Canon Developers Discuss Designing the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM

[Canon Rumors]

Canon Asia has posted an interview article with the developers of the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM. The developers initially thought it would be impossible to design such a lens and keep it under 1 kg in weight and have a compact design.</p>


<blockquote><p>When the product planning department requested development of this lens, our development department was initially stumped by the high degree of difficulty in the design. When equipping large aperture lenses with image stabilisation, the arrangement of the focus and image stabilisation groups is an important factor for determining the size and weight of the lens. Lenses with a small f-number (large aperture) characteristically have large diameter glass. The image stabilisation group, which is a part of the optical system, needs to be able to move to compensate for camera shake, which naturally makes the group heavy. An actuating force is also required to drive the group, and this further adds to the lens’ size and weight. Therefore, the development team’s first impression was that it would be almost impossible to develop the reasonably-sized, appealingly-priced 85mm f/1.4 lens with image stabilisation that the product planning department had requested. <a href="https://snapshot.canon-asia.com/article/en/ef85mm-f14l-is-usm-developer-interviews-1">Read the full article</a></p></blockquote>
<p>The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM is <a href="https://snapshot.canon-asia.com/article/en/ef85mm-f14l-is-usm-developer-interviews-1">available to rent at Lensrentals.com</a></p>
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[arcer]

After looking through the whole interview, I wanted to re-iterate that lens development are really really complex and we are lucky that we have manufacturers that are going a long way to bring us great glass.

Yes, it is easy to spout nonsenses when we see lens formula patents and complain why Canon don't make more glass or that specific glass you really want. But the hard work and perseverance of the Canon engineers pay off and we need to congratulate them for it.

On a side note, things are really looking good for the forever evasive EF 50mm F1.4L IS USM. With the technologies used and experience gained from making the 85mm 1.4 IS, it seems we are going to be satisfied with the incoming (hopefully) 50mm.

 

[ethanz]

After looking through the whole interview, I wanted to re-iterate that lens development are really really complex and we are lucky that we have manufacturers that are going a long way to bring us great glass.

Yes, it is easy to spout nonsenses when we see lens formula patents and complain why Canon don't make more glass or that specific glass you really want. But the hard work and perseverance of the Canon engineers pay off and we need to congratulate them for it.

+1


Very interesting article about how it is developed.

 

[YuengLinger]

Thanks, CR, for bringing this to our attention. Good timing--mine is on the way.

Happy New Years, all!

 

[ahsanford]

On a side note, things are really looking good for the forever evasive EF 50mm F1.4L IS USM. With the technologies used and experience gained from making the 85mm 1.4 IS, it seems we are going to be satisfied with the incoming (hopefully) 50mm.

+1. I just rented this new 85, and for all its virtues -- and there are many, it's a fine instrument -- I just wanted that in a wider FL.

A new 50 prime like this 85 would be terrific. I don't like the weight and size and remain hopeful a non-L smaller double gauss new 50 might be the 35 f/2 IS-like lens at 50mm that I want, but if the new 50 turns out to be a rock solid L like this 85, I could see myself getting it.

- A

 

[slclick]

On a side note, things are really looking good for the forever evasive EF 50mm F1.4L IS USM. With the technologies used and experience gained from making the 85mm 1.4 IS, it seems we are going to be satisfied with the incoming (hopefully) 50mm.

+1. I just rented this new 85, and for all its virtues -- and there are many, it's a fine instrument -- I just wanted that in a wider FL.

A new 50 prime like this 85 would be terrific. I don't like the weight and size and remain hopeful a non-L smaller double gauss new 50 might be the 35 f/2 IS-like lens at 50mm that I want, but if the new 50 turns out to be a rock solid L like this 85, I could see myself getting it.

- A

 

[YuengLinger]

And what a great job they did. Grand slam. IQ, IS, AF, and ergonomics. Cream machine!

 

[ahsanford]

And what a great job they did. Grand slam. IQ, IS, AF, and ergonomics. Cream machine!

And clipped d-shaped bokeh balls. Don't forget the key things. ;D

- A

 

[hne]

And what a great job they did. Grand slam. IQ, IS, AF, and ergonomics. Cream machine!

And clipped d-shaped bokeh balls. Don't forget the key things. ;D

- A

That's something you get with all lenses faster than f/1.8, isn't it?

Both my f/1.4 lenses show it and neither of my f/1.8 do. Also, from a geometrical reason, this should be irrelevant of focal length (and every bokeh ball picture I've found on the net from a lens at f/1.4 on a FF camera have shown it).

 

[ahsanford]

And what a great job they did. Grand slam. IQ, IS, AF, and ergonomics. Cream machine!

And clipped d-shaped bokeh balls. Don't forget the key things. ;D

- A

That's something you get with all lenses faster than f/1.8, isn't it?

Both my f/1.4 lenses show it and neither of my f/1.8 do. Also, from a geometrical reason, this should be irrelevant of focal length (and every bokeh ball picture I've found on the net from a lens at f/1.4 on a FF camera have shown it).

Think it's lens dependent, but yes, very wide aperture is more likely.

I've seen it on:

85 f/1.2L II
85 f/1.4L IS
50 f/1.0L

But it's likely on a few others.

- A

 

[arthurbikemad]

Onion rings, no ones talked about onion rings! The 1.2 has more onion rings than BurgerKing.

 

[ethanz]

Onion rings, no ones talked about onion rings! The 1.2 has more onion rings than BurgerKing.

Are they salted and greasy?

 

[hne]

And what a great job they did. Grand slam. IQ, IS, AF, and ergonomics. Cream machine!

And clipped d-shaped bokeh balls. Don't forget the key things. ;D

- A

That's something you get with all lenses faster than f/1.8, isn't it?

Both my f/1.4 lenses show it and neither of my f/1.8 do. Also, from a geometrical reason, this should be irrelevant of focal length (and every bokeh ball picture I've found on the net from a lens at f/1.4 on a FF camera have shown it).

Think it's lens dependent, but yes, very wide aperture is more likely.

I've seen it on:

85 f/1.2L II
85 f/1.4L IS
50 f/1.0L

But it's likely on a few others.

- A

Add 24/1.4L II, 35/1.4L, Sigma 85/1.4 Art and Nikon 85/1.4 on that list.

The light cone for an oof hight for f/1.4 will have the same top angle no matter the value of f. Or expressed in a different way: from the point of view of any pixel on the sensor, the exit pupil of any f/1.4 lens will have the same apparent size.