1Ds Mark IV & 5D Mark II Merry-Go-Round

[Haydn1971]

The two older TS lenses seem most likely "specialist" options, refine the design to match the two L versions, slap a big price increase on, make the lenses for less, thus double the profit.  I don't really see the macro lens nor the 100-400mm as specialist in the context of EF lenses, but they certainly aren't mainstream....  TS & Fisheye are specialist to my mind.  The concept of a 120mm TS Macro is outside of current thinking, but possible I guess

Mainstream update ?  It's got to be a zoom, it's highly likely to be a kit lens, the 24-70mm is 9 years old, the 24-105mm is 6 years old...  My money would be on the 24-105 personally, as it's probably selling in bigger numbers as it's a cheaper lens - Canon has a profit gain option, or they could take the IS to 4 stops, add hybrid IS, perhaps even shave some weight off the current.

[moreorless]

Lenses:  "Massively popular" - could this be a new 50mm f/1.4?   (But as I've said before, Canon wants me to buy the f/1.2L, so...) - I agree with afira though, a zoom is much, much more likely.  I immediately thought of the 50mm for some reason.

They could take the view that a 50 1.4 as a kit lens alternative to the zooms with the 5D mark 3 would be a good way of keeping the price down I spose. The Mk2 + 24-105 has been selling well to amatures at a lower price point and a 50 1.4  Mk3 kit might keep it at near to the same price point.

The 24-70 update does seem by far the most likely though I agree.

[dr croubie]

Seriously, 24-70 has to have IS or else myself, and thousands of others, will have no reason to buy it. Fix the field curvature also.

But what if they do one but not the other? IS with curvy corners? flat-field with no IS? How many of you would ditch your current 24-70 one for either of them?

And the "specialist" lenses, i'd like the idea of new TS-E(s), but does the 200-400 1.4x f/4 count as "specialist" enough?
How about an MP-E 65 mk2?

[neuroanatomist]

On the "specialized" lens front:

I'm with pgabor, as in my guess is the "2 more specialized lenses" are TS-E 45mm & 90mm. The TS-E 24mm has already got a mkII, and Canon has competition from such lenses as the Schneider Keuznach 90mm lens.

I didn't see that Schneider Kreuznach made any 90mm perspective correction lens, or even that they made a 90mm f/2.8 lens.  I see a lot of 4x5 camera lenses on sale, little (actually nothing - it might be there and I missed it) for 35mm format.  More information?

Schneider PC-TS 90mm f/4.0 Makro Symmar Tilt/Shift Lens for Canon EOS (Adorama link).

Schneider PC-TS 50mm f/2.8 Super Angulon Tilt/Shift Lens for Canon EOS (Adorama link).

I agree that it's likely the Canon 45mm and 90mm TS-E lenses will get the L treatment at some point, these might be the 'more specialized' lenses.


Why are many people assuming the 'massively popular' lens is a L lens?  None of them sell in numbers consistent with that phrase.  IMO, the only 'massively popular' EF lenses is the EF 50mm f/1.8 II and the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III - maybe we'll see an update to one of those.  Woot.

[-zero-]

Why are many people assuming the 'massively popular' lens is a L lens?  None of them sell in numbers consistent with that phrase.  IMO, the only 'massively popular' EF lenses is the EF 50mm f/1.8 II and the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III - maybe we'll see an update to one of those.  Woot.

the 50 1.8 seems a good candidate  for an update (plz get ride of the 5 bladed aperture iris)
the 75-300 4-5.6 III is another likely candidate (if the rumors about no more non L ef lens is false)
maybe the first mk IV lens??

[neuroanatomist]

the 75-300 4-5.6 III is another likely candidate (if the rumors about no more non L ef lens is false)
maybe the first mk IV lens??

Nope.  The EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 had a Mk IV version in 1996, and then a Mk V version in 1999 (link to the Canon Camera Museum page on the Mk V).

[UncleFester]

The 24-7- f/2.8L seems plausible, but I doubt Canon will include IS. One of the main uses of the lens is event photography (e.g. weddings) where the subjects are typically moving - which means keeping shutter speeds higher - depending on the situation mostly over 1/80s.  That means that IS will not be a big benefit. 

Or, you  could use the IS  to emphasize motion. *hint* *hint* Not that you couldn't do that w/o IS, but it's nice to have the option of longer exposures.

[Woody]

I wish it's the 1Ds4 'cos it'll give us a clearer picture of what lies ahead.

The one thing I desire most at this point is a phenomenal increase in low ISO dynamic range for Canon sensors. If it gets implemented in the 1Ds4 camera, we'll most likely see it roll out in subsequent camera releases too.

[bebopcola]

CR, any ideas or rumors on the 5DmkIII price point?

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Of course, mere upgrades to current offerings aren't the only possibility - aside from the very likely possibility it will be something totally new, perhaps Canon is going way back into their historical EF lineup and resurrecting the 100-300mm "L" range, except making it a f/2.8 zoom now.  This would indeed be massively popular, as all the sales of the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 OS (including to me) show.  It is actually a pretty significant hole in Canon's lineup, IMO; a lot of close-range field sports shooters (especially those on a budget) would get a lot more utility out of a 100-300mm range than they would out of a prime or a 100-400mm that is limited to f/5.6 at the tele end.

1. They already re-visited the 100-300L with the 70-300L.
2. The 300mm reach 2.8s of any sort are not exactly for the field sports shooters on a budget and the ones with more budget would use a prime on one body and a 70-200 2.8 on a second body (which could also be used for indoor sports without 300mm bulk at other times). The 120-300 2.8 from Canon would surely cost even more than their prime, although I'm sure there are those who would prefer it all in one lens.

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Why are many people assuming the 'massively popular' lens is a L lens?  None of them sell in numbers consistent with that phrase.  IMO, the only 'massively popular' EF lenses is the EF 50mm f/1.8 II and the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III - maybe we'll see an update to one of those.  Woot.

the 50 1.8 seems a good candidate  for an update (plz get ride of the 5 bladed aperture iris)
the 75-300 4-5.6 III is another likely candidate (if the rumors about no more non L ef lens is false)
maybe the first mk IV lens??

They already re-did the 75-300 with the 70-300 IS and the 100-300L with the 70-300L IS.
A 50 1.4 with working real USM would be nice but Canon seem dead set against it.

I don't like the 24-105 but I don't see them fixing that either since too many jump to it's defense, why who knows, but they do.

It's got to be the 24-70.

[Edwin Herdman]

1. They already re-visited the 100-300L with the 70-300L.

Not with an f/2.8 aperture.  Maybe I wrote a lot but I thought I took pains to make clear that the f/2.8 aperture zoom is selling Sigma lenses in this range.  It may be "specialized" but it's also incredibly useful.

2. The 300mm reach 2.8s of any sort are not exactly for the field sports shooters on a budget and the ones with more budget would use a prime on one body and a 70-200 2.8 on a second body (which could also be used for indoor sports without 300mm bulk at other times). The 120-300 2.8 from Canon would surely cost even more than their prime, although I'm sure there are those who would prefer it all in one lens.

Granted the 300mm f/2.8 lenses aren't cheap, but the Sigma is only $3200 (its launch price).  Perhaps this is a case of Sigma putting out a lens at a price point Canon can't (or won't) match, but I think that if they wanted to compete in this arena they could.  The 70-200 f/2.8 mark II being around $2400 doesn't bode well for the price of a version that reaches 300mm, but on the other hand I really don't see how it would have to reach the price level of the primes.

Ultimately, the Sigma is a very good and useful lens at an exceptional price and Canon simply doesn't have a direct answer to it.  The 120-300mm f/2.8 lenses have been around for years (in one incarnation or another), though, so maybe Canon simply doesn't care.

[Edwin Herdman]

On the "specialized" lens front:

I'm with pgabor, as in my guess is the "2 more specialized lenses" are TS-E 45mm & 90mm. The TS-E 24mm has already got a mkII, and Canon has competition from such lenses as the Schneider Keuznach 90mm lens.

I didn't see that Schneider Kreuznach made any 90mm perspective correction lens, or even that they made a 90mm f/2.8 lens.  I see a lot of 4x5 camera lenses on sale, little (actually nothing - it might be there and I missed it) for 35mm format.  More information?

Schneider PC-TS 90mm f/4.0 Makro Symmar Tilt/Shift Lens for Canon EOS (Adorama link).

Schneider PC-TS 50mm f/2.8 Super Angulon Tilt/Shift Lens for Canon EOS (Adorama link).

I agree that it's likely the Canon 45mm and 90mm TS-E lenses will get the L treatment at some point, these might be the 'more specialized' lenses.

Thanks for those links.

Interestingly enough, not only does the Adorama page not have much in the way of technical details, it might not even be fundamentally accurate in the product description.  Schneider's own website declares the lens to be a f/4.5 aperture one.  Unfortunately, still can't find any minimum focus distance or maximum magnification spec there.  Might give them a call since it's an interesting lens.  I don't see it competing with the TS-E 90mm f/2.8 for a number of reasons.  On the other hand, if they simply released this lens in EF mount (well, or not, given the larger amount of glass needed for medium format being less useful on a 35mm body) it would be quite interesting, though Canon has been catching up with their own apochromat-like designs in the TS-E space.  You can definitely tell Schneider's main focus is medium format here.

Why are many people assuming the 'massively popular' lens is a L lens?  None of them sell in numbers consistent with that phrase.

Well, I've heard the opposite regarding the 100-400mm in particular from a store rep.  "Massive" doesn't necessarily mean this is a lens that is going to be put out there in hopes of competing with the kit lens that most people keep on their camera.  We don't even know where this word "massive" got inserted into the storyline, and it might not be Canon's choice.

[J. McCabe]

I'm with pgabor, as in my guess is the "2 more specialized lenses" are TS-E 45mm & 90mm. The TS-E 24mm has already got a mkII, and Canon has competition from such lenses as the Schneider Keuznach 90mm lens.

I didn't see that Schneider Kreuznach made any 90mm perspective correction lens, or even that they made a 90mm f/2.8 lens.

From http://www.dpreview.com/news/1009/10091705schneiderkrueznachtslens.asp

"Schneider-Kreuznach has launched three new tilt-shift lenses for digital single-lens reflex cameras with full-frame image sensor: Super-Angulon 2.8/50 mm HM, Makro-Symmar 4.0/90 mm HM and APO-Digitar 5.6/120 mm HM Aspheric."

[Etienne]

Just give me something I can use:

  5DIII with good AF, better dynamic range, video AF, better high ISO, no moire
  and a new irresistible lens: deadly 35 1.4 or 50 1.2, improved 24-70, or innovation of the 24 -105 (maybe better IS and powered zoom for video, controlled by the camera?)

I must admit, I am counting on Canon to amaze me.