Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM

The Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM is a 10x all-in-one travel zoom for full-frame RF cameras. Canon announced it on 8 July 2019 as its first RF telephoto zoom and the first full-frame Canon lens with Dynamic IS. It covers wide angle to telephoto in one lens, which reduces lens changes when traveling.

Optical design

The lens has 21 elements in 15 groups, with one aspherical element and two UD elements. The maximum aperture is f/4 at 24 mm and f/6.3 at 240 mm. Canon's Camera Museum lists a minimum aperture of f/36 and 7 circular aperture blades. The filter thread is 72 mm.

Autofocus and handling

Autofocus uses a Nano USM. Canon describes it as high speed, smooth and quiet, and the lens supports full-time manual focus while in AF mode. The optical stabilizer provides up to 5 stops of correction according to Canon, and the lens adds Dynamic IS, which Canon describes as the first implementation in a full-frame Canon lens. The minimum focus distance is 0.50 m at the wide end and 0.78 m at the tele end, with a maximum magnification of 0.26x at 240 mm.

Build and size

The lens weighs 750 g and measures 80.4 mm in diameter. Canon quotes a minimum overall length of 122.5 mm, and the lens extends when zoomed. Canon does not list dust or weather sealing on the product page.

Where it fits

The RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM weighs 395 g in our database and is the lightweight alternative with a shorter range. The RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM at 700 g offers a constant f/4 and L-series build but reaches only 105 mm. If more reach matters, a combination of a standard zoom and the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is the heavier alternative with better coverage at the long end.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 24-240mm range in one lens
• Stabilizer with up to 5 stops and Dynamic IS
• Nano USM autofocus with full-time manual focus
• 0.26x maximum magnification
• 72 mm filter thread

Cons

• f/6.3 at the tele end limits low-light use
• 750 g is not small for a travel lens
• No L-series sealing listed by Canon
• 0.78 m minimum focus distance at 240 mm

Verdict

The RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM is a convenience lens. It lets one lens do the work of several for travel and everyday use, and it brings a stabilizer. For maximum sharpness or low-light work, a faster standard zoom plus a separate telephoto is the more common choice.