Canon RF 35mm f/1.2L USM coming in 2020 [CR1]

[wockawocka]

I am genuinely keen to understand the limitation. Any hints?

I'm fairly sure there's a hard limit to what type of lens can be made. So for example, take the EF 50mm 1.0, there's not a massive amount of glass for light to pass through, so do-able.

But the longer the focal length the much more massive the lens and a lot more places are required for the light to pass through and bounce around before it hits the sensor. The closest we've got so far (in mean terms) is the massive 1.8 200mm prime but even then the next revision to that lens was F2.

Physics will also play a part in the resulting image quality so gets in the way of a lot of things. We didn't get a 50mm F1.0 mkii as another example.

 

[CanonFanBoy]

I don't want to second guess Canon's business strategy, but I am more than a bit perplexed by the number of uber-costly lenses Canon is announcing. I'd love to see the studies that show they will receive sufficient return on investment in a shrinking camera market to warrant the heavy development and production costs these lenses must require.

Speaking just for myself, f/1.2 anything at all has me excited to buy. So do f/2 zooms. Without those, I'd have stayed EF. But it will be hard to beat the EF 35mm f/1.4L II.

 

[CanonFanBoy]

I think it's a great idea from Canon and it's a surprise to me that Canon didn't do this earlier. I guess they have been holding back on EF lens development for a while so they can buff and drop the dev on the new RF mount. I've been using the ef 85mm f1.2 II L and 35mm f1.4 L professionally for well over 15 years...it's always surprised me that Canon had the tech / lens advantage for so many years and then didn't jump on the opportunity to push ahead again once all the competition caught up with similar offerings. Sigma, nikon and Sony to name the main contenders.
A 24mm f1.2 and 35mm f1.2 obviously come to mind...and we all know of the ef 50mm f1.2 L disaster. I don't think f1.2 fives much of a brightness advantage over f1.4....but it's an OCD / portfolio thang. I could then say...all my primes are f1.2. It kind of feels complete.
So I hope Canon does make a range of sweet f1.2 primes beyond their existing 85 and 50 offerings.

Same here, along with two f/2 zooms.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

Same here, along with two f/2 zooms.

Yes, I agree. Although I can't see myself using a pair of large f2 zooms, but their place in the market. For me, I'm better suited to three bodies, a pair of f1.2 primes and f2.8 ultrawide and that's my 98% wedding gear sorted.
At the f2.0 lens category, my mind always goes to the 135mm f2.0 L (a beautiful lens) and the 200mm f2.0 LIS (another stunning lens).

 

[Joepatbob]

I just ordered the RF35mm 1.8, but now I'm drooling after another 1.2 prime! damn canon for knowing my weakness

 

[CanonFanBoy]

These lenses are coming too quickly to keep up! Damn you Canon! And shame on the complainers. When the pro bodies are released, there will be plenty of pro lenses. Everything is being done in proper order. Now, bring on that RF 70-135mm f/2L portrait zoom! I want every f/1.2 they issue also. 10 y
ear plan. Poor Sony.

 

[CanonFanBoy]

I just ordered the RF35mm 1.8, but now I'm drooling after another 1.2 prime! damn canon for knowing my weakness

I almost ordered the f/1.8 this past weekend... then thought hmmmmm... f/1.2. Didn't order. haha

 

[Proscribo]

I'm fairly sure there's a hard limit to what type of lens can be made. So for example, take the EF 50mm 1.0, there's not a massive amount of glass for light to pass through, so do-able.

But the longer the focal length the much more massive the lens and a lot more places are required for the light to pass through and bounce around before it hits the sensor. The closest we've got so far (in mean terms) is the massive 1.8 200mm prime but even then the next revision to that lens was F2.

Physics will also play a part in the resulting image quality so gets in the way of a lot of things. We didn't get a 50mm F1.0 mkii as another example.

There is. If you have air between your elements (and last element and sensor), the limit is about f/0.5, and RF mount could handle such lenses, they would vignette quite a bit in the corners though (due to the angles at which the light hits the sensor, probably not so much because the mount is in the way). But such designs would not be in any sense practical or make economical sense, see Nikon's 58mm f/0.95 for some measure of what is required.

Btw Canon has made a 300mm/1.8: https://petapixel.com/2017/04/27/canon-300mm-f1-8-yes-monster-lens-exists/

 

[Joepatbob]

I almost ordered the f/1.8 this past weekend... then thought hmmmmm... f/1.2. Didn't order. haha

Yeah I might sell And trade up it when the 1.2 comes. No telling when 2020 the 1.2 will arrive. Plus I know I need to save for the 70-200

 

[CanonFanBoy]

Oh give me a home
Where the 1.2's roam
Where the Nikon's and Sony's can't play
Where never is heard
A soft corner word
And the bokeh is buttery all day.

 

[Joepatbob]

Oh give me a home
Where the 1.2's roam
Where the Nikon's and Sony's can't play
Where never is heard
A soft corner word
And the bokeh is buttery all day.

If the RF85’s bokeh is butter, does that make the DS’s margarine?

 

[CanonFanBoy]

If the RF85’s bokeh is butter, does that make the DS’s margarine?

Cotton candy.

 

[CanonFanBoy]

Yeah I might sell And trade up it when the 1.2 comes. No telling when 2020 the 1.2 will arrive. Plus I know I need to save for the 70-200

If it is anything like what my EF 35mm f/1.4 II was... it will be awesome. You'll save for the 70-200 f/2.8. As a portrait guy, I'm gonna want the RF 70-135 f/2L.

 

[Joepatbob]

If it is anything like what my EF 35mm f/1.4 II was... it will be awesome. You'll save for the 70-200 f/2.8. As a portrait guy, I'm gonna want the RF 70-135 f/2L.

I want all the lenses. Is there a projected release window for the 70-135?

 

[CanonFanBoy]

I want all the lenses. Is there a projected release window for the 70-135?

Unfortunately not. But I can wait. I want that one more than anything else.

 

[StoicalEtcher]

Btw Canon has made a 300mm/1.8: https://petapixel.com/2017/04/27/canon-300mm-f1-8-yes-monster-lens-exists/

Thanks for posting that Proscribo- it is one I've never heard about or come across - looks like a monster. Interesting serial number though for something that there may only have been 4 made of.
Cheers

 

[navastronia]

When I saw this thread was bumped, I got excited, thinking we had more information, but noooooooooo, it's just a bunch of you (also, me) drooling over something that hasn't even been announced, yet

 

[Joepatbob]

Thanks for posting that Proscribo- it is one I've never heard about or come across - looks like a monster. Interesting serial number though for something that there may only have been 4 made of.
Cheers

I would love to see something like this with an RF mount

 

[CanonFanBoy]

Kudos to Canon for pushing lens design to dizzying heights, but I just want an excellent set of small modest primes for the RF: f/1.4 to f/1.8 is fine, and a 20mm f/2.8. The f/1.2s are special but these giant lenses are too big and heavy to carry around on a regular basis. Having said that, the RF 50 f/1.2 tempts me the most.

Ahhhh... I long for the old days when f/1.4 wasn't considered modest.

 

[derpderp]

I don't want to second guess Canon's business strategy, but I am more than a bit perplexed by the number of uber-costly lenses Canon is announcing. I'd love to see the studies that show they will receive sufficient return on investment in a shrinking camera market to warrant the heavy development and production costs these lenses must require.

Frankly, I want the RF L lenses to remain exclusive, uber-expensive, ultra-fast and mechanically supreme. I don't want to see every canon photographer out there toting L lenses. The high end premium market is the only growing market out there, where profit margins are still good for manufacturers. Consumer lenses are a thing of the past.