Get ready for something different as Canon has just pulled the covers off a very unusual lens. As its name suggests, the Canon RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE packs not one, but two 5.2mm fisheye optics that pair up with the RF mount found on Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras such as the R5.
The Canon RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE lens is Canon’s first ever interchangeable VR lens and has been designed to help photographers capture VR (Virtual Reality) content through the use of a stereoscopic 180° VR capture and post-production with a newly-developed Canon VR software application (EOS VR Utility) and plug-in (EOS VR Plug-in for Adobe Premiere Pro) to streamline the 180° VR post-production process.
Canon explains that the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE dual forward-facing fisheye lenses have an ultra-wide 190-degree field of view which form the basis of its stereoscopic VR capture capability. This design then enables projection of two images onto the camera’s single sensor for perfect alignment and synchronisation straight out of the camera and by utilising the lens in this way Canon says the VR setup is simpler than a two-camera system.
Photographers familiar with Canon’s lenses will immediately spot that the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE boasts the famous red-ring denoting its place in Canon’s range of L-series lenses. Each of the optics utilises two UD elements and there is also SWC coasting to help suppress ghosting and flare from direct rays of light.
Canon also says the design of the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE lens also accommodates a gelatin holder across the rear element so users can ‘leverage third-party gelatin ND filters to maintain ‘normal’ shutter speeds and apertures when shooting in bright conditions. The MF Peaking function in the EOS R5 provides simple assisted manual focusing, highlighting the areas within focus.’
The lens features an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/16 with a 7-blade aperture and simultaneous electro-magnetic diaphragm for both left and right lenses. Videographers using Canon’s R5 can make the most of the 8K video to produce high-resolution 180° VR footage and the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE lens will be priced around £2,099 / $1,999.