Patent: Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

[Canon Rumors Guy]

There has been a lot of patents post lately as the rumor mill has become quiet likely due to the time of year. As most of you know, there is a new patent translating expert on the scene, which is much appreciated. I am personally the worst at reading engineering & legal speak and I welcome having a replacement to the long gone egami blog. Oddly enough, the latest flurry of patents has lead to some sites claiming they post better patents than other sites. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. We generally post the optical formula patents, as I cannot answer questions about sensor and processing technology other than to defer you to <a href="https://www.canonnews.com/">Canon News</a> and <a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/rumours-page/">Northlight Images</a>.</p>
<p>The new year kicks off with CES in January, a show Canon generally only announces some PowerShot cameras and maybe some VIXIA camcorders. We’ve also seen some random accessories and printers announced for the show too. The next major show for Canon is CP+ in February held in Yokohama, Japan. Canon usually announces at least one DSLR for that show.</p>


<p>The rumor mill should start picking back up in the coming weeks, as we expect a lot of DSLRs from Canon in 2018.</p>
<p>This latest optical formula patent comes as an EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, a follow-up to what is probably my least favourite lens in the Canon lineup.</p>
<p><strong>Japan Patent Application 2017-219655:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Focal distance: </strong>18.60 49.08  193.00</li>
<li><strong>F number: </strong>3.59 4.89 5.88</li>
<li><strong>Field angle: </strong>36.29 15.55 4.05</li>
<li><strong>Image height: </strong>13.66 13.66 13.66</li>
<li><strong>Length of the lens:</strong> 145.04 172.07 200.21</li>
<li><strong>BF</strong>: 38.23 59.69 74.12</li>
</ul>
<p>Canon would be well served to get this lens to market and fix the ailments that have driven me bonkers with it. Most notably the lens creep, dust accumulation and average optical performance.</p>
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[ajfotofilmagem]

Sigma and Tamron have made many lenses with better cost benefit than the old EF-S 18-200mm.

Better late than never.

 

[KeithBreazeal]

People buy Canon lenses for their reliability and performance.
When the competition builds an equivalent focal length that has nearly equal performance and build quality for much less $$$$$, you would think Canon would step up to the plate with a design that would draw buyers despite the cost. This is really becoming a problem for Canon.
Maybe the idea is to build a reasonably good lens and make it part of a kit buy for the T line.
A good marketing breakthrough for Canon would be an optical stabilizer that is rated for 6 stops.
If a smart buyer is looking for a lens that will be used indoors a lot, the 3.5-5.6 f stop range make you think twice.
If that same lens had a 6 stop IS, you would think "I could work with that".

Now, build a camera body with IS and you have a winner.

 

[Woody]

The rumor mill should start picking back up in the coming weeks, as we expect a lot of DSLRs from Canon in 2018.

Really? What are the expected cameras?

 

[IglooEater]

The rumor mill should start picking back up in the coming weeks, as we expect a lot of DSLRs from Canon in 2018.

Really? What are the expected cameras?

While they’re Not all necessarily expected to be released this year, we expect to get info about the 90D, 7D mark III, 5Ds mark II, a full frame prosumer mirrorless camera, and probably any new number of rebel level items. To me personally I’d be not at all surprised to see a couple rebels, a 78D, and another rebel-level mirrorless camera.

 

[goldenhusky]

I do have the current 18-200. That is because I bought it around the time I started with DSLR and not knowing what to buy. Now I am not selling it because 1) the value has dropped too much in used market (I bought it new at full retail) so I would lose a lot 2) the image quality is as good as those 18-135s (I had all 3 versions came as part of various kits) so good to take it on a trip to park or beach nearby or to take pictures of something to post it online, etc,.. Having said that I am not so excited about the new patent. Canon refreshing this sounds like may be there are still people like me buying these without knowing the compromise in the image quality? or may be one lens for air travel? I am not sure. I guess probably an EF-M 18-200 might be a better bet at this point.

 

[RGF]

this will be a nice walk around lens. Hopefully the image quality is acceptable

 

[Antono Refa]

If a smart buyer is looking for a lens that will be used indoors a lot, the 3.5-5.6 f stop range make you think twice.
If that same lens had a 6 stop IS, you would think "I could work with that".

At this point, the only way to avoid motion blur would be to take the black cat to a taxidermist.

 

[Chaitanya]

The rumor mill should start picking back up in the coming weeks, as we expect a lot of DSLRs from Canon in 2018.

Really? What are the expected cameras?

While they’re Not all necessarily expected to be released this year, we expect to get info about the 90D, 7D mark III, 5Ds mark II, a full frame prosumer mirrorless camera, and probably any new number of rebel level items. To me personally I’d be not at all surprised to see a couple rebels, a 78D, and another rebel-level mirrorless camera.

Don't think we will see 90D and 7D mk 3 in same year it will be either-or. Also there shouldn't be any new rebel. XX0D seems to have gotten a 2 year upgrade cycle while X0D being moved to a 3 year cycle.

 

[preppyak]

If a smart buyer is looking for a lens that will be used indoors a lot, the 3.5-5.6 f stop range make you think twice.
If that same lens had a 6 stop IS, you would think "I could work with that".

The person buying the 18-200 largely fits into one of two categories

1. It came with their kit, and it will probably never leave the camera. In truth, a good point and shoot is what they should have gotten.

2. Someone traveling with space/weight concerns necessitating one or two lenses. They'll take that f/3.5 tradeoff because its a forced decision.

Neither user is gonna buy it because of an extra stop of IS. But right now, neither of those users is being reached. Canon doesn't kit the 18-200 with their cameras, instead going with the newer 18-135 instead because it has the STM motor. And the 18-200 optical performance is so comically bad in the 150-200mm range that its like having a heavier/more annoying 18-135.

If they can make an 18-200 that is 95% the optical quality and handling of the 18-135, they'll have a big winner on their hands, because 18-200 gets rid of the need for the 18-55/55-250 combo and reaches far enough into the tele range for most uses.

 

[olympus593]

And the 18-200 optical performance is so comically bad in the 150-200mm range that its like having a heavier/more annoying 18-135.

This. The 18-200 is terrible beyond 140mm... so bad that depending on the copy it may be better to crop the image out of a 18-135.

For traveling, the 18-135 is much lighter and does the job with 35mm equivalent values of ~30-210.

Not only 3rd party lens makers do have better and cheaper alternatives, Nikon has a 18-300, even more versatile.