Canon has officially introduced its new RF-S7.8mm F4 STM Dual lens, which incorporates stereoscopic elements within a body comparable in size to a traditional 2D camera lens. This product was initially hinted at during the Apple WWDC 2024 keynote in June and is intended to be used with the Canon EOS R7. It offers a more budget-friendly option for creators producing 3D VR content for devices like the Meta Quest 3 or spatial videos for the Apple Vision Pro.

The company has not yet specified an exact release date for the new 3D lens, but it is expected to become available in November 2024, with a projected retail price of $449.99. This price point is significantly lower than Canon’s existing dual-fisheye lenses designed for 3D video content, such as the $1,999 RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual and the $1,099 RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual lenses.

Combining Canon’s new 3D lens with its 32.5MP EOS R7 digital camera — which has a starting price of $1,299 — results in a total cost of over $1,700. Despite this, the package is still more affordable than Canon’s more advanced 3D solutions, which begin at $2,498 and can reach up to $6,298 when paired with the required camera equipment.

The new 3D lens from Canon features an aperture range of f/4.0 to f/16, supports autofocus, and includes a button and control wheel for independent manual focus adjustments to the left and right sides. Its affordability compared to Canon’s previous 3D lenses is partially due to its limited field of view. While the more expensive lenses can capture 180-degree video and images, mimicking the capabilities of the human eye, the new RF-S7.8mm F4 STM Dual lens captures only 63 degrees.

Using a standard Canon RF mount, the lens’s stereoscopic elements are aligned in a straight optical path, positioning the front lenses merely 11.8mm apart. This is a significant reduction from the 60mm gap present in Canon’s existing 3D lenses that use dual-fisheye designs. Canon indicates that the most pronounced 3D effect is achieved when subjects or objects are captured 6 to 20 inches from the lens. For objects farther away, the 3D effect diminishes.

Images and videos captured with this lens require processing before they can be viewed using VR or AR headsets. This processing can be done using the EOS VR plugin available for Adobe Premiere Pro, or Canon’s EOS VR Utility software, compatible with both Macs and PCs. Both software options necessitate a paid subscription but can produce 180-degree 3D, VR, or spatial video content.

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