Canon to add RF Wide Angle Super Macro Lenses?

Canon has released the Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS STM lens and the Canon RF 24mm F1.8 IS STM, so on the one hand, this patent application (2025-124117) seems a bit redundant if you look at it from a high-level point of view. However, in this patent application, Canon publishes a patent detailing several wider-angle macro lenses, all with 1.0x and 1.2x macro capabilities.

The designs are more complicated than we see with STM-grade lenses, so these may be a grade above. For instance, the Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM has 11 elements and eight groups, whereas the patent in question features 15 or so elements across 8 to 10 groups. Each optical element increases its cost, size, and weight. These would be unlikely to be cheaper STM lenses.

Canon, unlike other patent application embodiments, doesn't go out of its way to identify the IS group, but does mention that these would also have image stabilization.

like ordinary lenses, macro lenses are also required to be compact, have a high F-number, effectively correct various aberrations, and support autofocus and optical image stabilization to suppress image blur caused by camera shake.

I have never really been that fond of ultra-wide-angle lenses for macro – for starters, you really have to get close to the subject for full magnification, and subject illumination is difficult. I think Canon's choice of .5x macro is a happy compromise, especially now that sensors are 24MP and greater, and you really don't need the magnification for more casual use cases.

That being said, I did on more than one occasion find the short minimum focus distance helpful on my UWA zoom lenses, so there is certainly a use case of having an unimpeded minimum focus distance.

Canon first released a 1.2x Macro lens on the EOS-M and called it “Super Macro”. I had the lens, and frankly, I didn't find the 1.2x to be that useful – others may argue with me on that one.

One thing is for sure: the macro lenses will need some form of illumination similar to the EF-M 28mm F/3.5 Macro shown above.

Canon RF 21mm F2.8 IS Macro

This macro lens has 1x magnification and a slightly smaller image circle than what is required for full-frame sensors.

Canon RF 24mm F2.8 IS Macro

This macro lens has 1.2x super magnification and a smaller image circle than what is required for full-frame sensors. A high degree of stretching would have to be performed to fill the entire full-frame sensor.

Closing Thoughts

The Canon RF lineup already features some impressive bang-for-the-buck wide-angle macro lenses, including the 24 and 35mm IS STM Macro lenses, but this would undoubtedly be another level above those lenses. Whether there would be a need or even a desire to create another tier of lenses is relatively unknown. That being said, there is a pretty big gap between the L's and the STM's, so anything is possible.

Just a Reminder!

With all patents and patent applications, I have to stress constantly – this is simply a look into Canon’s research; the only thing we can quantify accurately is that Canon is researching this. A patent application doesn’t mean they are going to release this in the next month, or even year, or even at all.

Go to discussion...