Canon Shows off Interesting RF 55mm & RF 85mm F1.8 Designs

[Canon Rumors]

Canon's latest round of patent applications has been published. JPO 2026-059152 shows off some interesting consumer RF mount prime lens optical designs. The most noteable thing about these designs is that they're compact and don't have any stretching to cover the full image height of full frame sensors. The optical designs aren't as complex as […]

See full article...

 

[Kiton]

I have the 85 f2 and would dump it in a second for the 85 1.8 stm as a walk around lens!

The 55 is not a terrible idea at all.
I have both the 50 stm and the 1.2 and the stm is my walk around lens.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

45mm, 50mm and then 55mm sounds like quite the line-up I honestly don't believe Canon will release another 50ish mm lens, but I could imagine a replacement. How many versions of the original nifty-fifty were made? Three if I´m correct. So, thats definitely in the books.

A refresh for the 85mm F2 would be quite welcome if Canon improves the Af motor. I own the 85mm f2 and I loved it very much until I picked up the 50mm F1.4 L VCM. Now, I rarely use the 85mm F2 because in comparison it is reaaaaaaaly slow. The optics are reasonable good-very good, but it doesn't work well with (fast) moving objects. I currently only use it for "macro" (actually fake macro at 0,5 magnification) but I´m probably going to sell it and help fund a true macro lens like the RF 100mm F2.8. I can make use of it as a portrait lens as well.

 

[Del Paso]

45mm, 50mm and then 55mm sounds like quite the line-up I honestly don't believe Canon will release another 50ish mm lens, but I could imagine a replacement. How many versions of the original nifty-fifty were made? Three if I´m correct. So, thats definitely in the books.

A refresh for the 85mm F2 would be quite welcome if Canon improves the Af motor. I own the 85mm f2 and I loved it very much until I picked up the 50mm F1.4 L VCM. Now, I rarely use the 85mm F2 because in comparison it is reaaaaaaaly slow. The optics are reasonable good-very good, but it doesn't work well with (fast) moving objects. I currently only use it for "macro" (actually fake macro at 0,5 magnification) but I´m probably going to sell it and help fund a true macro lens like the RF 100mm F2.8. I can make use of it as a portrait lens as well.

Different use for the 85mm f/2 here!
Only for longer walks, mostly in the mountains, where focusing speed doesn't matter at all (for me!), but sharpness and close-ups do!.
Should the f/1,8 be optically even better, not much heavier, and offer 0,5 magnification: Why not!
Yet, I am presently more than satisfied with the f/2, my children are adults now, so, I don't care about AF speed for this particular lens!
But the 55mm, if really light, compact and sharp, and (!!!) close-up able, a sure buy. Sadly, the f/1,4 VCM has an inappropriate short focusing distance, and my Zeiss Classic 50mm f/2 lacks sharpness at longer distances.

 

[m4ndr4ke]

I'm good with the RF 45, but I'm sure some would appreciate a higher end 50/55mm f/1.8 lens, similar to Sony's 55mm f/1.8 ZA, with better optics and build quality. Such lens would definitely find its place with those who expected higher and modern optical performance on a lens sitting between the 50mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4 L VCM.

As for the 85mm f/1.8, I could consider such lens if it dropped the macro b******* and featured internal focusing, like the 45.
I don't quite know how to read patents, but it seems to me like the focusing groups are at the rear, so I guess that's promising.

 

[Maximilian]

I don't believe in a 50/55 mm lens replacing the 50 STM. It's a cheap and compact entry level lens.
And what I see here, seems to be bigger and more complex (no. of elements) and therefore more expensive.

I would welcome a 85/1.8 if IQ and AF performance was better than the 85/2 STM offers today.
Will it come? I don't think so.

I suppose, @Craig is correct that both designs are longshots and likely will not make it to market.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Different use for the 85mm f/2 here!
Only for longer walks, mostly in the mountains, where focusing speed doesn't matter at all (for me!), but sharpness and close-ups do!

I use to have the same use case as well. Great lens for hiking, low light, close ups (e.g. cherry blossoms) and then of course portraits (mainly of my wife). Now, enter my nearly four month old son: although he can't even crawl yet, he already moves so quickly in his chair, the 85mm misses a growing number of shots. The VCM lens does not... therefore, the vcm gets the call every single time now... Thats why I´m considering the 100mm macro (better close-ups, use case for portraits as well) and selling the 85mm F2. A second VCM lens is not in the books right now and if it was, I´d love to get the 20mm, not the 85mm.

Sadly, the f/1,4 VCM has an inappropriate short focusing distance

That´s true, the mfd is not suited for close-ups. But then again, I don't believe Canon designed the lens for it and it really excels at all other things.