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Canon

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM

Canon RF Mount

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM — 135mm f/1.8 for Canon RF, a popular choice in the canon lineup.

$2,099

Launch price

Released Aug 2023

vs

Sony

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sony E Mount

The standard telephoto zoom, completely redesigned to be 29% lighter and significantly sharper.

$2,799

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM is 1.8 years newer.

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Wins

5categories

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM

PortraitVideo & Hybrid

Wins

3categories

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sports & ActionPortrait

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM wins 4 categories·FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II wins 1 categories
  • BFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II has lower Min focus distance (40 cm vs 70 cm)
  • ARF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM has lower Max aperture (Wide) (f/1.8 vs f/2.8)
  • ARF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM has lower Max aperture (Tele) (f/1.8 vs f/2.8)
  • ARF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM has lower Length (130.4 mm vs 200 mm)
  • ARF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM has higher OIS effectiveness (5.5 stops vs 4.5 stops)

Key specs at a glance

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USMFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Focal Length135 mm70-200 mm
Max Aperturef/1.8f/2.8
MountCanon RFSony E
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
Stabilization5.5 stops4.5 stops
Weight935 g1045 g
Min Focus70 cm40 cm
Filter Size82 mm77 mm

Size and weight, to scale

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM

89 × 130 mm

935 g (2.06 lb / 32.98 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

88 × 200 mm

1045 g (2.30 lb / 36.86 oz)

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM is 70mm shorter and 1mm wider than FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II.

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM is 110 g lighter than FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II.

Diameter (⌀) is the maximum barrel width; length is measured from the mount to the front of the lens.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseRF 135mm F1.8 L IS USMFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Portrait
9.0Excellent
7.5Good
Sports & Action
7.5Good
9.5Excellent
Video & Hybrid
8.5Excellent
7.0Good
Landscape
4.0Fair
4.0Fair
Travel
2.0Limited
4.0Fair
Wildlife
5.5Fair
5.5Fair
Macro & Close-up
3.5Limited
3.5Limited

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose the RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM

  • Special elements

    Adds 1 UD

  • Control ring

    Only RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM supports it

  • Max aperture (Wide)

    f/1.8 vs f/2.8 — lower is better

  • Max aperture (Tele)

    f/1.8 vs f/2.8 — lower is better

  • Length

    130.4 mm vs 200 mm — lower is better

  • OIS effectiveness

    5.5 stops vs 4.5 stops — higher is better

  • Weight

    935 g vs 1045 g — lower is better

Reasons to choose the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

  • Special elements

    Adds 1 XA, 1 Super ED, 2 ED

  • Min focus distance

    40 cm vs 70 cm — lower is better

  • Diameter

    88 mm vs 89 mm — lower is better

  • Max magnification

    0.3 × vs 0.29 × — higher is better

Shared specifications

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Optical stabilization

Both support optical stabilization

Weather sealing

Both support weather sealing

Custom function button

Both support custom function button

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM

Pros

  • Prime design typically delivers strong sharpness and lighter weight
  • Built-in optical image stabilization
  • Weather-sealed construction for outdoor shooting

Cons

  • Premium price point
  • Relatively heavy for extended handheld use

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight for an f/2.8 telephoto zoom (only 1045g)
  • Virtually instantaneous and silent autofocus with 4 XD Linear motors
  • Stunning optical performance and contrast across entire range
  • Outstanding built-in Optical SteadyShot stabilization
  • Dedicated physical aperture ring with click and lock switches

Cons

  • Very high price tag
  • Lens hood is bulky and can block storage space easily

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM and FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II at major authorized retailers.

Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

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Full specifications

= category winner

RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Focal length (Min)
135 mm
70 mm
Focal length (Max)
135 mm
200 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/1.8+1.3 stops wider
f/2.8
Max aperture (Tele)
f/1.8+1.3 stops wider
f/2.8
Elements
12
17
Groups
9
14
Special elements
1 UD, 1 Aspherical
1 XA, 1 Aspherical, 1 Super ED, 2 ED
RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Min focus distance
70 cm
40 cm−30 cm less
Max magnification
0.29 ×
0.3 ×+3%
Autofocus motor
Nano USM
4 XD Linear Motors
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Optical stabilization
Yes
Yes
OIS effectiveness
5.5 stops+22%
4.5 stops
RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Weight
935 g−110 g less
1045 g
Length
130.4 mm−70 mm less
200 mm
Diameter
89 mm
88 mm−1 mm less
Filter thread size
82 mm
77 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes
Diaphragm blades
9
11
RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Lens mount
Canon RF
Sony E
Format coverage
Full Frame
Full Frame

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed June 2026.