Leading camera maker Canon today announced its next big entry into its dual-optic lens category, which allows its line of high-end EOS R7 cameras to take spatial video and photos.

Called the RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens, Canon says its more affordable VR lens system is engineered to offer “a perfect balance between clarity and usability for vlog-style VR creation.”

The new Dual Fisheye lens seems to be mostly the same idea and execution as the previous model introduced in 2021, however features slightly lower specs, including a smaller field-of-view and aperture, but offered at a greatly reduced cost.

To boot, the new lens system is scheduled to be available sometime this month for $1,099.00, or about half the price of the lens initially announced for its EOS VR System from 2021.

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“This APS-C Stereoscopic VR lens’ ability to achieve a 144º wide-angle view and utilize equidistant projection makes it ideally suited for every day, virtually hassle-free VR production,” Canon says in a press statement. “Also designed for versatility, this lens permits multiple methods of camera handling, from hand-holding, mounting on a gimbal, or tripod-mounting.”

Notably, the new stereoscopic lens features an interpupillary distance (IPD) of 60mm, which is very near to an average human IPD, making captured content more realistic when played back the the user.

Check out the full specs below:

Focal Length 3.9mm
Maximum and Minimum Aperture
f/3.5 – f/16 (1/3 stops, 1/2 stops)
Lens Mount Type
Canon RF Mount; Metal Mount
Interpupillary Distance / Baseline Length 60mm
Minimum Focusing Distance
0.66 ft. (7.9 in.) / 0.2 m
Maximum Magnification 0.03x
Angle of View (Diagonal) 144° 00′
Lens Construction (each lens)
11 elements in 8 groups
Special Elements (each lens)
Two UD glass elements
Lens Coating
Canon ASC (Air Sphere Coating)
Filter Size Diameter (rear lens mount)
30.5mm screw-type filter
Rear Mounted Gelatin Filter Holder
Supported – Built-in Supports cut gel or polyester
Aperture Blades (each lens) 7
Lens Switches None
Dust/Water Resistance Not Provided
Focusing System
Gear type STM focusing
Left/right focus difference adjustment
User-adjustable, via adjustment mode switch
Dual Pixel CMOS AF Supported
Focus Guide Not Supported
Full-time Manual Focusing Supported
Control Ring Supported
IS Mode Selection Not Supported
Optical Image Stabilization Not Supported
Stabilization with in-body IS (EOS R7) Not Supported
Dimensions (width x height x length)
4.4 x 3.3 x 2.1 in. (112.0 x 83.7 x 54.6mm)
Weight
Approx. 10.2 oz. (290g)
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Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • I truly appreciate this post. Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.

  • Duane Aakre

    Hey Scott,

    Since it seems like this whole area of spatial videos and photos is heating up, perhaps it is time for a new article or two giving an overview of the topic. I see three areas of interest:

    1) Current and upcoming 3d camera options. Personally, I'm interested in the 3-D camera ACER recently announced as a more budget-friendly entry point than this Canon set-up. How does the image quality of the various options compare, at least on paper? For example, how would the dedicated ACER compare to using something like the iPhone 15 Pro Max I already have?

    2) What PC software is available to edit clips into a movie? Like with the cameras, there should be categories for entry-level, high-end hobbyist, and professional.

    3) Some tutorials on workflow from camera to editing software to installing/accessing on various headsets. For highest quality, it seems like you want to install the files directly on the headset. But how does this compare to uploading to somewhere like YouTube for ease of use and image quality? Can you download directly from YouTube for best image quality or does YouTube always add additional image compression?

    • Stephen Bard

      Apple's sudden invention of "Spatial" photos/videos is most annoying since they are just the standard SBS 3D photos that have been in use for decades (with an annoying blur around the edge). The iPhone 15 Pro is a completely inferior device for creating good 3D photos because the 2 cameras they use are too close together and mismatched. Apple is hoping that you will be happy with the crappy 3D photo capability that they have improvised with the impractical iPhone camera configuration they were stuck with. Their scam idea of "spatial" photo/video "memories" has sold quite a few more premium iPhones to gullible Apple fanboys. You can produce 4K 3D photos/videos with far better and more realistic "depth" using inexpensive dedicated 3D cameras with lenses eye-distance apart. The best inexpensive 3D camera that produces results far better than your iPhone is the strange KanDao QooCam EGO for a third the price of an iPhone. Acer has a Spatial Labs "Eyes" 3D camera coming out soon but the specs look similar to the QooCam and it is more expensive. Another device that produces really excellent 3D photos/videos is the fabulous Lume Pad 2 glasses-free 3D tablet (but not pocketable like the QooCam). Another advantage of the Lume Pad 2 is that you and a friend can watch your "spatial videos" in glorious 3D without wearing a $3500 headset, or any headset. The next step up from these $300-$500 devices that do excellent 3D photos/videos is something like the Calf 6K 3D VR180 camera for $2000 that is slightly more professional.

  • STL

    Honest question: what is the USP of this 1000 USD camera compared to an iPhone 15 Pro Max?

    • Duane Aakre

      It's 1000 USD for the lens. The Canon R7 camera body that is needed with it is an additional 1400 USD.

  • Mattphoto

    I think these stereo lenses were a thing on every platform a decade ago and they failed. Not sure if Vision Pro is going to make them enticing anymore.