Canon will soon announce the RF 600mm f/4L IS USM, RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro

Ruiloba

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Feb 13, 2020
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My EF 300 2.8L IS is my most used lens (sports) ...a 1.4x converter is on it ½ the time. I'm baffled Canon doesn't include it with the new 400 & 600
I don't know if you mean that they don't have an 1.4x and 2x for RF in the launch of the big whites... Because there is already an RF 1.4x and an RF 2x .. and i tested the 1.4x with the 100-500 and it is perfect
 
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Danglin52

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Aug 8, 2018
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How disappointing if Canon does not use DO technology. Several years ago, Canon was taking a 600mm F4 DO to the trade shows. It was very compact and light weight. The 400mm F4 DO ll has been an excellent lens. Canon has the technology to produce such lenses.
Several things:
1. Agree with you about the DO technology. I almost bought the 400 DO when I sold my 200-400, but thought I would wait for a RF 400 DO IS (L?) version. I thought is was a great lens and liked the weight / size. It also did very well with the 1.4x TC. I was actually hoping for a 500 DO even if they had to go to f5.6 to make it work. I tried the RF 800mm f11, liked the IQ but not happy with the f11.
2. Very surprised they are releasing the RF 400 & RF 600 first since these RF lenses were recently updated and got the version III weight loss program. I am wondering if they were designed for both the EF/RF mounts during the last update and let's them bleed through EF inventory and have two BW ready to go. I really thought we would see the RF 300, 500 & 200-400 (500?) first. These are all very popular lenses, but I don't know how their sales compare to the 400/600.
3. I have been on a mission to lighten my wildlife load and happy with any weight / size reductions they can make on the BW lenses.
 
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Ozarker

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So, not DO then? RF conversion from the EF?
Or are we going to get some other DO lenses sitting between the RF600/800 telescopes and the big whites?
No, Canon will not be doing just a conversion. These will be specifically designed for RF.
 
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Aug 26, 2015
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No, Canon will not be doing just a conversion. These will be specifically designed for RF.
Not quite sure about that, the version III telephoto primes are less than 3 years old at this point, and they've really made them as light as possible. The focusing system already has fly-by-wire manual focusing just like the RF lenses.


I says similar USM motor as in the RF 50mm f/1.2L lens

And if they designed these with the rear elements closer to the mount, they would not be compatible with the RF extenders, even the 100-500 is not usable through the full zoom range when an extender is mounted.
So it would be a bit surprising to see brand new designs so soon instead of other lenses that are even older in the EF-mount, like the 300 2.8, but maybe the development was running in parallel with the version III EF lenses or something.

From the article: "Obviously, there is a business advantage in using the same subsystem in several lenses. But putting the same electronic focusing system in this EF lens makes me think that going forward Canon lenses may have a lot of internal similarity in either RF or EF mount. Converting the Canon 400mm f/2.8 to an RF wouldn’t be quite as simple as a different rear element and an RF bayonet mount, of course. The additional electronics for the RF Control Ring would have to be stuffed in here and probably some optical tweaks made, but the core structure could be very similar."
 
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How disappointing if Canon does not use DO technology. Several years ago, Canon was taking a 600mm F4 DO to the trade shows. It was very compact and light weight. The 400mm F4 DO ll has been an excellent lens. Canon has the technology to produce such lenses.
Who says they won't, in due course. This is only an announcement (rumour) of the 'next' lenses coming through - it doesn't exclude further announcements later. After all, Canon did both 400/2.8L and the DO in EF, so maybe will RF too?
 
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The 400mm f/4 DO II is just under the weight of the 300/2.8 II so it would be remarkable if they could make a 400/2.8 that light.
The difference between the 400mm F2.8 III and 300mm F2.8 II is 490g.. A huge gap, but it doesn’t seem impossible to come close.
 
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I love my 180mm L macro, surprised it still hasn't been refreshed. looking online it was introduced in 1996! talk about longevity .. would also like something like the MPE 65mm Macro? I love a lot of the output people get, but its a very old lens ... 1-5x Mag!
Oh yes, I do really enjoy using my 65mm macro for super high magnification. I hope they offer it in the RF mount too. Thankfully, due to the 180mm macro I did so well with, I no longer have to worry about affording it. That takes the stress out of deciding what to buy.
 
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Tom W

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Sep 5, 2012
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It's a big monetary jump - I have the 500/4 II and it's a stellar lens. A bit too heavy for handholding, but the image quality is excellent, with or without teleconverters.

It's going to be a big move going from EF to RF though - new teleconverters and all. The downside of the new mount, but that's the cost of advancing. And the RF system is an advance, no doubt.
 
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snappy604

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Jan 25, 2017
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Oh yes, I do really enjoy using my 65mm macro for super high magnification. I hope they offer it in the RF mount too. Thankfully, due to the 180mm macro I did so well with, I no longer have to worry about affording it. That takes the stress out of deciding what to buy.
I sadly don't make a return on my investment... its pure hobby.
 
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unfocused

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The EF versions of the 400 and 600 were the only ones Canon updated to version III. That tells us which lenses they prioritized and one can speculate that was based on some combination of demand, profitability, return on investment and degree of improvement through design changes. Because they are the most recently updated lenses, it may also indicate that Canon needed fewer design changes to convert these to RF mount.

I've rented the 600 EF and if this release puts more of the EF versions on the second-hand market, I'll be very happy.

I would not be surprised to see this as a development announcement with the actual lenses released in 2022.
 
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