Patent: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II

[Dylan777]

Color me excited!!

Dylan: weak points of the 35 L is ca wide open, no weather sealing. It has low contrast and a bit dull colors.

Strong points is sharpness wide open, AF, AF and AF. Small light and very nice bokeh. I LOVE that lens, but when I think about what the 2470 mkII has done to improve the mk1, a 35 L II makes me overly excited!

Thanks Viggo for the info.

 

[Dylan777]

Hi Neuro,
What are the weak points in current 35L? I would like to add fast 35mm in near future.

Thanks
Dylan

Me too, I have never tried that focal length for photo before. I rented the Canon version past week-end and I was very surprised how much I loved what I saw.
As someone stated, the only thing I found weak was the dull color. I had to boost it in post.
I am tempted to rent the Sigma version and see which one I like more. I am not in the plan of buying the II but I wouldn't mind a second hand current version, for a lesser price. It is good enough for my need.

Although many claimed 35mm Art got some AF issue. I did play with this lens at local camera store. AF didn't seem to have problem. I was shooting from wide open up to f4. I'm not sure if that was a GOLDEN demo.

 

[Cinto]

Here's the correct link to the patent (the patent link above points to a 55-250mm patent).

The patent shows 10 elements in 8 groups, compared to the current 35/1.4L which has 11 elements in 9 groups.

I like my 35L, and I'd probably preorder a 35L II if/when one comes along.

Hi Neuro,
What are the weak points in current 35L? I would like to add fast 35mm in near future.

Thanks
Dylan

Slow and poor low light focusing. It is after all much older technology...

Actually it focuses faster and more surely in low light than the Sigma(I've owned both). It does have tons more CA and is less sharp over the outer 2/3's of the frame(35mm)

 

[kukhuvud]

I knew there was a reason that 35mm was about the last Canon prime missing from my bag

 

[StudentOfLight]

I don't know how much variation there is from copy to copy, but I have no issues with the low light focusing of my 35L. It's probably my best focusing lens at f/1.4. It's faster than the 24L-II and the 50/1.4. In terms of AF satisfaction I rate mine right up there with the 100 macro and 135L: Super fast and very reliable.

 

[ecka]

Still, twice (or even x3) cheaper Sigma 35/1.4 stays on my wish list. They really should make it f/1.2 .

 

[BLFPhoto]

35mm is probably my favorite focal length. I have both the current 35 L and the Sigma 35 Art and love both of those. I keep thinking I'll get rid of one, but I just can't bring myself to do it. And I'll probably end up adding the 35L mk II to my kit while keeping the other two.

Thankfully no one is advocating IS on it yet! Let's leave that to the f/2 IS USM version (which will be added to my kit shortly for video purposes).

 

[TeT]

I knew there was a reason that 35mm was about the last Canon prime missing from my bag

faster focusing in comparison to current L lenses.

 

[Besisika]

35mm is probably my favorite focal length. I have both the current 35 L and the Sigma 35 Art and love both of those. I keep thinking I'll get rid of one, but I just can't bring myself to do it. And I'll probably end up adding the 35L mk II to my kit while keeping the other two.

Thankfully no one is advocating IS on it yet! Let's leave that to the f/2 IS USM version (which will be added to my kit shortly for video purposes).

That is real love!

 

[knoxtown]

Really looking forward to selling my Sigma 35 and picking this up as soon as possible.

 

[Hjalmarg1]

It will be a big lens for only 35mm. It's bigger than the Sigma A35/1.4. Seems to be that Canon try to respond to Sigma.

 

[Sabaki]

Hypothetical Scenario:

You're Canon and you're about to release a few lens updates. But you can't help but notice that third party manufacturers are releasing very, very good lenses at reasonable prices:

Do you as Canon:
a) Release those lenses
b) Go back to the drawing board and try to improve them before release

I've been wondering if some lenses were ready but that Canon was given a reality check by the quality of Tamron and Sigma's lenses.

 

[memoriaphoto]

Hypothetical Scenario:

You're Canon and you're about to release a few lens updates. But you can't help but notice that third party manufacturers are releasing very, very good lenses at reasonable prices:

Do you as Canon:
a) Release those lenses
b) Go back to the drawing board and try to improve them before release

I've been wondering if some lenses were ready but that Canon was given a reality check by the quality of Tamron and Sigma's lenses.

Interesting thought but I don't think so. Canon has consistently released super sharp, contrasty and AF improved lenses lately. And they are aware how loved the 35L is, so I would be suprised if they realized on the final approach that the new one wasn't good enough. I am expecting a super lens and just like Viggo, I can't wait.

 

[OscarPiechowski]

I can't wait. From 50mm 1.4 after 3years i moved up to 85mm 1.2. After those 2 years with 85mm I trully need something wider !

(I've got specific way of learning to shoot and love those lenses what I choosed.)

I hope it's gonna be weathers ealed

 

[Viggo]

I can't wait. From 50mm 1.4 after 3years i moved up to 85mm 1.2. After those 2 years with 85mm I trully need something wider !

(I've got specific way of learning to shoot and love those lenses what I choosed.)

I hope it's gonna be weathers ealed

1000% certain it will be weather sealed.

 

[bsridev]

Hi All

Any latest updates for EF 35mm f1.4 ii? I am just waiting to pre-order.

Thanks
Sridev

 

[PVS]

I have "the" love for 35mil focal length. My love is big: 5 different fast 35s in 3 different mounts (EF, F, MD) plus 4 different film PnS' with 35/2.8 fixed lenses on them. Last year I bought the Sigma 35 and kept it stuck on 5Dmk3 and to be honest with you I don't know what else I could ask for from a fast 35mil prime, that lens is stellar. I don't deny some minor AF issues with artificial type of light but it's a $850 lens and I had similar issues with 35L AF behaving inconsistently on 2 different 5Dmk2 bodies - being flawless on one and completely inconsistent at some distances on the other. If 35Lmk2 was released last year I'd have serious dilemma on deciding which one to choose but now I really can't think of single feature new L lens shall deliver that would make me sell Sigma so I can spend ~$1.5k on L lens. Weather sealing? It's mostly a gimmick and I know how far non sealed lenses can go anyway (A LOT).

 

[TeT]

I have "the" love for 35mil focal length. My love is big: 5 different fast 35s in 3 different mounts (EF, F, MD) plus 4 different film PnS' with 35/2.8 fixed lenses on them. Last year I bought the Sigma 35 and kept it stuck on 5Dmk3 and to be honest with you I don't know what else I could ask for from a fast 35mil prime, that lens is stellar. I don't deny some minor AF issues with artificial type of light but it's a $850 lens and I had similar issues with 35L AF behaving inconsistently on 2 different 5Dmk2 bodies - being flawless on one and completely inconsistent at some distances on the other. If 35Lmk2 was released last year I'd have serious dilemma on deciding which one to choose but now I really can't think of single feature new L lens shall deliver that would make me sell Sigma so I can spend ~$1.5k on L lens. Weather sealing? It's mostly a gimmick and I know how far non sealed lenses can go anyway (A LOT).

consider how old the current 35L is, optically and functionally this will be a huge improvement based on innovations alone.

 

[Viggo]

PVS: "mostly a gimmick" ?? In short, no it isn't. A 85 L fogged up and started malfunctioning after 3 minutes in the rain, I rushed home and luckily it came about. As for me sealed gear, it sees a lot of rain and no faults..

 

[Marsu42]

PVS: "mostly a gimmick" ?? In short, no it isn't. A 85 L fogged up and started malfunctioning after 3 minutes in the rain, I rushed home and luckily it came about. As for me sealed gear, it sees a lot of rain and no faults.

I agree. Contrary to some lucky users reporting "I shot in the rain with [insert gear here] and nothing happened" an unsealed lens is a big target for moisture... 3 minutes is even a long time, the first couple of drops can result in a big service bill as corrosion take some time to do damage.

After my non-L 100mm macro broke down twice I had to learn the lesson the hard way and upgraded to the L, even if the non-L has nice iq and I wasn't very keen on paying yet another €900.