Announcement: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II

ahsanford

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Aug 16, 2012
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meywd said:
ahsanford said:
Poll time, people:

Poll #1: MTF Chart response

Poll #2: Price

Poll #3: What's next

Please vote, thanks. I'm curious to where everyone's heads are on this announcement today.

- A

Pollaholic? ;D

No, most market research / polling needs to slice the question a few (dozen) ways to see where people stand. Some peeple only care about IQ, others can't get past discussions of price, etc. so it made sense to break it down.

Poll #3 is just me being a brat.

- A
 
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Eldar said:
midluk said:
rrcphoto said:
what's next on the unicorn list though? I'm trying to remember another lens that was rumored for a while and hasn't appeared yet.

24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM?
New 50 1.2/1.4L and 85 1.2/1.4 are both long overdue.
Or perhaps EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS II USM with a more current IS, less flares and less dust sucking?
 
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Feb 8, 2013
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PureClassA said:
Yeah. We can go ahead and start the rumor mill for the 35L Mk III right now to be consistent. I mean, it WILL happen at some point.... in the next 20 years... ::)


Whoa there! My favorite lens is 25 years old, and then we have the poor 50mm f2.5 at 28. The 35f2 took 22 years, and the list goes on.

20 years is not long enough to guarantee a replacement.
 
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midluk said:
Eldar said:
midluk said:
rrcphoto said:
what's next on the unicorn list though? I'm trying to remember another lens that was rumored for a while and hasn't appeared yet.
24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM?
New 50 1.2/1.4L and 85 1.2/1.4 are both long overdue.
Or perhaps EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS II USM with a more current IS, less flares and less dust sucking?
+1
Canon 17-55mm F2.8 needs updating to compete with the quality of the Sigma 18-35mm Art.

Which the wide-angle F2.8 zoom high quality, Canon offers to go with 7D Mark II?
 
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ahsanford

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ajfotofilmagem said:
midluk said:
Or perhaps EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS II USM with a more current IS, less flares and less dust sucking?
+1
Canon 17-55mm F2.8 needs updating to compete with the quality of the Sigma 18-35mm Art.

Which the wide-angle F2.8 zoom high quality, Canon offers to go with 7D Mark II?

Canon may never update that lens -- they (a) want to sell you L lenses instead and (b) want you to migrate to FF anyway.

Consider: 7D2 users often slap on a 16-35L or 17-40L for a walkaround. Why would Canon want to discourage that with a 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM II? I think they lost their shirt on the first one and will leave the limited financial opportunity of an APS-C f/2.8 standard zoom to Tamron and Sigma.

- A
 
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ahsanford said:
Canon may never update that lens -- they (a) want to sell you L lenses instead and (b) want you to migrate to FF anyway.

Consider: 7D2 users often slap on a 16-35L or 17-40L for a walkaround. Why would Canon want to discourage that with a 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM II? I think they lost their shirt on the first one and will leave the limited financial opportunity of an APS-C f/2.8 standard zoom to Tamron and Sigma.

a) then they should make it L!
b) they can sell you even more lenses on the migration because you can not continue to use your EF-S

All those L zooms on an APS-C camera are just compromises. Either too long on the short end, or too short on the long end, and/or no IS, or not f/2.8
 
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midluk said:
ahsanford said:
Canon may never update that lens -- they (a) want to sell you L lenses instead and (b) want you to migrate to FF anyway.

Consider: 7D2 users often slap on a 16-35L or 17-40L for a walkaround. Why would Canon want to discourage that with a 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM II? I think they lost their shirt on the first one and will leave the limited financial opportunity of an APS-C f/2.8 standard zoom to Tamron and Sigma.
a) then they should make it L!
b) they can sell you even more lenses on the migration because you can not continue to use your EF-S

All those L zooms on an APS-C camera are just compromises. Either too long on the short end, or too short on the long end, and/or no IS, or not f/2.8
I fully agree.

It's stupid, fail to provide a lens desired by many people, and deliver this market for Sigma, Tamron, Tokina.
 
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padam said:
StudentOfLight said:
Just to put things in context, for people questioning the price of this lens here are the Lensrental MTF curves for the Otus 85/1.4 and 55/1.4:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/MTF.aspx?Lens=481&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=917&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0&CT=AVG

If the Canon theoretical MTF 30 curves are reasonably close to being true then the new Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM is truly on another level. It is sharper wide open in centre of frame than both the 85 and 55 Otus lenses. It is slightly sharper than the 85 and 55 Otus in midframe and significantly sharper than the 85 towards the corners. (And lets not forget that it autofocuses toooooo.)

It also appears to be at about 10% sharper than the Sigma anywhere in the frame. So while it is more expensive that the current lens and the Sigma option, I'm quite confident it is on another level of performance.


Lens properties consist of more than just (theoretical) charts. It is a big step up from the old lens but I don't see the same contrast or 3D look that the Otus lenses can provide(they are extremely good against bright light, too). There is not much point in comparing different focal lengths anyway.


Ah yes, weasel words! When a camera body or lens is shown to be objectively beaten/challenged by a newer model, resort to purchase defending using the following terms:


3D look
microcontrast
dreamy
filmic


It's important to offer exactly zero real-life comparison photographs to demonstrate what you're talking about. I mean, the characteristics are undefinable anyway. You just have to shoot with one and you'll just..."know".


If none of these work, talk about how you just like the "feel" of the lens/body.


Fervor for "intangible" characteristics is directly-proportional to price delta.
 
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ahsanford

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LOALTD said:
Ah yes, weasel words! When a camera body or lens is shown to be objectively beaten/challenged by a newer model, resort to purchase defending using the following terms:


3D look
microcontrast
dreamy
filmic


It's important to offer exactly zero real-life comparison photographs to demonstrate what you're talking about. I mean, the characteristics are undefinable anyway. You just have to shoot with one and you'll just..."know".


If none of these work, talk about how you just like the "feel" of the lens/body.


Fervor for "intangible" characteristics is directly-proportional to price delta.

Uh oh. I smell a person who prefers the Sigma 50 Art over the Canon 50 f/1.2L.

You also forgot 'magic' and 'the way it renders' on your hatelist. :D

- A
 
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pj1974 said:
Hi Everyone...

Here are comparative MTF charts between:
1) the 35mm f/1.4 L II and
2) the 35mm f/1.4 L

Happy to help!

Paul 8)

Rather substantially better and the original wasn't even considered to be a bad lens!

And it doesn't even take into account the apparent full on APO design for perhaps all but total lack of longitudinal CA (P/G front/back fringing) maybe right from f/1.4! If it really pulls off full APO like Otus it might be one remarkable lens and with full AF at a better price.

(a shame that only half of Canon still bothers and has pride, the lens division tries to be a leader and charges ahead while the body and even more the sensor division has become a bunch of timid, follower, let's milk them for all we can kinda bunch for rather long now)

But man some cool new tech in this lens!
 
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rrcphoto said:
H. Jones said:
rrcphoto said:
here's the sigma ..

If I'm not mistaken, is the Canon II now as sharp wide open as the Sigma is stopped down? Wow.

that's the sigma wide open, but it's certainly better wide open than the Sigma ART.

and if canon's claims about getting abberations under control and it's somewhat even near to APO? 1800 will look like a steal

this certainly looks like "the" WA prime to use on a 5DsR.

disagree, its the one to use on ANY Canon as the APO stuff will make a big difference even on a low MP APS-C, you hardly need a 5Ds to notice a difference is my bet; oh also I bet the bokeh will be much better since the lines mostly track more nicely together now and that would show up on any body

it would be awesome on A7RII as well ;D, although potentially a drag if the AF performance doesnt work out well on that
 
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rrcphoto said:
sample images:

http://www.cameraegg.org/ef-35mm-f1-4l-ii-usm-lens-sample-images/

(before looking at them .. )

They are OOC JPG with sharpness at 0, however CA and vignetting enabled.

Wow, the bokeh looks stunning!!!! Almost like super-tele smooth, pretty remarkable for a 35mm.

And wow, not a peep of PF even on the worst specular highlight at f/1.4!!!

Contrast and micro-contrast look tepid, but it's probably hard to judge from OOC jpgs. DIGIC is a very waxy, low detail image processor. And the first one even looks like motion blur.

Corners on the landscape look decent, but not as great as MTF suggest, but again I wouldn't worry much from a quick sample.

But man the bokeh looks phenomenal and it looks like a 100% APO like OTUS!
 
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rrcphoto said:
Viggo said:
Eldar said:
rrcphoto said:
sample images:

http://www.cameraegg.org/ef-35mm-f1-4l-ii-usm-lens-sample-images/

(before looking at them .. )

They are OOC JPG with sharpness at 0, however CA and vignetting enabled.
That was not a turn-off ...

Canon usually have some horrible editing with their sample shots, and this is no different, BUT, I can see that this lens is just something else... I'm getting one!

I could be wrong, but I'm seeing very little if any bokeh fringing...
which makes this near-APO .. at 35mm.

I'd say it's full on APO. Not a peep of PF even at f/1.4 on any highlights under intense sun. Yeah not ever single conditions was tested, but I'd already be willing to bet some money that it's out and out APO.
 
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ahsanford

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Aug 16, 2012
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Etienne said:
Viggo said:
How about the 135 L? Isn't that from 1996?

While we're dreaming, why not a built-in 2x extender on a fast prime?

An 85mm f/1.4 IS, that turns into a 170mm f/2.8 IS with the flip of a switch.
Or a 135mm f/2 IS - 270 f/4 IS

Refreshing the 135L isn't dreaming. Not at all.

(But I like your idea as well.)

- A
 
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