Canon Continues to Develop Supertelephoto Zoom

[Loswr]

The headline is useless... of course they are working on one.....just like they are also working on new camera bodies, and even working on a new flash!

Are you spreading rumors here?

 

[GP.Masserano]

However, I want to make a proposal : do become IS the old and glorious 400 5,6 perhaps with an improvement in the optical scheme.
We must remember that on the APS-C it becomes a formidable 640mm ( a lens that when we used the film was science fiction...)
Digital is giving us bad vices !!!

 

[Don Haines]

The headline is useless... of course they are working on one.....just like they are also working on new camera bodies, and even working on a new flash!

Are you spreading rumors here?

No, but I am pretty sure that the Canon R+D department must be working on something Either that, or there are a lot of people playing solitaire on the computer.....

 

[ecka]

So it might be a replacement for the 70-300 DO after all.

 

[9VIII]

The Tamron 600mm zoom lens is soft at the long end, and I haven't seen anything to significantly differentiate it from the competition: https://wordpress.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/01/tamron-150-600-telezoom-shootout/

 

[masterpix]

When I needed a replacement for my old 70-300mm I have done a long research regarding the L 100-400 and the 150-600 of both Tamron and Sigma. Although the last two were very appealing (600mm) the image quality of the first has made up my mind, Seeing images at 300mm, comparing prime lens to the 100-400 and the other two, well it was not really comparable. The 100-400L was more expensive, and it did hurt but the images it brings, worth every dime payed.

I have both the 100-400mm II (had 2 copies) and the Sigma 150-600mm C. You might have done "research", but I use both extensively. My Sigma has fantastic IQ at 600mm, and knocks the 100-400 + 1.4xTC for six. It doesn't focus as fast as the Canon, but it locks on well. And it is close to the native 100-400 at shorter focal lengths. Canon will find it difficult to beat.

That is not what Brian at TDP found.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=972&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=5&API=2&LensComp=990&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=7&APIComp=0

I missed out on buying the Sigma earlier on precisely because of TDP in particular and other sites that test just one copy at just one particular distance using just one method. It was only after I borrowed one from the local dealer and found it so good that I bought it. The only reliable site for me is Lensrentals who test 10 samples of each lens on the very best equipment focussed at infinity - perfect for telephotos.

TDP and other sites should have message in capital letters on each review.

GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING - WE TEST ONLY ONE COPY, YOURS MIGHT BE MUCH WORSE OR MUCH BETTER THAN OURS.

As a matter of fact, TDP was only one of sites that I based my research on (also seen many picture samples - which represent the "high end" of the lens abilities). And your suggested warning also goes to the buyer, since most buy only ONE lens, are those tests that were done to other copies of lenses of the same type, not relevant to the one copy you do buy?

I am not saying that the image quality of the Tamron or he Sigma is not good. But for someone like me who by a lens every few years, that was the "little" difference which made the decision.

 

[AlanF]

Did you actually test the one you bought on your own camera? I test every lens I intend to buy, even though most are from Canon. I bought my Canon 400mm DO II from the local shop which will allow me to test rather than cheaper on-line because even these top lenses are of varying quality. I buy the cheaper Canon lenses from Dixons at Heathrow because they have several copies in store and so you can compare them and choose the best - it's remarkable how frequently they are off centred. I had two copies of the 100-400mm II and sold the inferior one after I tested the Sigma and found it was a really good copy.

 

[LonelyBoy]

The rumor is that Canon is working on a supertelephoto zoom. It does not start if it is low or high cost, and it does not state the technologies used. It could be anything from an economy lens at F8 to a DO 400-800 F5.6 with a built in 1.4X teleconverter.... Nothing is ruled out!

The headline is useless... of course they are working on one.....just like they are also working on new camera bodies, and even working on a new flash!

Ehh... they're certainly working on lenses. They might, in theory, not be working on any supertelephoto zooms, just some EF-S lenses, a 50/1.4 (gonna throw @ahsanford a bone ), and supertelephoto primes. I'm not saying that's the case, but it's not a tautology that a specific class of lens is in development. Especially because this particular class of lens isn't common for Canon; does 70-300 even count? They seem to mostly (mostly!) do primes above 300mm. Hence all the excitement about this particular rumor.

Also, if this happens, I'll probably sell my 100-400ii for it. Moar reach.

 

[LSeries]

600/5.6 on the long end is not going to happen so lets just rule that out. Because that would give us a front element as big as the 300/2.8. Canon can do that but it will be a big lens and heavy and expensive.

Sigma 150-600 S fits a 105mm filter. I guess the front element diameter of a 600/5.6 would be approximately the same size. 300/2.8 has inner diameter of 111mm ? I read somewhere that the front element of the Sigma 150-600 S is for some reason "too large" for f/6.3.

Disclaimer: I have almost no idea what I'm talking about.

 

[Keith_Reeder]

the 100-400 is too big for a travel zoom, IMO.

Buy a (slightly) bigger bag..!