Chances of another f/1.0 lens coming?

Michael Clark

Now we see through a glass, darkly...
Apr 5, 2016
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Slim to none.

The need for f/1.0 and even f/1.2 lenses was mainly due to sensitivity limitations of film and early digital sensors. With modern digital sensors, we can get image quality at crazy high ISOs like 6400 or even 12800 that we only dreamed of at ISO 1600 only a decade ago.

Those 'legendary' 50mm f/1 lenses were legendary for one thing: f/1.0. Otherwise they were significantly compromised compared to slower lenses in exchange for that fast aperture.
 
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Michael Clark

Now we see through a glass, darkly...
Apr 5, 2016
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Y
For bragging rights they might do it someday. It won't be their top priority.
A 16-35 2.8 R and 24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 , 100mm macro and 400 and 600 R will be important to produce for the EOS R camera

You'll likely see a 300/2.8 in the R mount before you see a 400/2.8 or 600/4.
 
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justaCanonuser

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Feb 12, 2014
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Here's a good review:
https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2018/01/canons-ultra-rare-lenses-using-the-canon-50mm-f1-0l/

Before Nikon's announcement of the new 58 mm f/0.95 Noctilux I would have said that Canon will not come up with such an extremely fast lens again. Zach Sutton's review of the old EF 50mm f/1.0 shows that Canon would have to improve the optical formula of such a lens substantially to make it fit for modern high resolving sensors. But because of the old rivalry between Nikon and Canon I wouldn't be surprised if they show off with a new anti Nikon super fast weapon for their RF system ;)

That said, I doubt that users of Nikon's manual only lens will be able to shoot it wide open and get in-focus results frequently with such an extremely shallow DoF. My experience with very fast manual rangefinder and SLR lenses (such as my EF 85mm f/1.2 II) is in a nutshell: a precisely working autofocus boosts such a lens's full potential and expands its fields of applications massively to non-static settings, including street shooting.
 
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Mar 26, 2014
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Before Nikon's announcement of the new 58 mm f/0.95 Noctilux I would have said that Canon will not come up with such an extremely fast lens again. Zach Sutton's review of the old EF 50mm f/1.0 shows that Canon would have to improve the optical formula of such a lens substantially to make it fit for modern high resolving sensors. But because of the old rivalry between Nikon and Canon I wouldn't be surprised if they show off with a new anti Nikon super fast weapon for their RF system ;)

The noctilux costs about the same as a 300mm f/2.8 w/ AF & IS, and would sell even fewer copies. Most Nikon photographers would rather pay quarter the price for the 58mm f/1.4g and gain AF on the way.

That is, the 58mm f/0.95 is mainly a show off. Canon would be better off giving the old EF 50mm f/1.4 the same upgrade it gave the 24-28-35mm trio. It would be cheaper to develop a 50mm f/1.8 IS USM, and it would sell a whole lot better.
 
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justaCanonuser

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The noctilux costs about the same as a 300mm f/2.8 w/ AF & IS, and would sell even fewer copies. Most Nikon photographers would rather pay a quarter the price for the 58mm f/1.4g and gain AF on the way.

That is, the 58mm f/0.95 is mainly a show off. Canon would be better off giving the old EF 50mm f/1.4 the same upgrade it gave the 24-28-35mm trio. It would be cheaper to develop a 50mm f/1.8 IS USM, and it would sell a whole lot better.

I agree completely with you, Antono, but I think the old rivalry between Canon and Nikon had always a non-rational touch. But, maybe, Canon regards the new RF 28-70 F/2 as bold enough, since Nikon offers quite slow zoom lenses for their Z system. I am pretty sure that Canon will sell substantially more copies of that super fast zoom lens than Nikon of their Noctilux. Nikon isn't Leica these days, Leica can sell about 10 k$ prime lenses because they are established in the luxury market anyway.
 
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