Canon recently announced a new lens that will make its virtual-reality offerings more immersive and high-res than ever: the RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens. This compact lens is a game-changer for the industry. It’s the world’s first digital interchangeable lens that captures stereoscopic 3D 180-degree VR imagery straight to a single image sensor. This negates the need for complex stitching or syncing.
It also boasts a 190-degree field of view, with an interpupillary distance of 60mm that ensures content is incredibly lifelike, and very much like what you’d see with your own two eyes. When used with a camera like the Canon EOS R5, the RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens also promises stunning high-res content, including video at 8K (30p). The ultra-wide fisheye, with its 5.2mm focal length, is great for everything from landscapes to night shots, and every wide-angle-worthy scene in between.
Here’s what we know about the new RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens, which is now available for preorder.
Key Features of the Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens
Capture the scene — and truly, the full scene — with the ultra-wide Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens. With an aperture of f/2.8 to f/16, this fisheye lens works for everything from photography to virtual reality. For the latter, don’t miss Canon’s explainer video on how to use the RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens for VR.
The Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens, which is also surprisingly portable at 350 grams, lets creators go from stills to video to stereoscopic 3D. This is all with a quick and simple lens swap. It produces this dazzling VR content at up to 8K DCI 30p or 4K DCI 60p when paired with the EOS R5. Key features include:
- 2mm focal length
- f/2.8-f/16 aperture
- Canon RF mount
- Interpupillary distance of 60mm
- Minimum focusing distance of 0.66 feet
- Maximum magnification of 0.03x
- Angle of view is 190 degrees
- Construction with 12 elements in 10 groups
- Dust and water resistance built in
- Manual focusing
- Weight: 350g
A first-of-its-kind VR lens
Canon’s RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens is more than a high-quality fisheye lens. It’s a game-changer for those dabbling into VR imagery. For starters, it’s the industry’s first digital interchangeable lens able to capture stereoscopic 3D 180-degree VR imagery into one sensor. That means you won’t need to use any clunky or intensive stitching or syncing software to prepare these images for display.
And, with video recording at up to 8K DCI 30p or 4K DCI 60p, a 190-degree field of view, and a lifelike interpupillary distance of 60mm, you’re delivering not just VR content but astonishingly high-quality VR content. This is all with a tiny and portable lens that fits easily into your camera bag.
Canon’s EOS VR System
This new Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens paired with Canon’s EOS R5 camera, updated with firmware (version 1.5.0 or later), and a paid subscription software (like Canon’s EOS VR Utility), make up Canon’s innovative and ever-growing new EOS VR System. This innovation makes your Canon gear even more versatile, letting you capture both traditional and cutting-edge new content. When viewed on compatible head mount displays like the Oculus Quest 2, your VR content truly comes to life, with immersive depth like never before.
The RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens is available for preorder for $1,999.00.
