Ah, a brand new "non-L IS refresh" rumor! This is so new!

The 50 and 85 refreshes with IS like the 24/28/35 are hammerlock certainties occur. The questions, as always, are (a) when will we see it, and (b) will they choose to go with slower apertures than the originals?
But get fired up for these. I have the 28 IS and it is fantastic. Expect:
- Fast / accurate / modern USM AF (the current 50 F/1.4 lacks this and is slow to hunt for focus)
- Sharpness on par with the corresponding L at same apertures (hell the 50 F/1.4 beats the F/1.2L already after F/2.8 or so)
- Internal focusing
- Relatively small, lightweight -- for me, this is vital.
- 100L quality build (minus weathersealing)
...and
hopefully, Canon will learn from its overpricing of the 24/28/35 IS lenses and just come to market with the right price. I previously said I would gladly pay $799 for all of the above in a 50mm lens. But the market performance of the 24/28/35 puts these lenses in the $500-600 range.
The 85 update is not truly
needed unless you are a completist and believe 'the whole line needs to be refreshed', all the lenses need to look the same in a brochure, etc. (i.e. you are in Canon's marketing group or you are a lens collector.) The current 85mm F/1.8 is quite possibly the greatest bang for buck lens that Canon currently sells. It's a stellar lens for the dollar, even 15-20 years after its release:
http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/419-canon_85_18_5d?start=1The 135L is a special lens that I don't think will be lumped in with a 50/85 refresh (keep in mind that there also is a 100m F/2 USM that no one talks about, also in need of a refresh). I see the 135L being a very serious piece of kit that will get its own fanfare when it is released.
Canon, give me my new 50! (Or Sigma will beat you to it. They will 'Art' the crap out of this focal length, and soon.)
- A