03-23-2025
01:48 PM
- last edited on
03-25-2025
09:21 AM
by
Danny
Is the Canon RF28-70mm F2.8 is STM a good budget friendly equivalent (or close equivalent) to the Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L is USM Lens?
03-23-2025 02:27 PM
Yes that is exactly what the RF 28-70mm F2.8 IS STM lens is, a great budget version of the RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM.
You lose a little at the wide-angle end, you get the smoother STM focus motor that is slightly less snappy at switching focus than the USM motor in the L-series lens, you also save weight and money. You also miss out on the weather sealing of the L-series lens.
Probably for most general photography the biggest difference is the field of view difference between 24mm and 28mm especially if you are in a location where you cannot move further back to get more in.
03-23-2025 08:11 PM
p4pictures nailed it, the RF 28-70mm F2.8 IS STM @ $1000 is a very nice budget friendly lens. If you don't need the speed of a f2.8 another option is the RF24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM which is $900. If image quality in also very nice, you will pick up a slight gain in the field of view over the RF 28-70mm F2.8 but will compromise the speed of the lens. If you don't shoot a lot of low light it may be an option. This was an early morning, overcast shot on an R6 MkII
RF 24-240 f7.1 @ 1/160 ISO ISO 100
R5 Mk II ~ R6 Mk III ~ R7
Lenses: RF Trinity and others
Adobe and Topaz Suite for post processing
Personal Gallery
03-24-2025 11:01 AM
I would say what are your goals? Are you a hobbyists or a looking as a professional? Hobbyists, yes, but pro maybe not as good of a choice. 4 may sound like a small number and it is but when comparing FL at the short end of a lens 4mm is quite a large number. Plus there is build quality. A day in day out has to be there lens is a different consideration.
04-20-2026 06:21 AM
It’s a great lens, and Canon advertises it as near L quality. If you’re not a professional it’s more than good enough. If you are a professional it’s also more than good enough. I chose it over the 24 because without pixel peeping you wont see a difference and clients will never see a difference, and it is much more compact.
04-20-2026 10:31 AM
" If you are a professional it’s also more than good enough."
As long as you are only thinking of IQ. The build which is just as important to a full time working pro that IQ is. Now the word"pro" means what? Some guy that sold a photo last month or year ago or the guy like me that used his gear almost every single day. And that gear had to work every single time.
03/17/2026: New firmware updates are available.
SELPHY CP1500 - Version 1.0.7.0
01/20/2026: New firmware updates are available.
11/20/2025: New firmware updates are available.
EOS R5 Mark II - Version 1.2.0
PowerShot G7 X Mark III - Version 1.4.0
PowerShot SX740 HS - Version 1.0.2
10/15/2025: New firmware updates are available.
Speedlite EL-5 - Version 1.2.0
Speedlite EL-1 - Version 1.1.0
Speedlite Transmitter ST-E10 - Version 1.2.0
7/17/2025: New firmware updates are available.
Canon U.S.A Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.