There’s no denying that augmented and virtual reality will play a substantial role in the future of film and media, though traditionally the hardware required to produce this type of content has been prohibitively expensive, making the technology available only to an elite few. Canon is looking to change this, however, with the introduction of its all-new RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens.
Part of Canon’s new EOS VR System, the RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens was designed to be used with the brand’s 8K-capable EOS R5 camera. Touted by Canon as being, “the world’s first digital interchangeable lens capable of enabling stereoscopic 3D 180° VR shooting to a single imaging sensor,” the dual fisheye item features two lenses spaced apart by 2.4″ that boast a 5.2mm focal depth — hence the name — a 190° angle of view, a lens construction with a dozen elements in ten groups, a pair of UD glass elements, and a plethora of top-shelf lens coatings including Canon’s Super Spectra Coating, its Sub-wavelength Structure Coating, and its Fluorine Coating. Images from both lenses are then fed to the EOS R5’s 45-megapixel sensor. In order for the new lens to be compatible with the existing R5 camera, Canon also had to develop firmware updates for the mirrorless cam, as well as new EOS VR Utility and EOS VR Plugin apps which are available via a paid subscription model.
Canon’s new dual fisheye lens and the rest of the new EOS VR system are currently scheduled for release in December 2021. Pricing for the Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens will also be set at $1,999, though the lens requires that users already have one of Canon’s EOS R5 cameras, which can be purchased for $3,899 on the company’s website.
