Here we go again, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L rumored to be announced next month

[Del Paso]

Keep fighting the good fight!

Actually, true story: yesterday I received an email from Canon asking me to participate in a survey. I thought: "now I can give them a piece of my mind!" so I clicked on the link and the page it took me to was empty with a "sorry there are no surveys for you"

Maybe Canon reads these fora and they knew what I was going to tell them?

Maybe (even certainly) Canon USA. But I doubt the Japanese Canon CEO & COO waste their time reading a forum catering to the wishes and demands of a tiny minority of customers.

 

[EricN]

Keep fighting the good fight!

Actually, true story: yesterday I received an email from Canon asking me to participate in a survey. I thought: "now I can give them a piece of my mind!" so I clicked on the link and the page it took me to was empty with a "sorry there are no surveys for you"

Maybe Canon reads these fora and they knew what I was going to tell them?

They are starting early for April fools day

 

[EricN]

Maybe (even certainly) Canon USA. But I doubt the Japanese Canon CEO & COO waste their time reading a forum catering to the wishes and demands of a tiny minority of customers.

BUTBuTButtttt isn't there's a tiny chance they could?

 

[roby17269]

Maybe (even certainly) Canon USA. But I doubt the Japanese Canon CEO & COO waste their time reading a forum catering to the wishes and demands of a tiny minority of customers.

I wouldn't be so sure that Canon USA reads us...

 

[EricN]

I wouldn't be so sure that Canon USA reads us...

I think it's unlikely and if they do, they would probably also be required to read posts on Facebook first. It seems to have what I expect tis more typical photographers where as most of us... let's face it, Our families would have locked locked us in a padded room a hundred years ago...

 

[Snapster]

Does Canon even do surveys?

How do they know everyone wants massive primes and giant power zoom lenses for their petite mirrorless cameras?

 

[neuroanatomist]

Does Canon even do surveys?

Yes.

How do they know everyone wants massive primes and giant power zoom lenses for their petite mirrorless cameras?

They don't need everyone to want them or to buy them. Just enough to make them profitable.

 

[Del Paso]

Does Canon even do surveys?

How do they know everyone wants massive primes and giant power zoom lenses for their petite mirrorless cameras?

There's always the option to buy an R3 or R1, theses ones are large enough for the largest big whites.
Optical excellence and luminosity come at a cost, size and weight. This is the compromise we've got to accept if we want the "best possible" lenses. The RF system has smaller lenses in very acceptable quality as alternatives to offer.
But I'd also appreciate a larger ungripped mirrorless body, I keep wondering if everybody is soooo fond of small cameras...

 

[Del Paso]

Does Canon even do surveys?

The certainly do!
Every Youtube "expert" predicted doom and bankrupcy for not fully opening the RF system to 3rd. party lenses. Look where Canon are standing now...
Success proves them right.

 

[EricN]

The certainly do!
Every Youtube "expert" predicted doom and bankrupcy for not fully opening the RF system to 3rd. party lenses. Look where Canon are standing now...
Success proves them right.

I agree, but I believe there are still dissenters

 

[SwissFrank]

I find my M10 far more engaging than my mirrorless because the M10 has no AF and no IBIS to aid me. Also for street photography being able to see outside of the lens’ FOV means I can anticipate shots while still using the viewfinder.

Even if Canon made a MF APO lens who is the target market? It’s going to be much more expensive and most likely larger than the f1.8 primes despite having no AF and a similar aperture.
Also Canon like Sony and Nikon are systems that are used to get the job done which is why they all are packed with the latest technology. Leica is a prestige brand/system where people are happy to pay more for less technology but a more enjoyable experience (very subjective).

For street photography in particular the more compact bodies and much smaller lenses is where the M system really shines. Not to mention Leica’s GUI is the probably the best on the market alongside Hasselblad.

no AF is a Leica plus/no AF would be a Canon minus--sorry, but like you're trying to have your cake and eat it there :-D Are you a lawyer by any chance? :-D

no IBIS--I've never thought that as a plus. Indeed the only mistakes Canon's made since acquiring me as a major customer in 1995 was blocking third-party AF lenses on RF, and being so late to the IBIS party.

see outside of the lens’ FOV--I totally agree with this point, good point.

the more compact bodies and much smaller lenses is where the M system really shines-- meh, the R5 is not significantly bigger than my old M6. In fact if anything it's too small for my hands but after several years I've finally gotten used to it.

Leica’s GUI--I haven't looked at it but this is about the last thing I'd consider. I've only used Canon so it may be that the Canon software sucks and I'm just too used to it to see it, I admit that, but in my M6TTL days the "GUI" was frame lines that wouldn't be correct on an image that had a different point of view and since I never put batteries in the thing, nothing else :-D I actually was fine with it (and the Mamiya 7, same story).

more enjoyable experience--I did like shooting Leica a lot, which is why I tied up $10k in two lenses and two bodies, but what I didn't like was having to send equipment to Germany every time I dropped it. I think I dropped Leica gear 5 times and needed 3 repairs. I probably dropped Canon gear 200+ times and needed 2 repairs...

 

[SwissFrank]

You make a good point about seeing outside the lenses field of view. What do you think about the alternative: of using a wider lens and crop?

That's certainly a good idea. While the Leica lenses were good, the film wasn't (compared to today's sensors), so cropping away 1/2-2/3 of your MP won't leave you with a technically worse photo than the M, perhaps. I do most of my shooting with the 16/2.8 and 50/2.8 and expressly carry them intending to crop. In other words I pretend the 16/2.8 is really a 16-49mm zoom, and carry it for when 50mm just won't work. I don't take the 28/1.4Sig out of the house as much as I should but same story: pretend it's a 35/1.8 or 50/2.5 and you're there.

 

[Del Paso]

no AF is a Leica plus/no AF would be a Canon minus--sorry, but like you're trying to have your cake and eat it there :-D Are you a lawyer by any chance? :-D

no IBIS--I've never thought that as a plus. Indeed the only mistakes Canon's made since acquiring me as a major customer in 1995 was blocking third-party AF lenses on RF, and being so late to the IBIS party.

see outside of the lens’ FOV--I totally agree with this point, good point.

the more compact bodies and much smaller lenses is where the M system really shines-- meh, the R5 is not significantly bigger than my old M6. In fact if anything it's too small for my hands but after several years I've finally gotten used to it.

Leica’s GUI--I haven't looked at it but this is about the last thing I'd consider. I've only used Canon so it may be that the Canon software sucks and I'm just too used to it to see it, I admit that, but in my M6TTL days the "GUI" was frame lines that wouldn't be correct on an image that had a different point of view and since I never put batteries in the thing, nothing else :-D I actually was fine with it (and the Mamiya 7, same story).

more enjoyable experience--I did like shooting Leica a lot, which is why I tied up $10k in two lenses and two bodies, but what I didn't like was having to send equipment to Germany every time I dropped it. I think I dropped Leica gear 5 times and needed 3 repairs. I probably dropped Canon gear 200+ times and needed 2 repairs...

Hard to explain, maybe, but I don't miss AF in a Leica M at all. Same for IBIS. What I really miss is the lack of sensor cleaning. This really sucks!
Also dropping an M does usually result in a misadjusted rangefinder. Repair times, what shall I say...
But getting out without an M: NEVER!
I've been using Ms without sparing them, often in the Scottish, Welsh, English, Irish and Norwegian rain. Film and digitalNever had to send them for repair. I've simply learned to adjust the rangefinder, a very easy task.
PS: Only had one repair with a Canon (my fault!), and benefitted from undeserved goodwill...even after warranty.

 

[davidespinosa]

I wouldn't be so sure that Canon USA reads likes us...

FTFY

 

[Del Paso]

I wouldn't be so sure that Canon USA reads us...

I'm still sure about that. I my former company, I knew that our press/com. department HAD to read and look at whatever was published/posted about our products. And a summary was reported almost daily to the CEO and to R/D.
Doesn't mean the products were changed according to criticism, but that criticism was at least addressed.
I'd wonder if this were different for Canon. They know for instance that some want 3rd. party lenses, but won't let the internet define their strategy. But, like most Japanese companies, they don't feel the urge to explain or to communicate.

 

[koenkooi]

I'm still sure about that. I my former company, I knew that our press/com. department HAD to read and look at whatever was published/posted about our products. And a summary was reported almost daily to the CEO and to R/D.
Doesn't mean the products were changed according to criticism, but that criticism was at least addressed.
I'd wonder if this were different for Canon. They know for instance that some want 3rd. party lenses, but won't let the internet define their strategy. But, like most Japanese companies, they don't feel the urge to explain or to communicate.

And even if Canon USA reads this forum, agrees with the sentiments and sends a summary to the HQ in Japan, we don't know if the intern in Japan chucks it in the bin or sends it up the chain.

Maybe @roby17269 should start bribing that intern

 

[kaihp]

And even if Canon USA reads this forum, agrees with the sentiments and sends a summary to the HQ in Japan, we don't know if the intern in Japan chucks it in the bin or sends it up the chain.

Maybe @roby17269 should start bribing that intern

It is probably circulated, but only at a low level. If it doesn't gets pushed up, nothing happens.

Japanese decision style is rather unique: concensus-based, top-down. Sounds like a contradiction, right?
At some management level, the idea that something needs to change emerges. This gets then circulated and changed until concensus is achieved. Then it gets pushed up one level, and the process repeats. And again. In the end the top manager issues an order to make the change.

 

[Del Paso]

And even if Canon USA reads this forum, agrees with the sentiments and sends a summary to the HQ in Japan, we don't know if the intern in Japan chucks it in the bin or sends it up the chain.

Maybe @roby17269 should start bribing that intern

Guess who offered this intern a Rolex Submariner...

 

[roby17269]

I'm still sure about that. I my former company, I knew that our press/com. department HAD to read and look at whatever was published/posted about our products. And a summary was reported almost daily to the CEO and to R/D.
Doesn't mean the products were changed according to criticism, but that criticism was at least addressed.
I'd wonder if this were different for Canon. They know for instance that some want 3rd. party lenses, but won't let the internet define their strategy. But, like most Japanese companies, they don't feel the urge to explain or to communicate.

I agree with Thom Hogan when he says that Japanese manufaturers tend to have a paternalistic view and "we know better than our customers" attitude.
And in a sense they do know better than us, as I am sure people will point out to me. Or at the very least they have acess to more and better data for sure.

Canon has done well for themselves and that's great. Doesn't mean that we cannot argue specific choices.
But if you were Canon and was reading CR fora, what kind of workable data would you get out of that? I think there have been a similar (very low) number of people arguing for a 35 1.2 (aka "the ones in the right" ) v the (very low again) number of people arguing for a 35 1.4 (aka "the ones in the wrong" )

 

[roby17269]

And even if Canon USA reads this forum, agrees with the sentiments and sends a summary to the HQ in Japan, we don't know if the intern in Japan chucks it in the bin or sends it up the chain.

Maybe @roby17269 should start bribing that intern

Let me have a go at that intern