a good choice for lemon juice-tasting experiences.

While telephoto lenses are more frequently used for sports, a 24mm angle of view allows a different perspective at these events. This focal length can be used to capture the big picture of the venue, overhead shots of the athletes and their coaches being interviewed after the game, and, when access permits, full-body environmental action sports photos showing a large amount of the venue in the background. Note that when used for action sports with a close and rapidly approaching subject, the subject rapidly changes size in the frame, making it challenging to capture the perfect pose at the perfect framing distance in the 24mm angle of view. In these scenarios, high framerates ensure the perfect shot is on the card.

Here are two comparisons showing the 24mm angle of view as it fits into a larger range.

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APS-C sensor format cameras utilize a smaller portion of the image circle, and that means a scene is framed more tightly, with 1.6x being the angle of view multiplier for Canon's lineup. This lens's APS-C angle of view (38.4mm full-frame equivalent) shifts the uses of this lens toward portraiture, product photography, documentary, and general-purpose use.

Max Aperture

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This lens's f/1.4 max aperture is the widest available at 24mm, and this wide aperture is a huge advantage.

F/1.4 allows a significant amount of light to reach the imaging sensor. Use that light to enable action (subject and camera) stopping shutter speeds in low light levels while keeping ISO settings and noise levels low. It seems there is always enough light for handholding 24mm at f/1.4.

Another advantage of a wide aperture lens is the background blur it can create. While wide-angle lenses cannot create the strongest blur, 24mm f/1.4 with a close subject creates a shallow DOF, drawing the viewer's eye to the in-focus subject against a smoothly blurred background.

This example illustrates the maximum blur this lens can create:

Wide-angle lenses render the background details smaller in size, and that includes the background blur. While there is a significant blur in these examples, the scene remains recognizable.

If there were no disadvantages to a wide aperture, every lens would have one. A wide aperture requires an increased physical size of the lens elements, which comes with the additional penalties of heavier weight and higher cost. In this case, those downsides are modest, and this lens is compact, lightweight, and reasonably affordable.

As first seen on the Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z Lens, the RF 24mm F1.4 L Lens has a smoothly integrated step-less manual aperture ring, a feature primarily desired by videographers and part of this lens's "Hybrid" designation. With the ring in the A (Auto) position, the camera controls the aperture setting, and all other settings force the aperture to the selected opening in 1/32 steps. A spring-loaded Iris Lock switch holds the aperture ring in the A setting, avoiding inadvertent changes or, in the manual range, locking out the A option.

Note that an EOS R-series camera model introduced in 2024 or later is required to use the aperture ring for stills.

Image Stabilization

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The 24mm and f/1.4 combination is usually handholdable without ultra-high ISO settings, and the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens does not feature optical image stabilization. Omitting the optical stabilization system reduces the lens's size, weight, complexity, and cost. However, image stabilization is a very useful feature, especially when narrow apertures are needed.

Canon addresses that omission with IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) in some EOS R-series cameras. In addition to reducing camera shake, the stabilized imaging sensor provides a still viewfinder image, enabling careful composition. Furthermore, sensor-based AF takes advantage of the stabilized view for improved accuracy.

With no IS switch on the lens, the camera menu must be used to enable or disable IBIS or check the current settings. This extra step is a slight impediment to working quickly, moving from tripod mounted to handholding, for example.

Image Quality

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Matching the Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM Lens's image quality seemed logical and a good expectation for this lens.

The MTF chart provided an even clearer expectation.

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The black lines indicate contrast (10 lines/mm), and the blue lines show resolution (30 lines/mm). The solid lines are sagittal, and the dashed lines are meridional. The higher, the better.

The EF 24mm f/1.4 II was soft wide open, the MTF chart line height difference between that lens and the RF lens is huge, and with RF lens in hand, that difference is proven.

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens is remarkably sharp across the entire full-frame image circle at f/1.4, placing this lens in an elite class. Stopping down the aperture yields little sharpness difference in the results (aside from peripheral illumination), and none is needed.

The resolution chart is merciless on image quality, so let's take the testing outdoors, next looking at a series of center-of-the-frame 100% resolution crop examples. These images were captured in RAW format by a Canon EOS R5 and processed in Canon's Digital Photo Professional (DPP) using the Standard Picture Style with sharpness set to 1 on a 0-10 scale. Note that images from most cameras require some level of sharpening, but too-high sharpness settings are destructive to image details and hide the deficiencies of a lens.

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These results are outstanding.

Next, we'll look at a series of comparisons showing 100% resolution extreme top left corner crops captured and processed identically to the above center-of-the-frame images. The lens was manually focused in the corner of the frame to capture these images.

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Count on samples taken from the outer extreme of the image circle, full-frame corners, to show a lens's weakest performance. Here we see very good results with only slight softness in the extreme corner.

This lens does not exhibit focus shift, the plane of sharp focus moving forward or backward as the aperture is narrowed (residual spherical aberration or RSA).

When used on a camera that utilizes its full image circle, a lens is expected to show peripheral shading at the widest aperture settings. You will notice the just under 4 stops of shading this lens shows in full-frame corners at f/1.4.

Want less corner shading? Stopping down is the near-universal solution. Shading reduces to about 2.5 stops at f/2, just under 2 stops at f/2.8, about 1.5 stops at f/4, just over 1 stop at f/5.6, and close to 1 stop at f/8 through f/16.

APS-C format cameras using lenses projecting a full-frame-sized image circle avoid most vignetting problems. In this case, the about 1.5 stops of corner shading showing at f/1.4 may be visible in select images, primarily those with a solid color (such as a blue sky) in the corners.

One-stop of shading is often considered the number of visibility, though subject details provide a widely varying amount of vignetting discernibility. Vignetting is correctable during post-processing, with increased noise in the brightened areas the penalty, or it can be embraced, using the effect to draw the viewer's eye to the center of the frame. Study the pattern shown in our vignetting test tool to determine how your images will be affected.

Lateral (or transverse) CA (Chromatic Aberration) refers to the unequal magnification of all colors in the spectrum. Lateral CA shows as color fringing along lines of strong contrast running tangential (meridional, right angles to radii), with the mid and especially the periphery of the image circle showing the most significant amount as this is where the most significant difference in the magnification of wavelengths typically exists.

With the right lens profile and software, lateral CA is often easily correctable (often in the camera) by radially shifting the colors to coincide. However, it is always better to avoid this aberration in the first place.

Color misalignment can be seen in the site's image quality tool, but let's also look at a worst-case example. The image below is a 100% crop from the extreme top left corner of a Canon EOS R5 Mark II frame showing diagonal black and white lines.

This image should only contain black and white colors, with the additional colors indicating a moderate lateral CA presence.

A relatively common lens aberration is axial (longitudinal, bokeh) CA, which causes non-coinciding focal planes of the various wavelengths of light. More simply, different colors of light are focused to different depths. Spherical aberration, along with spherochromatism, or a change in the amount of spherical aberration with respect to color (looks quite similar to axial chromatic aberration but is hazier) are other common lens aberrations to observe. Axial CA remains somewhat persistent when stopping down, with the color misalignment effect increasing with defocusing. The spherical aberration color halo shows little size change as the lens is defocused, and stopping down one to two stops generally removes this aberration.

In the real world, lens defects do not exist in isolation, with spherical aberration and spherochromatism generally found, at least to some degree, along with axial CA. These combine to create a less sharp, hazy-appearing image quality at the widest apertures.

The wide-open aperture example below compares the fringing colors of the defocused specular highlights in the foreground to the background. The lens introduced any differences from the neutrally colored subjects.

Only modest color blur is seen in this sample image.

Bright light reflecting off lens elements' surfaces may cause flare and ghosting, resulting in reduced contrast and sometimes interesting, usually objectionable visual artifacts. The shape, intensity, and position of the flare and ghosting effects in an image are variable, dependent on the position and nature of the light source (or sources), selected aperture, shape of the aperture blades, and quantity and quality of the lens elements and their coatings. Additionally, flare and ghosting can impact AF performance.

This lens features Canon's SWC (Subwavelength structure coating) and ASC (Air Sphere Coating), an ultra-low refractive index coating consisting of air and silicon dioxide, to effectively combat flare and ghosting. This lens produced practically no flare effects even at f/16 in our standard sun in the corner of the frame flare test, reflecting excellent performance.

Flare effects can be embraced or avoided, or removal can be attempted, though removal is sometimes challenging. Thus, this lens's high flare resistance is a welcomed trait.

Two lens aberrations are particularly evident in images of stars, mainly because bright points of light against a dark background make them easier to see. Coma occurs when light rays from a point of light spread out from that point instead of being refocused as a point on the sensor. Coma is absent in the center of the frame, gets worse toward the edges/corners, and generally appears as a comet-like or triangular tail of light that can be oriented either away from the center of the frame (external coma) or toward the center of the frame (internal coma). The coma clears as the aperture is narrowed. Astigmatism is seen as points of light spreading into a line, either sagittal (radiating from the center of the image) or meridional (tangential, perpendicular to sagittal). This aberration can produce stars appearing to have wings. Remember that Lateral CA is another aberration that is apparent in the corners.

The image below is a 100% crop taken from the top-left corner of an R5 II image captured at f/1.4.

While the stars have a little tail, the stars are tiny, and the overall performance is quite good for this focal length.

This lens has extreme barrel distortion. Canon forces correction in the camera (EVF, LCD, JPEG & HEIF images, movies) and in DPP, regardless of the lens correction settings. For example, the beam across the top of the picture below appears straight.

Every lens is a compromise, and the reasons for designing a lens with uncorrected geometric distortion include lower cost, smaller size, lighter weight, reduced complexity, and improved correction of aberrations that are not software-correctable. Geometric distortion can be corrected, including in-camera, using software and a correction profile, and once properly corrected, it is no longer a differentiator between lenses. However, the stretching required for correction can affect the final image quality. Base your evaluation on the corrected image quality as shown in this review.

As seen earlier in the review, it is easy to illustrate the strongest blur a lens can create, and wide-angle lenses are inherently disadvantaged in this regard. Due to the infinite number of variables present among available scenes, assessing the blur quality, bokeh, is considerably more challenging. Here are some f/11 (for diaphragm blade interaction) examples.

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The first two examples show defocused highlights rather smoothly filled (for 24mm) and, thanks to the high 11-blade count aperture, remarkably roundly shaped at 6 stops down. The third example shows a full image reduced in size and looking great.

Except for a small number of specialty lenses, the wide aperture bokeh in the frame's corner does not show round defocused highlights, instead showing cat's eye shapes due to a form of mechanical vignetting. If you look through a tube at an angle, similar to the light reaching the frame's corner, the shape is not round. That is the shape we're looking at here.

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The f/1.4 result shows shape truncation throughout much of the frame. As the aperture narrows, the entrance pupil size is reduced, and the mechanical vignetting rapidly diminishes, making the corner shapes rounder.

When the diaphragm is narrowed, point light sources will show a sunstar effect of some form. Each blade is responsible, via diffraction, for creating two points of the star effect. If the blades are arranged opposite of each other (an even blade count), the points on the stars will equal the blade count as two blades share in creating a single pair of points. The blades of an odd blade count aperture are not opposing, and the result is that each blade creates its own two points. This lens's eleven-blade count times two points mean 22-point star effects.

Wide aperture lenses usually produce the strongest sunstar effects, and this lens's 11-blade aperture produces attractive 22-point stars.

The example above was captured at f/16.

The design of this lens, illustrated above, features two UD (ultra-low dispersion) lenses and one GMo (glass molded) lens.

The optical downsides of this lens are strong geometric distortion (if uncorrected), moderately strong peripheral shading, modest lateral CA, and modest color blur. Still, the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens is optically excellent, creating impressively sharp results.

Focusing

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Like the RF 35mm and 50mm F1.4 L lens, the RF 24mm F1.4 L lens features "VCM", linear Voice Coil Motor, driving AF. VCM is nearly as powerful as the Ring USM powering large super telephotos and was chosen for its high torque at low-speed characteristic to provide the desired starting and stopping power.

It is not unusual for a lens to have multiple motors driving AF, and this lens also features a nano USM (Ultrasonic Motor). A dedicated USM in front of the VCM motor powers an independent lens unit for coordinated movement with the main focus group. The floating element design provides superior close-up optical performance.

This internal-focusing lens's AF system is extremely fast and accurate. Only faint clicks and shuffling are heard by an ear near the lens during focusing. As a "hybrid" lens, video AF performance was a key design factor, and this AF system provides the smooth and virtually silent behaviors necessary for high-quality movie recording.

While dim lighting slows the focusing speed, this lens will impressively focus on contrast in incredibly dark conditions. The low light AF performance of this lens on the EOS R5 Mark II is remarkable.

VCM requires power to hold its position, so expect to hear a harmless rattle when this lens is not under power.

FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is supported in AF mode with the camera in One Shot Drive Mode, but the shutter release must be half-pressed for the focus ring to become active. Note that FTM does not work if electronic manual focusing after One Shot AF is disabled in the camera's menu. The lens's switch must be in the "MF" position and the camera meter must be on/awake for conventional manual focusing to be available.

The 50 VCM has an ideally positioned, mid-sized, fine-ribbed rubber focus ring that turns smoothly with ideal resistance.

A non-linear focus distance adjustment rate is supported. A full-range MF adjustment requires a 505° slow rotation or a 110° fast rotation. With the R-series cameras, a linear adjustment rate can be configured, though some lenses show a slightly stepped focus adjustment in this setting.

It is normal for the scene to change size in the frame as the focus is pulled from one extent to the other. This effect is focus breathing, a change in focal length resulting from a change in focus distance. Focus breathing impacts photographers intending to use focus stacking techniques, videographers pulling focus (without movement to camouflage the effect), and anyone critically framing while adjusting focus.

This lens produces a modest change in subject size through a full-extent (worst-case) focus distance adjustment.

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A single customizable control button is provided. With the camera set to continuous focus mode, press the control button to lock focus at the currently selected focus distance, permitting a focus and recompose technique. Or, customize this button to one of numerous other functions using the camera's menu.

Here is a partial list of functions assignable to the Lens Function button:

• AF Stop (default)
• Metering/AF start
• Switch to saved AF function
• One-Shot AF / Servo AF
• Eye detection
• Switch to saved AF frame
• AE lock
• AE lock (hold)
• Exposure compensation (turn main electronic dial while button is depressed)
• Activate IS function
• Aperture
• Many more ...

This lens has a minimum focus distance of 15.7" (400mm), and it generates a mediocre 0.17x maximum magnification spec.

Model	Min Focus Distance		Max Magnification
Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens	9.4"	(240mm)	0.17x
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens	9.8"	(250mm)	0.17x
Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM Lens	5.5"	(140mm)	0.50x
Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM Lens	11.0"	(280mm)	0.18x
Canon RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM Lens	15.7"	(400mm)	0.15x
Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG DN Art Lens	9.8"	(250mm)	0.14x
Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens	9.4"	(240mm)	0.17x

At this lens's minimum MF distance, a subject measuring approximately 7.6 x 5" (193 x 129mm) fills a full-frame imaging sensor.

The individual USPS love stamps measure 1.19 x 0.91" (30 x 23mm).

The 0.17x maximum magnification spec may be unremarkable, but this lens's minimum focus distance image quality is relatively good. Like most lenses, this one shows wide-open periphery softness at its minimum focus distance due to field curvature, but the amount is slight, and the corners look great by f/4.

Mount an extension tube behind this lens to significantly decrease the minimum focus distance and increase the magnification. As of review time, Canon does not offer RF mount-compatible extension tubes, but third-party options are available.

This lens is not compatible with Canon extenders.

Design & Features

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The red ring and the "L" in the moniker indicate this lens's inclusion in the exclusive Canon L-Series, the company's best-available, professional-grade lens models. These lenses are strongly constructed and ready for the rigors of daily professional use.

You must read the focal length number to distinguish between the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM, RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM, and RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM lenses. In addition to sharing the f/1.4 aperture, Canon's first 3 VCM lenses feature an identical exterior design, including dimensions. Only the focal length number is different.

Adding the hoods adds a small distinction.

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Canon's small and mid-sized L lenses utilize engineering plastic construction. Their exterior barrels are slightly textured, creating a good look and feel. The straight exterior diameter of this design is comfortable to use.

The control ring is configurable for fast access to camera settings, including aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation. Note that the control ring is clicked by default, and its clicks will be audible in camera-based audio recordings. Canon offers a click stop removal service (at a cost).

The knurled control ring has a tactile difference from the ribbed focus ring.

Canon's AF/MF switches are flush mounted with just enough raised surface area to be easily used, even with gloves. This 2-position switch snaps crisply into position.

As seen installed below, a detachable rear bayonet mount gel filter holder is provided.

This holder supports a single filter with a thickness of 0.008" (0.2mm) or less. To make sizing easy, Canon provides a downloadable filter template.

This lens features a dust and moisture-resistant design.

The front lens element has a fluorine coating that repels fingerprints, dust, water, oil, and other contaminants and makes cleaning considerably easier.

In addition to sharing the same exterior design, Canon's first 3 VCM lenses also feature similar modest weights. These features combined make swapping lenses on a rig easy, requiring, at most, minor balance adjustment.

Model	Weight oz(g)		Dimensions w/o Hood "(mm)		Filter	Year
Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens	18.2	(515)	3.0 x 3.9	(76.5 x 99.3)	67	2024
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens	22.9	(650)	3.3 x 3.4	(83.5 x 86.9)	77	2008
Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM Lens	9.5	(270)	2.9 x 2.5	(74.4 x 63.1)	52	2022
Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM Lens	19.4	(550)	3.0 x 3.9	(76.5 x 99.3)	67	2024
Canon RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM Lens	20.5	(580)	3.0 x 3.9	(76.5 x 99.3)	67	2024
Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG DN Art Lens	18.0	(510)	3.0 x 3.8	(75.7 x 97.5)	72	2022
Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens	15.7	(445)	3.0 x 3.6	(75.4 x 92.4)	67	2018

View the complete Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens Specifications using the site's lens specifications tool for many more comparisons.

Here is a comparison:

Positioned above from left to right in visual height sequence are the following lenses:

Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM Lens
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens
Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens
Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens

The RF 24 F1.8 lens's hood was not available at review time, so the other three lenses are shown below, re-sequenced with their hoods in place.

Use the site's product image comparison tool to visually compare the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens to other lenses.

The initial three f/1.4 VCM lenses share 67mm front filter threads. 67mm filters are modestly sized and priced and extremely common, enabling effects filter sharing with many other lenses.

A standard-thickness circular polarizer filter has little effect on peripheral shading, but a slim model such as the Breakthrough Photography X4 is still recommended.

As usual for an L lens, the hood is included in the box. This time, it's the EW-73G Lens Hood.

The petal-shaped hood adds significant front element protection from flare-inducing light and physical impact. This shape looks cool, and a functional advantage of this shape is easier installation alignment (align the small petal to the top and twist), though a round-shaped hood enables the lens to stand on its hood better. The ribbed interior avoids reflections. A release button makes installation and removal easy, and the narrow diameter keeps it compact, especially when reversed.

Canon also includes a case with their L-series lenses, and the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens comes with the Canon LP1219 Lens Pouch. While the drawstring pouch protects against scratches and dust, only the bottom is padded against impact.

Price, Value, Compatibility

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The 24mm focal length and f/1.4 aperture combination is not radical from a design and production perspective, and the result is a great value lens. The RF 24 F1.4 L VCM is not cheap, but its moderate price is within reach of enthusiasts.

As an "RF" lens, the Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens is compatible with all Canon EOS R-series cameras, including full-frame and APS-C models. Canon USA provides a 1-year limited warranty.

The reviewed Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens was on loan from Canon USA.

Alternatives

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The perfect lens does not exist. However, the best lens for your needs does. Determining that answer requires a look at the alternatives. The 24 VCM's predecessor would be the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens, a logical lens to consider first.

As hinted earlier, the EF II lens has not kept up with the latest camera resolution capabilities, and it was overdue for an update. If the RF 24 L's image quality did not far surpass that of the EF 24 II, it would have been a great disappointment. We are not disappointed – the VCM lens produces far sharper results in the image quality comparison. The VCM lens also has less peripheral shading and shows less flare effects. However, the RF 24 L has strong barrel distortion vs. the EF II's well-corrected performance.

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM vs. EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens comparison shows the RF lens is slightly narrower, longer, and lighter. Also, the EF lens requires the extra size and weight of a Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R for use on an R-series camera. The RF lens has 11 aperture blades vs. 8 and 67mm filter threads vs. 77mm. The RF lens's AF is driven by VCM and Nano USM vs. Ring USM, has Lens Function buttons, and has aperture and control rings. The EF lens has a focus distance window. The primary reason to get the EF lens is because the used price is low.

Canon has another RF 24mm lens in the line-up, the consumer-grade RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM Lens.

I expected the L lens to produce sharper images at f/1.4 than the non-L lens at f/1.8, and it does. The VCM lens has less peripheral shading at f/1.4 than the STM lens has at f/1.8, and the VCM lens holds an advantage at narrow apertures. The VCM shows less flare effects at narrow apertures. Both lenses require geometric distortion correction.

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM vs. RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM Lens comparison shows the f/1.8 lens weighing about half as much and measuring considerably shorter. The STM lens uses 52mm filters vs. 67mm, has a 0.50x maximum magnification vs. 0.17x, and has image stabilization. The VCM has a dedicated focus ring, VCM and Nano USM AF vs. STM, 11 aperture blades vs. 9, Lens Function buttons, an aperture ring, and a 2/3 stop wider aperture. Of course, the professional-grade L lens is considerably more expensive.

While the focal length is different, the Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM Lens is otherwise similar. In the image quality comparison, the 24mm lens tested a tiny bit sharper. The 35mm lens has modestly less peripheral shading at f/1.4, and the 24mm lens showed slightly less flare effects. Both lenses require geometric distortion correction.

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM vs. RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM Lens comparison reflects similarity. Get the lens with the focal length that works best for you. Often, getting both is the right decision, as these lenses are complementary.

The Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens does not mount on a Canon camera, but it is interesting to compare against. This Sony lens is super sharp, and matching its performance would be excellent.

The image quality comparison shows the lenses performing similarly. The Sony lens has modestly less peripheral shading at f/1.4 but considerably more at narrow apertures. The Canon lens has considerably more geometric distortion, and the Sony lens has stronger lateral CA and color blur. The Canon lens produces smaller stars in the corners of the frame.

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM vs. Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens comparison shows that the Sony lens is slightly lighter and smaller. The two lenses are similar in most regards, but the Sony lens has a slightly lower price.

Use the site's tools to create additional comparisons.

Summary

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The Canon RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM Lens is a fantastic choice for those looking for a standout landscape, architecture, and low-light event lens, and this lens is Canon's best ever for Milky Way and northern lights night sky photography.