Canon Researching a 300mm f/2.0L and 200mm f/1.8L

The 300mm f/2 is one of my dream lenses which I've posted about here more than once but my version also has 2 builtin T.C.s:
1.4x for 420mm f/2.8 and
2x for 600mm f/4

My other dream lens is a 200mm f/1.4 with again 2 builtin T.Cs:

1.4x for 280mm f/2 and
2x for 400mm f/2.8

These 2 could replace the 600mm f/4 & 400mm f/2.8 and be much more versatile too.

Also would like to see an RF version of my EF200mm f/1.8 too
 
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Wild guess: Sigma is more than "thinking" about introducing a professional L-mount camera. I think they are actively working on it and it'll (update: be FF, )cost about $3000, and have about 30MP and world class focusing. Will they also introduce a cheaper version with an APS-C sensor? Who knows but they should.
Sigma isn't great at AF on the camera side of things, at least not so far.

I think the real change in L mount will come from Chinese makers. A number of them have already joined the L mount alliance. I'd guess the first Chinese L mount camera will come from DJI who has plenty of AF experience already from Hasselblad as well as their own drone-based systems. They're already a Sony customer for sensors so that seems likely to continue. Expect extremely competitive cameras from multiple Chinese manufacturers, at prices that considerably undercut the existing big brands.

Edit: DJI might even brand a FF camera with the Hassy name. That'd be pretty cool.
 
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That's what Sony does, if the range start at 70 make it up to 180mm. If it's start wider you can stop at 135 or 150mm.
I guess Sony offering starting at 50mm and Tamron 35mm forced Canon to change their plan.
Sony does overlap their 28-70/2 and 50-150/2, but the upcoming 16-28/2 doesn't overlap. Wish it did, a 16-35/2 would be incredible. Regardless, a full trinity of f2 lenses seems very surreal, the stuff of dreams not so long ago.

Also an upcoming 100-400/4GM, not related to this discussion but should be an interesting lens.
 
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The 300mm f/2 is one of my dream lenses which I've posted about here more than once but my version also has 2 builtin T.C.s:
1.4x for 420mm f/2.8 and
2x for 600mm f/4

My other dream lens is 200mm f/1.4 with again 2 builtin T.Cs:

1.4x for 280mm f/2 and
2x for 400mm f/2.8

These 2 could replace the 600mm f/4 & 400mm f/2.8 and be much more versatile too.

Also would like to see an RF version of my EF200mm f/1.8 too
I don't think we're going to see lenses with dual TCs any time soon, unless the concept of a zooming TC ever comes to fruition. It's too much bulk on the lens to have two TCs built into it.

Also, a 200/1.4 would have the same front element size as a 400/2.8. Talk about an unwieldy lens to use. I doubt we will see such a thing.
 
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Canon had an EF 300/2 many years ago, but it wasn't sold to the general public. There are a few photos around online. Interesting lens.

But price... Price is the big question. Probably above the $15k of a 600/4L as it would be a very niche product. $18k or so would not be surprising to me.
Sounds very interesting! Could you please provide a link? I´d like to see some pics but I can't find any using google.
 
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I had the Nikkor 300 2.0 in the early 1980s. It was only made for a few years and was only manual focus. With its special included TC-14C 1.4x teleconverter it was actually sharper than the Nikkor 400 2.8 prime lens that came out about the same time. With the compatible 2x it wasn’t super sharp (pretty common for all 2x converters), but still very usable. Ironically, the 300 2.0 was also heavier than both the Nikkor 400 2.8 and 600 4.0. The 300 2.0 lens itself was very versatile, but obviously will still likely be pretty hefty even with today’s with modern construction techniques and materials.

Nothing beats beautiful bokeh these lenses produce, but you need to know with these telephotos where the best range for that exists when using them. I see far too many sports photographers today shooting 400 2.8s for field sports when they’d have much better images and background blur if the had used instead a 600 4.0. In the film days we called this “cropping in the camera”. Lens choice was critical for the correct aesthetic. A 300 2.0 I found was great for most indoor sports. With the 1.4x it was good for little league baseball or women’s softball, too. Again, not super great for football, soccer or baseball unless you were shooting closer action in relatively dark conditions

I truly hope Canon builds one. It’s been many years since photographers had such a useful tool. With today’s autofocus this would be a nice piece of kit.
 
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Nothing beats beautiful bokeh these lenses produce, but you need to know with these telephotos where the best range for that exists when using them. I see far too many sports photographers today shooting 400 2.8s for field sports when they’d have much better images and background blur if the had used instead a 600 4.0. In the film days we called this “cropping in the camera”. Lens choice was critical for the correct aesthetic.

The nice thing about Sony's a1 is that photographers can approximate a 600/4 when using a 400/2.8 in crop mode and still get 21mp images.

Of course a 400/2.8 with built in 1.4x TC (like what Nikon has) is an even better solution. I expect the next generations of 400/2.8 and 600/4 from both Canon and Sony will offer this as well. Will be quite disappointing if they don't!
 
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Sigma isn't great at AF on the camera side of things, at least not so far.

I think the real change in L mount will come from Chinese makers. A number of them have already joined the L mount alliance. I'd guess the first Chinese L mount camera will come from DJI who has plenty of AF experience already from Hasselblad as well as their own drone-based systems. They're already a Sony customer for sensors so that seems likely to continue. Expect extremely competitive cameras from multiple Chinese manufacturers, at prices that considerably undercut the existing big brands.

Edit: DJI might even brand a FF camera with the Hassy name. That'd be pretty cool.
While I do not disagree with what you are saying, 2 nitpickings:
  1. Hasselblad is terrible at AF - take it from me, I've been using their cameras for quite a while... and
  2. DJI actually already makes a FF camera with interchangeable lenses: it's the one mounted on their Inspire 3 drones. But so far their only branded H camera is the main one on the Mavic 3 / 4 drones. They do use Hassy's color science and lens design chops
 
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Looking at this patent application (2025-179579), there are a lot of designs in here that I found intriguing, but there are certainly two that reached out and smacked me across the side of the head, and that's a Canon RF 300mm f/2.0L IS and a 200mm f/1.8L. But this is one of those patents where […]

See full article...
Interestingly Canon would follow with this 300mm f/2 the same smart strategy they used for the radically changed design of the EF 600mm f/4.0 III - what Sony basically copied (not in detail, but overall) for their actual 600mm f/4.0 lens. I think there surely is a market for such a lighter, well balanced RF 300mm f/2.0 lens.
 
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Since Canon hasn’t released an RF version of the 500mm as well it would make sense if they would pair the proposed RF 300mm f2 with a portable 500mm f2.8, both with built-in TCs, of course. Such fast prime lenses would provide an excellent USP in an increasing competitive market.
When Canon Inc. is addressed in this way I refer to Genesis 1,3: "Let there be light, and there was light".
 
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Since Canon hasn’t released an RF version of the 500mm as well it would make sense if they would pair the proposed RF 300mm f2 with a portable 500mm f2.8, both with built-in TCs, of course. Such fast prime lenses would provide an excellent USP in an increasing competitive market.
When Canon Inc. is addressed in this way I refer to Genesis 1,3: "Let there be light, and there was light".
"Light" not as in "portable" - a 500/2.8 with a built in TC would be at least some 50% heavier than the current RF 400/2.8, weighing in north of 4.5kg. The diameter of the front element would be at least 179mm, compared with 150mm for a 600/4 and 143mm for a 400/2.8.
As the god Kwanon said "Let there be heavy, and there was the 500/2.8 with a built in TC."
 
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Since Canon hasn’t released an RF version of the 500mm as well it would make sense if they would pair the proposed RF 300mm f2 with a portable 500mm f2.8, both with built-in TCs, of course. Such fast prime lenses would provide an excellent USP in an increasing competitive market.
When Canon Inc. is addressed in this way I refer to Genesis 1,3: "Let there be light, and there was light".
"Portable" 500mm f/2.8 😜, I'd like to see this one but if anyone ever makes one it'll be very large, expensive and not very portable 🤣
 
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