Archive for: EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x
A light at the end of the tunnel?
I spoke to someone at NAB last week about the yet-to-be-officiall-announced EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x. I was told that the lens is now “expected to arrive in the fall of 2013. The design and functionality of the lens are set, Canon is now waiting for the manufacturing process to be finalized so production can begin”.
I got to hold and play with the 200-400 a bit last week, and I must say the weight of it shocked me. It’s going to be pretty close to the EF 600 f/4L IS II. I’m sure everything else about the lens is top notch, as we’re still being told to expect a price north of $10,000 USD.
cr
Where is the 70D?
We’re told today that the 70D has been pushed into April, we had hoped that an announcement would be coming next week.
DIGIC 6
DIGIC 6 will be introduced tonight in the SX280 HS as reported a few days ago. We’re told we can expect DIGIC 6 to make its first appearance in an EOS camera inside the EOS 70D.
18mp Sensors
Keep an eye on the SL1, as it has a brand new 18mp sensor on the inside. As present, we can’t confirm that it’s also in the T5i, though it would make sense. We’re told that the 70D will have the same sensor. This is from a new source.
Lenses
Nothing on the lens front, though we expect to see one announced with the EOS 70D.
The EF 00-400 f/4L IS 1.4x is becoming a running joke with folks at Canon, I don’t think any one really knows why it hasn’t been officially announced yet.
cr
Joshua Holko
Nature and wildlife photographer Joshua Holko was lucky enough to spend some time with the yet to be announced EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x lens.
Below is a video review with Joshua talking about the lens. I’m travelling home at the time of writing this, and streaming capabilities are minimal so I cannot summarize. From what others have said though, it is receiving high praise for its performance.
Enjoy the video
Source: [LL] via [JH]
cr
From Singapore
A member on the clubsnap forum was at an event in Singapore this week and was told by a Canon guy at the event, that the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x wouldn’t start production until Q2 of 2013. Pricing was estimated at $16,000 (Singapore dollars), that converts out to about $13,000 USD and goes along with the $11,000 pricetag we’ve heard for a while now.
We don’t even have an official announcement yet, so this could be possible. I am hoping once they do announce it, that stock will be available immediately.
Source: [CS]
thanks dolina
cr
Not hearing much…
CES starts next week and with it a lot of camera companies will be launching consumer level products. Last year Canon launched the PowerShot G1 X for CES and that was about it.
No media events have been planned by Canon for next week. 99% of the time if Canon is launching a significant camera, there is some kind of media invite to showcase the new cameras.
However, when lenses are announced, that is not always the case. There was no media invites when the EF 24-70 f/4L IS and EF 35 f/2 IS were announced.
We’ve heard that two, possibly 3 lenses could be announced on January 8, 2013, but we have not received any confirmations from known sources yet.
cr
From Canon Singapore
Canon Singapore posted an image on the their Facebook page showing the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x.
They say in the caption:
“Be one of the first to check out the soon to be launched EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x at the EOS Experience Roadshow happening this weekend! We’ll be at Cathay Orchard Cineleisure this 4-6 January from 11am-10pm! See you there!”
The wait may finally be over. How much you ask? I’m still hearing it’ll be about $11,000 USD.
Source: [Canon Singapore]
cr
400mm Everywhere!
I have received various bits of info over the last few months about Canon’s plans in the 400mm range. There is lots of desire for a new 400 f/5.6L and 100-400, and both may finally be getting an update. It feels like the 100-400 has been in the update cycle forever, but judging by how many of these things Canon sells, I can see why they’ve been in no rush to have it replaced.
Below are lenses that are apparently in prototype form and are on tap to be announced in 2013.
- EF 400 f/5.6L IS (Highly desired)
- EF 400 f/4L IS (Not DO)
- EF 100-400 f/4-5.6L IS (Not push-pull & patents exists)
- EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x (Long known about)
There seems to be a theme developing with Canon offering more options in the same focal length range. Best guess pricing will also have a pretty wide range, from a $2000 400 f/5.6L IS up to the $11,000 EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x.
cr
Canon FDn 1200mm f/5.6L
I made a post a few days ago about built-in teleconverters and said that the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x was the first Canon lens with the built-in 1.4x teleconverter technology. While it will be the first production lens to have the feature, Canon did in fact make 5 lenses back in 1984 for the Los Angeles Summer Games in the form of an FDn 1200mm f/5.6L that also had a 1.4x teleconverter built in. All 5 of these lenses were shipped back to Canon in Japan and converterted to EF mount. These lenses then became the legendary made to order EF 1200 f/5.6L without the built-in teleconverter.
If you’ve never heard about the super rare Canon EF 1200 f/5.6L, Bryan at TDP has a great article about his time with the lens. Read it here..
Thanks for the heads up Phil
cr
Canon EF 800 f/5.6L IS II
More mentions of a new 800mm lens hitting the Canon lineup in the next 12 months. I’m told Canon is not to be outdone by Nikon and their upcoming lightweight 800 f/5.6 VR. A new “6 stop” IS system is also being tested in prototype EF 800 f/5.6L IS II lenses, but may not be . The weight of Canon’s next 800 will be less than the current EF 600 f/4L IS II, which is the way it was with the current 800 and the previous 600.
There are other suggestions that the supertelephoto lineup could become more crowded with zooms, and new 400mm primes. With the production and development issues of the current set of new “big whites”, a timetable for such lenses is nearly impossible to nail down.
Built-in Converters
The EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x with the built-in 1.4 teleconverter is not the only lens planned to have the technology. It will definately be the first, and may be the only one for a while, but the concept is being tested with other zooms as well as prime lenses.
One possible configuration mentioned is a lens similar to the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 OS. With Canon’s weight saving materials, the viability of a hand holdable 300 f/2.8 zoom has improved.
While there’s nothing imminent outside of the much talked about EF 200-400 f/4L IS, it looks like the 1.4 built-in teleconverter could become a broad feature in Canon’s lens lineup.
cr
“Production” model said to exist
Ben, a CR reader, had a chance to play around with the upcoming EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4tc in South Africa recently. He had a talk with a Canon product manager there about the highly anticipated lens and got to play around with the lens a bit.
- This was the first time that this specific model was on public display.
- Changes were made post Olympics-this is probably the final version.
- This one is a production model.
- Pricing: somewhere around $11000.
- Weight: No official comment from Canon. Ben thinks it feels nearly the same weight as the 600 F4 II.
- Focus speed the same as 500 II on 1DX, virtually instantaneous.
- Flip switch for converter works like a dream-instant magnification.
- One has to move L hand from front to flip switch, when hand holding the lens more difficult to flip switch than with lens on mono pod.
- Availability: next 2-3 months.
Here’s hoping this lens reaches us in Q1 of 2013.
cr
![2013 – The Year for 400mm Lenses? [CR1]](http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/themes/magnet/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/canon100400.jpg&a=t&h=100&w=200)
