Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM

Testers find the centre excellent from f/1.8, with soft borders and corners wide open that improve at f/2.8 and catch up around f/4 to f/5.6. Raw files show very heavy barrel distortion of over 5% and massive vignetting, so the lens depends on profile correction, which costs some corner quality and adds noise. Lateral and longitudinal colour are about average for the class, and bokeh is a strength: out-of-focus discs are clean and background blur is smooth for a 24mm, helped by the half-life-size close focus.

Autofocus is quick and accurate but not silent, with some humming or whine. The IS is effective, especially on bodies without IBIS. Build is good engineered plastic on a metal mount, but there is no weather sealing, the inner barrel extends toward close focus, and the hood costs extra. Overall it is rated good value and a versatile all-rounder, if not optically outstanding for a prime.

Owners like its versatility: wide close-ups of flowers and food, indoor family shots at f/1.8, and handheld stills and video with the IS. The light weight and short length make it a common walkaround and travel lens, and several praise smooth bokeh, sharp centres from wide open and the separate, clicked control ring.

Complaints are the audible STM motor, softer corners wide open, some hunting at close range, double-edged bokeh in busy backgrounds, weakness against backlight and sagittal coma flare that makes it a poor astro lens. Some also found the price high next to the RF 35mm F1.8.