35mm f/1.4L II rumors?

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DPMphotog

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I have been thinking about getting the current 35L recently, but have seen inklings of a replacement coming soon...

Any timeframe/rumored specs out there? Or should I just not worry about it and purchase an already great lens?
 
There have been rumors for some time. Personally, I think it's due for a replacement and has been for a while. Between 2006 and 2011, every Canon L-series prime lens of 100mm or shorter, except the 35L, was either updated or newly-released.

Having said that, even if they announce one tomorrow, it could be many months and multiple delays before it's actually available - so, I'll give my usual advice: if you want/need it now, buy it now. If history is a guide, recent updates (70-200 II, 24-70 II) the price of the updated lens will be significantly higher than the original, which means that after the MkII release retailers raise their prices on the MkI while they still have stock, and used prices go up accordingly. That happened with the 70-200 II, and I'm already seeing used prices of the 24-70 trending up. So if you get the 35L now, and do decide to upgrade, you'll likely at least break even.

Personally, I thought the 35L was due for replacement over a year ago...that didn't stop me from buying the current version 15 months ago, and I would have missed out on a lot of great shots if I had waited for a still-just-a-rumor replacement.
 
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Daniel Flather said:
neuro, what could be improved on the current 35L? I love mine and I use it wide open 99.9% of the time.

The 35L is pretty good -- I got mine at the beginning of the year, but it is outclassed by the new Zeiss -- slightly in the center and more at the edges. See review at TDP for the Zeiss for comparisons with the 35L. It also doesn't have weather sealing.
 
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Corner sharpness is the only reason I'm waiting. I saw a significant difference between my 24 v1 and my new 24 1.4 II. I assume we will see the same improvement in the 35. Let's just hope it won't take much longer! That is a oooooooold lens! I could really use it for wedding photography.
 
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prestonpalmer said:
Corner sharpness is the only reason I'm waiting. I saw a significant difference between my 24 v1 and my new 24 1.4 II. I assume we will see the same improvement in the 35. Let's just hope it won't take much longer! That is a oooooooold lens! I could really use it for wedding photography.

An old lens design, but a good lens. The light fall off is less than the 24L II, and I find the 35L to be a little sharper than the 24L II wide open. It's also the least expensive fast L prime.

The 35L should be an improvement though, although I do wonder whether or not they'll increase the lens diameter to accept 77mm filters. It seems like all the newer lenses have increased diameters to improve FF edge performance (16-35, 24-70, 100-400).
 
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neuroanatomist said:
There have been rumors for some time. Personally, I think it's due for a replacement and has been for a while. Between 2006 and 2011, every Canon L-series prime lens of 100mm or shorter, except the 35L, was either updated or newly-released.

Having said that, even if they announce one tomorrow, it could be many months and multiple delays before it's actually available - so, I'll give my usual advice: if you want/need it now, buy it now. If history is a guide, recent updates (70-200 II, 24-70 II) the price of the updated lens will be significantly higher than the original, which means that after the MkII release retailers raise their prices on the MkI while they still have stock, and used prices go up accordingly. That happened with the 70-200 II, and I'm already seeing used prices of the 24-70 trending up. So if you get the 35L now, and do decide to upgrade, you'll likely at least break even.

Personally, I thought the 35L was due for replacement over a year ago...that didn't stop me from buying the current version 15 months ago, and I would have missed out on a lot of great shots if I had waited for a still-just-a-rumor replacement.


Totally agree... I have had this experience myself with lenses and the 'break even' experience when existing models go up in price. I just purchased the current 35L a few months ago and couldn't be happier. Ive had to turn the sharpness down to 1 on my 5D mkII! If youve got the the money, and need the lens you wont be disappointed at all.
 
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I don't see why the 35mm L gets so much praise on sharpness. I received a CPS evaluation loan and it was never sharp wide open and I was completely underwhelmed by it considering the applause it receives. Heck the cheapo 50mm 1.4 was twice as sharp wide open and half as much. :o

Now the 24mm 1.4L II really impressed me! Great color and very sharp wide open! I prefer it much over the soft 35mm I received to evaluate and is great on crop cameras & full frame.

That lens was disappointing and hope canon revamps it soon. I might reconsider it then but not likely.
 
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Here is a severe crop when I ended up using my 35mm L to photograph a friend and his monster truck in low light. I was amazed at the resolution with my 1D MK III. The car was over half the length of the arena from me.

35mm L / F/2.8 ISO 3200 1/1000 sec

 
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RLPhoto said:
I don't see why the 35mm L gets so much praise on sharpness. I received a CPS evaluation loan and it was never sharp wide open and I was completely underwhelmed by it considering the applause it receives. Heck the cheapo 50mm 1.4 was twice as sharp wide open and half as much. :o

Now the 24mm 1.4L II really impressed me! Great color and very sharp wide open! I prefer it much over the soft 35mm I received to evaluate and is great on crop cameras & full frame.

That lens was disappointing and hope canon revamps it soon. I might reconsider it then but not likely.

Maybe it was dropped on its head one time too many?
 
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neuroanatomist said:
There have been rumors for some time. Personally, I think it's due for a replacement and has been for a while. Between 2006 and 2011, every Canon L-series prime lens of 100mm or shorter, except the 35L, was either updated or newly-released.

Having said that, even if they announce one tomorrow, it could be many months and multiple delays before it's actually available - so, I'll give my usual advice: if you want/need it now, buy it now. If history is a guide, recent updates (70-200 II, 24-70 II) the price of the updated lens will be significantly higher than the original, which means that after the MkII release retailers raise their prices on the MkI while they still have stock, and used prices go up accordingly. That happened with the 70-200 II, and I'm already seeing used prices of the 24-70 trending up. So if you get the 35L now, and do decide to upgrade, you'll likely at least break even.

Personally, I thought the 35L was due for replacement over a year ago...that didn't stop me from buying the current version 15 months ago, and I would have missed out on a lot of great shots if I had waited for a still-just-a-rumor replacement.

This is exactly what I was thinking, thank you for putting it into a easy to read argument in my head. I have events booked for the coming months, that based on knowledge of the locations/past experience could bode well for the lens' abilities as they stand (sharp wide open, etc).

I've used this site for awhile now, but obviously this is the first post to the forum and I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses/input so far.

I was wondering if anyone could post some more sample images or direct me to a good place to find a collection?

I don't know how to make a sig otherwise I'd have my gear down there, but FYI, I'd be using it on a 5D Classic/7D along with the 70-200 2.8 IS, 50 1.4, 85 1.4, and 24-70L.
 
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neuroanatomist said:
RLPhoto said:
the soft 35mm I received to evaluate

I suspect that's the point - you received a bad copy, or it just needed a big AFMA which it didn't get. Mine is very sharp in the center, although less so in the corners on FF.

Possible but It did sharpen up perfectly by 2.8 and tested it using liveview to see if it was the AF. The lens Date code was 2010 so it wasn't that old and didn't looked too banged up when I got it. It's performance was still disappointing considering the advantage of primes is wide open performance and the 35mm wasnt cutting the mustard for me. I'd like to see a revamp but I've already got the 24mm, which is a much better lens IMO.
 
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neuroanatomist said:
Personally, I thought the 35L was due for replacement over a year ago...that didn't stop me from buying the current version 15 months ago, and I would have missed out on a lot of great shots if I had waited for a still-just-a-rumor replacement.

I did the opposite and regret not getting it before xmas when it was on sale. Now i feel it is too late or close to the new version being announced for me to pull the trigger but i hope i will not regret it some more in case it still delayed!!!
 
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My 35L delivers beautiful pictures on my 5dII. I don't think much could be improved, except:

1) exotic fluorite coatings
2) little sharper across frame wide open
3) less color fringing--an issue with all fast primes

My copy was purchased 100% new and I will not upgrade for a LONG TIME.

I only want an excellent Canon Wide Angle. My 17-40L is mediocre
 
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