Canon's RF 28mm 2.8 Lens Is A Budget Powerhouse
The options for camera lenses are extremely abundant right now. Diving into a search will turn up everything from rare vintage lenses, to expensive zooms, to inexpensive pancake-style primes. Each one of these lens options and focal lengths is designed to serve a purpose. Some accomplish the job better than others. But, what about a cheap sub-$300 lens? Can a lens such as the RF 28mm 2.8 from Canon really be any good at that price point? Can it be used in a professional setting? Questions like these are what I have been able to answer over the last 2 months of using this particular lens.
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Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
Why did I buy the RF 28mm 2.8 lens?
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
In the latter part of September I was preparing to go to Utah for 2 weeks to photograph the action at RedBull Rampage. This event is the pinnacle of freeride mountain biking and I was honored that my good friend and Rampage athlete, Reed Boggs, had chosen me to be his personal media guy for the duration of the event. This meant I would be climbing up and down the venue in the triple-digit heat for 10 days gathering and editing both photos and video. I knew there would be parts of the event that I would want my bulkier gear, but for the majority I wanted to be able to travel light. I also wanted to minimize the potential damage done to my bigger, more expensive gear. It’s quite dirty in the desert if you didn’t know.
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
I actually started my search by looking for pocket cameras that had a built in lens. Honestly, I was astounded at the quality of some of the options I found but I simply could not justify the price tag. Only a few days before beginning my adventure I stumbled into the Canon RF 28mm 2.8 lens. Looking into the older 40mm EF pancake lens is what led me to the discovery. Most of what I photograph on a daily basis is with a 35mm lens or a 20mm lens, so I figured the 28mm focal length would actually be perfect for me. The price was quite appealing too so I impulsively added the tiny lens to my cart and bought it.
Technical Specs
This little Canon lens sports a 28mm focal length on a full frame sensor and if you put it on an APSC model, it would be a 45mm equivalent. I have been using it on a Canon R6ii with a full frame sensor. Coming in at only 120 grams and measuring 69.2mm x 24.7mm it is sure to be the most compact and portable lens in your kit. The minimum focus distance is 9.1” which doesn’t quite fall into macro territory, but definitely allows you to get up close with your subjects and put the 2.8 aperture to work for a shallow depth of field. the front of this lens is equipped with a small control ring that, when used with the R series cameras, can be used for a variety of different settings which is adjustable in your camera’s custom control menu. When shooting on the manual focus setting on the lens, this control ring of course because the manual focus ring. With my R6ii, I am able to change the throw of the focus as well. If you are unfamiliar with this, it means the amount you must rotate the ring to change from minimum focus to infinity focus can be adjusted. This is something that isn’t possible with vintage lenses with hard-stops on the focus ring.
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
Image Quality
I’ve never been one to scrutinize a lens on it’s sharpness (or lack thereof). So, I won’t do it now. Trust me, I’d tell you if the RF28mm was extremely soft, but it’s not. It’s actually impressively sharp for how small the glass elements are. I really didn’t expect much, but I’m thoroughly impressed. It also retains blacks and color well under many different lighting conditions. Even at 2.8, I would happily use this lens for professional projects. (I already do)
Build Quality
Made out of primarily metal, this lens is extremely light weight and seems surprisingly durable. The lens mount is constructed well and when paired with my R6ii, it provides a nice snug attachment. The focus ring isn’t the best however, mostly due to it’s small size. This isn’t really something worth complaining about when the whole point of the lens is to be small. With the glass element being so small, one thing I have noticed is that it is prone to build up of dust and debris (or fingerprints) and isn’t that easy to clean. As for the autofocus switch, there’s not much to say except I don’t feel like it’s going to break when I switch it to manual focus.
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
Usability
I bought this lens to use it. With a solid build and great image quality paired with an ultra portable form factor, this is a highly diverse and usable lens. I have now taken this lens on many trips with friends and family, used it for different images on a wedding day and put it through the ringer out in the desert photographing motorcycles and mountain bikes. Unfortunately, on the R6ii I still can’t put the setup in my pocket, but to be able to travel with only this small little lens and capture beautiful moments along the way, I’ll forgive it. A huge plus is the fact that it isn’t too expensive, coming in at under $300. Because of this I’m not too worried about a rock or something kicking up and breaking the lens.
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
Should you buy the RF 28mm 2.8 in 2025?
Buying new gear isn’t something I talk others into doing often. I was never someone who could afford to make a purchase when the going got tough. When faced with the urge to buy something new, I really tried to understand if I actually needed the item or I was looking for a shortcut to something that I never really cared about in the first place. Often I found myself learning to get the result without the new product and proving to myself that I didn’t need it.
This little beast though, I did need. After a few months of constant use, I still need it. I have actually used this lens more than I ever thought I would. The lens is so much less invasive than other larger options and entices me to bring my camera along more often. This, of course, results in images I wouldn’t have otherwise captured.
If you want a wide angle lens that’s incredibly diverse in it’s usability and portable, then you should definitely consider purchasing the RF 28mm 2.8. In my opinion, it’s better than the nifty-fifty. However, I only say that because I prefer 28mm over 50mm. So take that with a grain of salt. Buy Yours Here
About Me: My name is Nic Hilton. I am a wedding photographer from Southern California, but I love photographing people, action sports and random daily life.