Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
The Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM is highly praised as a 'pancake' lens that significantly improves camera portability without sacrificing much image quality. Users frequently highlight its sharpness even at f/2.8 and its discreet profile, which makes it ideal for street photography. While the f/2.8 aperture is considered adequate for many situations, some users find it limiting for low-light performance and subject separation compared to faster primes.
Pros
- Extremely compact and lightweight pancake design
- Sharp image quality even at the widest aperture (f/2.8)
- Discreet profile that doesn't draw attention during street photography
- Affordable price point for a sharp prime lens
- Versatile performance on both full-frame and crop-sensor (APS-C) bodies
Cons
- Maximum aperture of f/2.8 limits bokeh and subject separation
- Focal length is polarizing; some users prefer 35mm or 50mm alternatives
Caveats
- On APS-C crop bodies, the focal length behaves like a ~45mm equivalent
- While usable indoors, it lacks the low-light advantages of f/1.8 or faster lenses
Best for
- Street photography
- Travel and everyday carry where bag space is limited
- Landscape and indoor group shots
Avoid if
- You prioritize heavy bokeh and shallow depth of field
- You specifically prefer the field of view provided by a 35mm lens
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 6-month half-life. The evidence is older, with a median age of approximately 416 days, which may affect relevance for the latest camera body pairings.
Sentiment
19 positive (90%) · 1 mixed (5%) · 1 negative (5%)
Trust + time weighted score: +85% · raw score 86%
What redditors said (10 of 21)
For street you might want a pancake (RF 28mm)
The 28 2.8 is perfect to carry for street. You don’t want a lens that screams “camera” from across the street.
Parent context: Specifically for the R100 I'd take the 18-50 though for your use case, every time. Reply: The 28mm is nice on my R10. I like that it’s a bit wider than a 50mm equivalent and has such a small form factor.
Image quality from the RF 28 is good on both crop and full frame.
I love the RF 28mm ... I can wholly endorse the 28mm in terms of being a compact, sharp, and fun lens though. If the real estate in my bag is at a premium, it is the only lens I bring with my R8.
For wider FoV you will want something like a short prime, again f/1.8 or f/2.8 is your best bet for lower light performance: the RF 16mm and 28mm will do that pretty well
I would use the 100-400mm F/5.6-8 outside (bright and sunny) and get maybe the RF 28mm f/2.8? for indoors.
The 28mm has good reviews too and is closer to the small pancake size of the 40mm you already have but it is obviously quite a bit wider.
I’ve tried the 28mm, it’s tiny but I didn’t get along with the focal length, really prefer the 35mm
I usually keep the RF 28mm on my R6 wherever I go! It's a great compact size and allows for great quick shots especially of larger wide area shots.
Compare
Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM vs Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMCanon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM vs Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USMCanon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM vs Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
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