Desired fantasy gear

[Zv]

A Canon Full Frame DSLR with a built in radio transceiver for triggering speedlights (like a 600 ex-rt) thus eliminating the need for hotshoe transceivers and triggers altogether. Groups and channels etc set via in camera menu. Effective range of 150m with visual feedback from the speedlight in the viewfinder such as recycle time and battery level. The camera's sync speed should be 1/1000. So basically a camera designed around off camera flash!

Maybe it's already possible with the 6D but I like to wirelessly sync camera with iPad retina minus third party software for tethered shooting. Some video options on that would be cool too, ML??

A lens with some kind of coating that allows it change it's light transmission value at will, creating an instant ND effect that is variable. Eliminate the need for ND filters. I love them but they are a pain to keep swapping on and off.

 

[LostArk]

Some lenses with leaf shutters. If I could only have one, make it a 100mm f/2.

 

[DJL329]

EF-S 400 4 IS

Why not try the EF 300mm f/4L IS, as it is the equivalent of 480mm on a 1.6x crop body?

 

[rexbot]

A high-quality 1.4 tele converter with an on/off switch like in the new 200-400, but works with any lens. That would save a lot of trouble of putting on and taking off the TC, especially in the field doing wildlife. It would make the big primes like a two position zoom - say a 400mm f2.8 going to a 560mm f4 at the flip of a switch.

 

[CarlTN]

Very interesting ideas, all of you!

Here are a couple of my wishes:

*Canon EF prime lens 350mm f/4 IS priced at or under $3000. In other words, let's fill the gap between lenses with a 77mm to 82mm front element...and the "supertelephoto" megapriced group, whose front elements are not smaller than 5 inches...

*Canon EF zoom lens 22-120mm, f/3.2, multi-mode IS, no barrel or pincushion distortion anywhere in the zoom range, and very low to no CA. Resolution on par with, or very close to the current 24-70 f/2.8. Price $1899.

*Price no object...Really fast primes or zooms from any manufacturer, that are state of the art optically. Specifically, something at or around 60mm, 90mm, 110mm, and 160mm. I'm taking this fantasy to the extreme, so the 60mm range would be f/0.4, the 90 f/0.7, the 110 f/0.9, and 160 f/1.2. All would have fast autofocus and 4 or 5 stop IS. All would be as sharp over 90% of the image area, as the current series 2 Canon supertelephotos. All would be as light and strong as possible, with adequate weather sealing. And again, all could exist inside one zoom lens...although the price would be far higher than if it were divided into prime lenses at the various focal lengths...Such a zoom would be $15k to $20k in present day dollars...

*Canon replacement or alternative to the 1DX, in two body versions. One a downsized, cheaper version with a lesser AF, the other the full 1 series body. Both would use a future tech sensor achieving edge of the art dynamic range and s/n ratio, with resolution from 19 to 26 MP. The sensor would not be "full frame" at 36mm width, but a crop, about 32 to 33mm in width. Incorporate some innovations from other manufacturers somehow...perhaps by purchasing controlling interest in one or more of those companies.

*Higher viewfinder magnification combined with larger "apparent field of view" via the finder...for all Canon bodies (except maybe the Rebel line). An image through the viewfinder, with a 50mm lens mounted, focused at or near infinity, should show objects exactly the same size as the naked eye sees them...AND NOT SMALLER than the eye sees them.

*Advanced autofocus, as some others have said...with some kind of eye movement detection.

*Leica somehow modifies some of their M-mount lenses to work on DSLR bodies...and makes them fully automatic, electronic, and with IS...haha.

*A CANON 1.7x teleconverter that is optically superior to even the current series 3.

 

[tron]

EF-S 400 4 IS

Why not try the EF 300mm f/4L IS, as it is the equivalent of 480mm on a 1.6x crop body?

Maybe because it would be the equivalent of much more mm (actually 640) on a 1.6x crop body and some need it?

 

[Timothy_Bruce]

*Higher viewfinder magnification combined with larger "apparent field of view" via the finder...for all Canon bodies (except maybe the Rebel line). An image through the viewfinder, with a 50mm lens mounted, focused at or near infinity, should show objects exactly the same size as the naked eye sees them...AND NOT SMALLER than the eye sees them.

get a 7D

 

[crasher8]

1.75 teleconvertor

 

[DJL329]

EF-S 400 4 IS

Why not try the EF 300mm f/4L IS, as it is the equivalent of 480mm on a 1.6x crop body?

Maybe because it would be the equivalent of much more mm (actually 640) on a 1.6x crop body and some need it?

No, a theoretical EF-S 400mm lens on a 1.6x crop body would be the equivalent of 400mm. Note: EF-S lenses, which is what the OP requested, can only be mounted on a 1.6x crop body, so there is no crop factor.

 

[Timothy_Bruce]

EF-S 400 4 IS

Why not try the EF 300mm f/4L IS, as it is the equivalent of 480mm on a 1.6x crop body?

Maybe because it would be the equivalent of much more mm (actually 640) on a 1.6x crop body and some need it?

No, a theoretical EF-S 400mm lens on a 1.6x crop body would be the equivalent of 400mm. Note: EF-S lenses, which is what the OP requested, can only be mounted on a 1.6x crop body, so there is no crop factor.

as far as I know all EF-S Focal Length are measured in FF-equivalent so an 17-55 EF-S has the same Field of view as a 17-40 EF at 17mm mounted on a crop body.

And on crop a 10mm has the same FOV as 16mm on FF.

 

[tron]

EF-S 400 4 IS

Why not try the EF 300mm f/4L IS, as it is the equivalent of 480mm on a 1.6x crop body?

Maybe because it would be the equivalent of much more mm (actually 640) on a 1.6x crop body and some need it?

No, a theoretical EF-S 400mm lens on a 1.6x crop body would be the equivalent of 400mm. Note: EF-S lenses, which is what the OP requested, can only be mounted on a 1.6x crop body, so there is no crop factor.

Actually there is crop factor:
EF-S10-22 gives the equivalent of 16-35 for example.
The difference is that EF-S lenses cannot be used on full frame and there is no spare glass in the sense that the imaging circle is not big enough for full frame. So the quality may (or may not depending on the lens) suffer at the very edges.

 

[The Bad Duck]

Self carrying camera bag.
Lightstands that do not blow over when windy.
Speedlights with the capacity (recharge time, capacity and power) of big studio strobes @ 1000WS.
Voice activated controll of speedlights and more groups (A, B, C... to K).
Jet pack for those unusual camera angles.
Weather controll to roll in those perfect clouds when the sky is just too boring.
Laughing gas kit - the lens can emit lauging gas to make the people at the wedding more relaxed and happy thus generating better pictures for the photographer. Or if the weddingshoot goes terribly wrong the photographer can use the gas for his or her own comfort.
Device to slow time. That would make it easier to get the shot when a lot is going on.

When it comes to camera bodies I´d like to have the eye controlled AF back. I´d also like to have the AF points spread out over more or less the whole frame. The 5D mkIII has a larger spread than the 5D mkII but I´d like even more.
I´d also like to set what points I can manually choose - when I use the "all cross type points" preset it takes forever to change AF point from one side of the frame to the other. Perhaps a portrait-mode AF that looks for eyes and put focus there. And a wedding mode that look for four eyes and give a large enough DoF to have them all sharp... From last wedding everything looked good on camera monitor but when I got back to my computer I saw that the groom was a bit OOF, but the bride was tack sharp. Not good and my own fault of course, but that wedding-mode would be cool.

Other than that.... Update the 50 mm /1.4. Give it better USM, better build, better sharpness wide open, better contrast.

 

[sanj]

Self carrying camera bag.
Lightstands that do not blow over when windy.
Speedlights with the capacity (recharge time, capacity and power) of big studio strobes @ 1000WS.
Voice activated controll of speedlights and more groups (A, B, C... to K).
Jet pack for those unusual camera angles.
Weather controll to roll in those perfect clouds when the sky is just too boring.
Laughing gas kit - the lens can emit lauging gas to make the people at the wedding more relaxed and happy thus generating better pictures for the photographer. Or if the weddingshoot goes terribly wrong the photographer can use the gas for his or her own comfort.
Device to slow time. That would make it easier to get the shot when a lot is going on.

When it comes to camera bodies I´d like to have the eye controlled AF back. I´d also like to have the AF points spread out over more or less the whole frame. The 5D mkIII has a larger spread than the 5D mkII but I´d like even more.
I´d also like to set what points I can manually choose - when I use the "all cross type points" preset it takes forever to change AF point from one side of the frame to the other. Perhaps a portrait-mode AF that looks for eyes and put focus there. And a wedding mode that look for four eyes and give a large enough DoF to have them all sharp... From last wedding everything looked good on camera monitor but when I got back to my computer I saw that the groom was a bit OOF, but the bride was tack sharp. Not good and my own fault of course, but that wedding-mode would be cool.

Other than that.... Update the 50 mm /1.4. Give it better USM, better build, better sharpness wide open, better contrast.

Many good ideas here... Really!

 

[sanj]

I would love a body with option of full frame and crop with the flick of a switch.
This fantasy stems from something I read in this forum earlier. Was it a Nikon camera?
I do not know Nikon gear at all so not sure.

But something like this would be great for me. Advantages of FF and crop in the same body! While we are at it, let the crop have even faster frame rate.

 

[Quasimodo]

I would love a body with option of full frame and crop with the flick of a switch.
This fantasy stems from something I read in this forum earlier. Was it a Nikon camera?
I do not know Nikon gear at all so not sure.

But something like this would be great for me. Advantages of FF and crop in the same body! While we are at it, let the crop have even faster frame rate.

I believe the Nikon D800 has this. It effectively becomes a built in TC. I would love that too.

 

[sandymandy]

15mm 1.4 for APS-C so its "like 24mm on FF sensor". Same for 21/22mm 1.4 for "35mm on FF sensor" Just wideangles with wide apertures for APS-C in general

 

[Martin]

A 5d3 body with perfect working AF (mine is faulty from purchase and being service for a year without solution), with sony sensor ~30, 35 mpix, and good nikon-style DR, no banding etc. + 50 1.4 with perfect AF and all lenses without need for calibrating, checking etc. That's my fantasy gear.

 

[Dylan777]

RX1 body + sensor. Be able to swap lenses: 14 or 16mm, 35 or 50mm, 85 or 135mm and of course 24-70 f2.8 IS. Keep the lens sizes as small as possible

 

[The Bad Duck]

I would love a body with option of full frame and crop with the flick of a switch.
This fantasy stems from something I read in this forum earlier. Was it a Nikon camera?
I do not know Nikon gear at all so not sure.

But something like this would be great for me. Advantages of FF and crop in the same body! While we are at it, let the crop have even faster frame rate.

I believe the Nikon D800 has this. It effectively becomes a built in TC. I would love that too.

You could create an action in photoshop to autocrop your photos from the centre of the frame by 1.5 times and there you go. Problem solved.
However the "higher framerate"-function when less pixels are used is interesting (but not for me). I would like to go in another direction though - less noise! Use 25% of the pixels and reduse the noise by 50% or something by grouping the pixels together 2 by 2 or something, letting those 4 pixels simulate 1 larger pixel. THAT would be an interesting "crop" mode for me (although it would not be a crop mode since it would not crop, it would be high sensitivity, low resulution mode). I have no need for faster framerates (however I understand that other photographers may need all the FPS they can get.)

22 mpix to use at low ISOs
11 mpix to use at high ISOs
6 mpix to use at superhigh ISO.

 

[7enderbender]

Am wondering what gear we all want that is not being manufactured yet but we wish it were.

I start:
A focusing screen (for cameras that accept interchangeable screens eg 1dx and 5d2) with proper split screen focusing aid. This will help me use Zeiss lenses better and focus manually Canon lenses in low light etc.
And, if I could: 24-105 f2.8 IS with good corner sharpness. This will be my ultimate travel lens.

Thank you.

A) A more affordable M9 alternative

and/or

B) A modern digital version of the Canon F1 with a line of revived FD manual focus lenses