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

Canon Rumors Guy

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Could Canon be building an f/1.2 set of prime lenses for the RF mount? So far we have the stellar duo of the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM and the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM. According to the latest information we have received, more f/1.2L prime lenses are coming.
First up will be an RF 35mm f/1.2L USM, and we’re told that it is scheduled for release in 2020, though an announcement date isn’t known at this time.
The same source says an RF 24mm f/1.2L USM is also possible, but it isn’t currently on the product roadmap for 2020.
The image for this article is the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro.

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navastronia

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Convenient timing that this rumor drops just when Sigma is gathering buzz with their own 35/1.2. As someone who recently picked up a 35/1.4 after lusting after it for months, I now have a hard time envisioning exactly what a 35/1.2 would do for me that my current lens doesn't. That being said, my OCD loves the idea that every L prime in the RF ecosystem, from 24 all the way to 85, might be 1.2 :p
 
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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.
 
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Maximilian

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... As someone who recently picked up a 35/1.4 after lusting after it for months, I now have a hard time envisioning exactly what a 35/1.2 would do for me that my current lens doesn't. ...
I wouldn't bother much now, but enjoy your current gear.
When that lens is released, when the first reviews are there, that'll be the time to start thinking about it IMO.
As I was never willing to pay premium to be a first adopter, that would be the earliest time to start saving, too. ;)
 
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Sep 28, 2013
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Good to know. 35mm is my one lens combo for 90% of my pictures. I bought into the Canon EOS system because of the excellent lenses. This f1.2/ 35mm will be a gem, no doubt. But since Canon goes all f1.2 with their RL primes I am out. I expected something excellent but practical, maybe f1.4/35 L, a 2/28L or 2/40L. Such a unpractical, heavy and show off 1.2thing like the 1.2/50 will bring Canon laurels but not many customers. Sad. It looks like only Zeiss could keep me with Canon if they release something practical soon. I doubt it. Canon, please, kick McKinsey out and get advice from photographers.
 
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Serenesunrise

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Good to know. 35mm is my one lens combo for 90% of my pictures. I bought into the Canon EOS system because of the excellent lenses. This f1.2/ 35mm will be a gem, no doubt. But since Canon goes all f1.2 with their RL primes I am out. I expected something excellent but practical, maybe f1.4/35 L, a 2/28L or 2/40L. Such a unpractical, heavy and show off 1.2thing like the 1.2/50 will bring Canon laurels but not many customers. Sad. It looks like only Zeiss could keep me with Canon if they release something practical soon. I doubt it. Canon, please, kick McKinsey out and get advice from photographers.
If you don’t want...need...afford the 35/1.2 don’t forget that there is an excellent 35/1.8 RF lens already on sale.
 
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Sep 28, 2013
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If you don’t want...need...afford the 35/1.2 don’t forget that there is an excellent 35/1.8 RF lens already on sale.

I know. This 1.8/35 macro is nothing special optically and it is no L lens. The Canon RL primes strategy is wrong, just wrong: 35mm is no studio FL, it is the most used FL when it comes to primes. Will we take a set of 1.2 primes with a trolley around the house? Hiking with f1.2? These extrafast primes feed pride of ownership and are fascinating techwise, but be honest, the majority of excellent pictures are shot at around f5.6-f8. Excellent small primes for 'small mirroless' is a lost chance by Canon. I really am disappointed. Sorry.
 
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I know. This 1.8/35 macro is nothing special optically and it is no L lens. The Canon RL primes strategy is wrong, just wrong: 35mm is no studio FL, it is the most used FL when it comes to primes. Will we take a set of 1.2 primes with a trolley around the house? Hiking with f1.2? These extrafast primes feed pride of ownership and are fascinating techwise, but be honest, the majority of excellent pictures are shot at around f5.6-f8. Excellent small primes for 'small mirroless' is a lost chance by Canon. I really am disappointed. Sorry.
At those apertures no amount of L is going to make a lens sharper than what the 35mm/1.8 already is, so what is it you really want?

Sure some f/2 or f/2.8 L primes could be nice for the best build quality in small package (1.2vs1.4 size difference wouldn't really matter), but the sad thing is that such lenses probably wouldn't sell.
 
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Del Paso

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I know. This 1.8/35 macro is nothing special optically and it is no L lens. The Canon RL primes strategy is wrong, just wrong: 35mm is no studio FL, it is the most used FL when it comes to primes. Will we take a set of 1.2 primes with a trolley around the house? Hiking with f1.2? These extrafast primes feed pride of ownership and are fascinating techwise, but be honest, the majority of excellent pictures are shot at around f5.6-f8. Excellent small primes for 'small mirroless' is a lost chance by Canon. I really am disappointed. Sorry.
Sorry, but the 1,8/35 is an "excellent small prime", so, which 35 mm are you missing?
For studio photography: 1,2/50, 1,2/85, 28-70 f 2.....and all the EF lenses.
And: there are also excellent and affordable RF zooms...and more to come.
 
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unfocused

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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.
 
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Good to know. 35mm is my one lens combo for 90% of my pictures. I bought into the Canon EOS system because of the excellent lenses. This f1.2/ 35mm will be a gem, no doubt. But since Canon goes all f1.2 with their RL primes I am out. I expected something excellent but practical, maybe f1.4/35 L, a 2/28L or 2/40L. Such a unpractical, heavy and show off 1.2thing like the 1.2/50 will bring Canon laurels but not many customers. Sad. It looks like only Zeiss could keep me with Canon if they release something practical soon. I doubt it. Canon, please, kick McKinsey out and get advice from photographers.
You make a good point regarding the expense and weight of a set of 1.2 primes. However, I'm glad they are there if I think I want/need one. I am also confident that Canon will release some excellent 1.4 primes for the average serious/professional photog who doesn't have a forklift available for a 1.2. I suspect their strategy with releasing the 1.2's and the f2 zooms is to make a big attention-getter for their mirrorless R series (but they really need to let us get our hands on the pro-level IBIS R with which to mate these lenses). For myself, I just want/need one 1.2 lens when I want all the bokeh I can possibly get, and for astrophotography. Unfortunately for me, that requires two different lenses ... a wide angle (35 f1.2 would be nice, provided coma was non-existent) for night sky photography, and an 85 or 100 mm f1.2 for a bokeh blow-out. For now, I'm using the EF 35mm f1.4L II for both purposes, with an adapter on my EOS R. My particular lens has no detectable coma even for stars in the corners enlarged. Maybe I just got lucky, but it will take a pretty good 35 R-series lens to pry this EF 35 1.4L II out of my hands.
 
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