Canon EF 20-400 f/2.8 IO USM IS
Har Har
EF 20-400 f/2.8 IO USM IS
Canon have just announced the first of a line of ground breaking new optics that actually intensify the light as it passes through the lens. This results in smaller lighter lenses which can have longer zoom ranges but still retain a f2.8 maximum aperture.
This technology has been in development for many years, but achieving a blend of high optical quality with a good amount of light gain and a realistic manufacturing cost has only just become possible with a revolutionary new manufacturing process
Canon are not able to release details of exactly how they make the lenses but, have said that the whole process of manufacturing has to take place in total darkness until the new Starlight Spectra Coating, which is the key to the intensifying of light, has time to develop its light gathering ability.
From what we have gleaned this is the first of a whole new series of IO (Intensifying Optics) Lenses and more lenses are expected in the range later this year.
We were lucky enough this week to be able to handle one of the first lenses into the country and so are able to bring you some details about the new lens. We were unable to shoot any images with the lens as it was pre-production and unfortunately the production models will not be available.
Read more about this fascinating lens here (not written by CR)
thanks Jan
cr
April 1st, 2009 at 6:32 am
2.8? Crap, I was expecting 2 with 1:1 macro capability.
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April 1st, 2009 at 6:36 am
Nice April Fool. ‘intensify the light’ I love it.
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April 1st, 2009 at 6:38 am
Hahahahahaha! nice!
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April 1st, 2009 at 6:50 am
Can I haz RickRoll?
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April 1st, 2009 at 6:51 am
oh shame on me
you got me for 3 seconds…
I WANT NEW LENSES !!!!!
200-400 4-5,6 IS and a good 15-30 :(
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ms Reply:
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:02 am
c’mon…you going to ask for a lens do it right…make it at least a 500 or 600/5.6 that way Canon will aim below what we ask for and we might get a 400 or 500mm.
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April 1st, 2009 at 6:52 am
You could at least have spelled “aspherical” correctly on the PDF…
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Canon Rumors Reply:
April 1st, 2009 at 7:01 am
I didn’t write the PDF.
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Justin Reply:
April 1st, 2009 at 8:26 am
Thanks CR guy. I enjoyed the joke. It speaks volumes for the pros out there who really could use better lenses to match to their high res cameras.
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:00 am
and right afeter we’ll see the 200-800 1.9 is usm do for 2500£.
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:01 am
Too good to be true. You had me for 2 wunderful minutes…
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:25 am
;) A little too obvious, but rather good!
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:28 am
How much will this cost?
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homerfreak Reply:
April 1st, 2009 at 7:33 am
One million dollars.
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kimbo Reply:
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:31 am
the dignity of those who try to buy it
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Anonymous Reply:
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Price is listed as 2799 pounds
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:55 am
GOOD STORY!
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April 1st, 2009 at 8:04 am
Good one, thanks.
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April 1st, 2009 at 8:19 am
I would take a 20-70IS 2.8!
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Justin Reply:
April 1st, 2009 at 8:28 am
Only if it were tack sharp from corner to corner, had no CAs, and barrel and pincushion distortion were kept to an absolute minimum. :)
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ms Reply:
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:04 am
would be nice if it didnt vignette as bad as the 24-105
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April 1st, 2009 at 8:31 am
They forgot to mention that canon ships this lens with a hot bikini model to put the lens on the camera for you and to massage you while you take pictures.
Plus the lens will fix dry skin, runny nose and fever.
Happy April Fools! The pdf was a nice touch. =)
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April 1st, 2009 at 8:33 am
You could think of sth better – that is less hard to believe :P
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April 1st, 2009 at 9:01 am
En français dans le texte : cette optique étant étanche, elle est toute destinée àla photographie de poissons
Might be interresting to take somme underwater pictures …
In french, we don’t say april fool, but april “fish”.
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April 1st, 2009 at 9:16 am
A………..
P………..
R………..
I………..
L………..
F………..
O………..
O………..
L………..
Nice giva away in the PDF document! ;-)
Marcel
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CPS 08 Reply:
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I think the give away was a 20-400mm lens with f/2.8 IS. Haha, that would cost like $18k if they could make one. haha. Fun story tho.
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April 1st, 2009 at 9:57 am
I’m still holding out for the 10-600 f/1.0 hand-holdable (due out in May ‘09)
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April 1st, 2009 at 10:05 am
I was fooled for about a minute….
I’m so dumb
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April 1st, 2009 at 10:27 am
Ah, just too obvious…
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April 1st, 2009 at 10:44 am
dumbass…me
Totally had me, had I not read the comments…duh…
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April 1st, 2009 at 11:12 am
I thought they’d have started at at least 8mm to give a real wide angle on cropped bodies.. Pphhhhh…
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Zac Reply:
April 1st, 2009 at 11:30 am
it’s the FF version, the EF-S equivalent will be out in exactly 12 months.
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April 1st, 2009 at 11:28 am
Wait your saying it’s not a real lens? Crap I just put up my 400mm f/2.8 USM IS, my 70-200mm f/2.8 USM IS and my 24-105mm f/4 USM II IS on ebay so I could pay the $5000 for this lens… Crap I am Screwed.
Happy 4/1
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April 1st, 2009 at 11:37 am
Yay for April Fool’s Day!
If they had announced a 24-70 f/2 I would have been blissfully fooled tho…
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April 1st, 2009 at 12:20 pm
It’s a joke for 1st April day
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April 1st, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Drat, and I was just about to put a couple of my white lenses on e-bay….then I noticed the date!!!! lol
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April 1st, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I wish I could have that much free time… A bit to obvious but pretty well done.
Why keeping it “white” though…
I’m just surprized that they don’t have a “Direct Print” button on it ;-)
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April 1st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
if it wasnt the 1st april i would have ordered it right now :)
but physic wont allow it :)
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April 1st, 2009 at 3:08 pm
One day most of this will be true…
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April 1st, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Ha! You had me too. I wish I didn’t read the comments after half an hour. It would be fantastic travel lens.
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April 1st, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Just a april fools joke. That would be a sweet lens but f/3.5-5.6 not 2.8. The 2.8 would run $12,000+.
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April 1st, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Very interesting, hopefully one day this dream can come true.
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April 1st, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I actually misread the post, I thought it was 200-400 which is more reasonable range for a straight f2.8…
M
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April 1st, 2009 at 5:59 pm
It seems to be one of the push-pull zoom lenses. 20-400mm must be a loooong push-pull. I wonder whether it comes with an optional pedaling or motorized push-pull mechanism… lol
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:45 pm
April Fool or not, a 20times zoom is just too much
to handle; even from a Canon ‘colourful’ ring lens.
Sincerely,
LMAO with ROFL
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April 1st, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Well, when they can add ESW (Electronic Stabilized Wormhole) to the lenses so we can shoot any angle from any point and time in the past I will be impressed.
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April 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 am
:)
The best property is the glowing front lens in lowlight situations. *hihihi*
0,2m @ 400mm would be realy nice. …
The best sentence: I´t might be the last lens you´ll buy.
Next lens will be a 85mm 1:-2 L IO USM
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April 2nd, 2009 at 3:56 am
you got me there I should say.. -.-
don’t look at me like that ! we don’t have april fools in here >_>
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April 2nd, 2009 at 7:13 am
[...] Canon Rumors han anunciat un super-mega objectiu, el Canon EF 20-400mm f/2.8 IO USM IS, amb f2.8 constant, [...]
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:42 pm
A great April Fool’s. Reminds me of the old Sidd Finch story on the cover of Sports Illustrated almost 25 years ago.
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April 3rd, 2009 at 9:08 am
APRIL FOOL…..
very good….
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April 24th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
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