Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM Lens

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM is a compact, lightweight standard zoom lens designed for Canon’s full-frame RF-mount mirrorless cameras, offering a versatile everyday focal range in a sleek, budget-conscious package. It’s aimed at photographers who want a genuine one-lens solution for landscapes, portraits, and general shooting without needing to change lenses, and its compact profile also makes it a natural fit for Canon’s APS-C RF-mount bodies.

Optically, the lens covers a 24-105mm focal range with a variable maximum aperture that steps down through the zoom range, from f/4 at 24-26mm through f/4.5, f/5, f/5.6, and f/6.3, reaching f/7.1 from 80-105mm, a tradeoff Canon made to keep the lens notably smaller, lighter, and more affordable than the constant-aperture RF 24-105mm f/4L. The optical construction, 11 elements in 13 groups (including one aspherical element), delivers sharp images with minimal distortion across the zoom range, and a 7-blade rounded diaphragm contributes to smooth background rendering.

A standout feature of this lens is its close-focusing capability: in standard autofocus mode, it achieves a minimum focusing distance of 0.66 ft. (0.2m) at the wide end and a maximum magnification of approximately 0.4x at 105mm, while a dedicated Center Macro Focus position (available at 24mm) pushes magnification to 0.5x with a minimum focus distance of just 0.43 ft. (0.13m), approaching genuine macro territory for detailed close-up shooting. Autofocus is handled by a leadscrew-type STM (stepping motor), delivering smooth, quiet autofocus for both stills and video, with manual focus operating by-wire; note that the lens lacks a physical AF/MF switch, requiring focus mode changes through the camera’s menu.

Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer provides up to 5 stops of shake correction (CIPA standard), helping photographers achieve sharper handheld results across the zoom range. A customizable control ring allows direct adjustment of settings like ISO, aperture, or exposure compensation from the lens barrel. Build quality favors compactness over ruggedness: the lens is not weather-sealed, distinguishing it from Canon’s L-series optics, but it remains internally focusing with no barrel extension during use. It measures approximately 76.6 x 88.8mm and weighs just 395g, and accepts 67mm filters.

As a full-frame RF-mount lens, the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM delivers its full angle of view on Canon full-frame RF-mount bodies while remaining compatible with Canon APS-C RF-mount cameras at a narrower, telephoto-equivalent effective field of view.

Key Features
– 24-105mm standard zoom for Canon RF mount
– Variable maximum aperture, f/4 (wide) to f/7.1 (105mm)
– 11 elements in 13 groups, including 1 aspherical element
– Leadscrew-type STM autofocus (by-wire manual focus; no physical AF/MF switch)
– Center Macro Focus mode (0.5x magnification at 24mm)
– Optical Image Stabilizer, up to 5 stops (CIPA)
– Customizable control ring
– Internal focusing (no barrel extension)
– Not weather-sealed
– Minimum focusing distance of 0.66 ft. (0.2m); up to 0.4x standard magnification
– 67mm filter thread
– Compact, lightweight design (approximately 395g)
– Compatible with Canon full-frame and APS-C RF-mount cameras