Canon engineers talk all things RF, DS and DO

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DPReview had a chance to interview some senior engineers and planners at Canon to discuss all things lenses and the future.
Canon employees interviewed:

Manabu Kato – Head of EF + RF mount R&D
Yoichi Sato – EOS camera electronics R&D
Shogo Yamaguchi – Optical planning specialist

Some highlights from the interview:
How have you made the 70-200mm so small?
We were actually surprised as we started developing this particular product. The idea is that, with the introduction of the large diameter mount with the shorter back-focus distance, we were expecting it to be more suitable for designing wider-angle lenses, but it turned out to be very effective for designing this telephoto lens.
Can you give any insight into the DS technology?
With lens such as the 85mm F1.2 bokeh is a really important factor, because it’s a portrait...

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"We understand that expectations are really high."

It seems like Canon engineers say this every time someone asks about a pro mirrorless body. That always catches my attention. Maybe I haven't been watching closely enough, but I don't remember them ever taking a step back like that on other releases - I don't remember them saying anything like that leading into a 1D series or 5D series release. It seems to me that if they weren't working on the pro body they'd just say that they can't disclose their future plans and leave it at that.

Acknowledging high expectations and then not trying to meet it seems like admitting defeat, so as the market leader I have a hard time seeing Canon do that. It seems like they're making the acknowledgement to subtly say "we're working on it, but it's going to take some time." In the end that statement often seems to raise expectations even more: I'm pretty excited to see what they come up with.
 
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Tom W

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I'd be willing to bet that the new 85 f/1.2 RF mount lenses will incorporate the sharpness of the 50/1.2 RF and the bokeh of the old standard 85/1.2L I and II. It could be an absolutely stellar lens.

I like that they mentioned that they will be working on some compact lenses for the RF mount. They're obviously going after the pro/semi-pro with most of this first batch of lenses, but they know that one of the strengths of the RF mount is its compact size.

The mock-up 24-240 mounted on the RP looks pretty big, but I bet it's a pretty light lens, lighter than the 24-105 RF.
 
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No roadmap? Nikon has one for their S-Line lenses which are much more appealing to me (since I would not want a real-high-end Canon lenses) as their Z6 with IBS. Just a comment, not a troll. I am pleased with the Canon equipment I own know.
Why would you need a roadmap canon has announced they will be bringing 6 new lenses for RF mount by the end of this year. Unfortunately other than RF 35mm and RF 24-240mm all other lenses are highend L lenses only for this system.
https://petapixel.com/2019/02/13/canon-announces-the-development-of-6-new-rf-lenses/
 
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I'm really hoping the 24-240mm will be like a full-frame version of the 18-135mm APS-C (with slightly wider equivalent range at both ends). The 18-135mm is the lens that's usually on my 80D.

If the 24-240 is affordable and good quality, I will be all over that for a general-purpose walk-around lens...

Though, the one I'm really looking forward to is a Canon 24-70 2.8 that finally has IS.
 
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Hector1970

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They didn't seem to be giving much away. I'm continuously surprised they haven't brought out a Pro mirrorless already.
For me that would be a dual slot camera that is better than the Canon 5D IV.
I could understand the logic of the RP but it wouldn't be a great leap forward to produce something better than the EOS R.
I can understand that a 1DR might be difficult camera to come up with.
So many pro lens but not a camera to push those lens to their limits
Nothing wrong with the RP or R both are good cameras but not pushing any new limits in mirrorless.
They don't seem overly concerned with Sony and expect inertia from Canon users.
 
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Tom W

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They didn't seem to be giving much away. I'm continuously surprised they haven't brought out a Pro mirrorless already.
For me that would be a dual slot camera that is better than the Canon 5D IV.
I could understand the logic of the RP but it wouldn't be a great leap forward to produce something better than the EOS R.
I can understand that a 1DR might be difficult camera to come up with.
So many pro lens but not a camera to push those lens to their limits
Nothing wrong with the RP or R both are good cameras but not pushing any new limits in mirrorless.
They don't seem overly concerned with Sony and expect inertia from Canon users.

I think that there's a couple of things going on. One, the next generation of sensor (next in line from the 5D4/R sensor) is probably nearly completed and would be a shoe-in for both a next-generation DSLR and a pro/semi-pro mirrorless. Also, if they're going for a high-pixel count body, perhaps they wish to again utilize the next generation of sensor technology, which would be the next step after the 80D. I could see a 7D3 and a high-pixel mirrorless full frame coming out with that technology.

They played the proven cards they had on hand for the first 2 mirrorless bodies, the 26 and 30 mpx sensors. The fact that they're putting out the "holy trinity" of zooms is a strong indication that a high-end body is coming too.

It seems to me that they are concerned about Sony, given that Sony has produced some serious products of late. But the answer to that involves producing better products. The RP and R are good, but the next step is coming.

All IMHO, of course.
 
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To me, roadmaps are like vaporware. They raise expectations and their main purpose is to lock consumers into a brand in exchange for promises that seldom materialize.
The issue with a roadmap is that it gives competitors too much information about longer term planning, they don't even have to pay spies to obtain it.

Canon's development announcement happened only because they want to sell R series cameras and need to convince potential buyers that they are working on several new lenses.
 
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jolyonralph

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If the 24-240 is affordable and good quality, I will be all over that for a general-purpose walk-around lens...

The mock-up 24-240 mounted on the RP looks pretty big, but I bet it's a pretty light lens, lighter than the 24-105 RF.

I have the Sony 24-240 FE lens and it's a remarkably unimpressive lens. In terms of weight it's about the same as the RF 24-105, so I'm going to predict that the RF 24-240 will be about the same.

I'm going to bet that you'll like the RF 24-240 lens if you've never tried the RF 24-105 or anything else better. It's a compromise lens, plain and simple. The ten times zoom is really useful but the image quality won't be anywhere near as good. If it was then Canon would sell it as an L lens.
 
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The mock-up 24-240 mounted on the RP looks pretty big, but I bet it's a pretty light lens, lighter than the 24-105 RF.

Hopefully the RF 24-240 will be more corrected and also sharper than Sony's, otherwise it will be avoided by most people ... and I would absolutely buy it if it's somewhat weather resistant and built quite solid like the fairly sharp and solid Fujinon XF 18-135mm OIS WR. That lens is great and versatile for travel and video, but also nice/sharp enough for some pro usage, depending on amount of light, etc.
 
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I'm going to bet that you'll like the RF 24-240 lens if you've never tried the RF 24-105 or anything else better. It's a compromise lens, plain and simple. The ten times zoom is really useful but the image quality won't be anywhere near as good. If it was then Canon would sell it as an L lens.

You're probably going to be at least partly right, but I hope Canon improves that type/model and we are somewhat pleasantly surprised by their 24-240mm.
 
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