Patent: Canon RF 14mm f/1.4L IS USM & Canon RF 24mm f/1.4L IS USM

[davidcl0nel]

Is it possible to get usable images with the 35/1.8 and no tracker? I would be interested in a little bit of astro but not enough to justify more gear

Instead of buying an propably 3k€ "cheap" astro-lens (as an 14mm), you might consider a much cheaper tracker....

 

[photophil]

Instead of buying an propably 3k€ "cheap" astro-lens (as an 14mm), you might consider a much cheaper tracker....

I was referring to the RF35 f/1.8 IS STM that I already have. I have no use for ultrawide primes, so I would not consider purchasing such a lens at all.

 

[Traveler]

Didn’t canon brag how going mirrorless allows them to design compact lenses and how the big mount is an advantage? Most of the RF lenses don’t show that advantages. These new lenses (I know, just patents) are around 110 mm long? :/

 

[kafala]

All their primes should have used a usm motor. The 50mm 1.2 and 85mm 1.2 have slow auto focus compared the USM motors on the zoom lenses. Plus you can feel the lenses zooming in and out which is annoying.

Edit: Nano usm motor

 

[koenkooi]

All their primes should have used a usm motor. The 50mm 1.2 and 85mm 1.2 have slow auto focus compared the USM motors on the zoom lenses. Plus you can feel the lenses zooming in and out which is annoying.

You realize both the RF50L and RF85L use USM motors?

 

[neuroanatomist]

You realize both the RF50L and RF85L use USM motors?

I suspect @kafala means the Nano USM that's used in the RF L zoom lenses, vs. the ring USM used in the RF 50/1.2 and 85/1.2 primes. The focusing groups on those fast primes are relatively large and heavy, so the additional torque of a Ring USM motor is needed. Many of the RF L-series zoom lenses (and at least one non-L zoom, the 24-240) have smaller focusing groups that can be driven by Nano USM, although the 28-70/2 uses Ring USM.

Nano USM is not faster than Ring USM, per se. But the lighter the focusing group the faster it can be moved, so it would not surprise me to find that a lens with Nano USM focuses slightly faster than one with Ring USM. The difference is probably almost insignificant in normal use, though. OTOH, for video uses the quieter Nano USM and STM lenses have an advantage over the audible Ring USM focusing.

Some relevant info from Canon HERE.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Is it possible to get usable images with the 35/1.8 and no tracker? I would be interested in a little bit of astro but not enough to justify more gear

Whew, good question.

At first, let me say that I’m just a photo enthusiast who hasn’t sold any pics so far. I’m not a pro who makes a living and who will a different opinion then I might have.

Shooting Astro with the 35mm F1.8 is challenging because you’ll a lot of the scene and due to the longer focal length your exposure time is limited. So, you’ll have to crank up the ISO on your camera.

Generally speaking: with the 35mm F1.8 you can nice, decent shoots of the nightsky, depending on how dark it really is in your area. The darker, the better. Of course, your frame will be rather tight, but you might manage to get the entire milky way in one shot.

I shot the milky way for the first time in 2019 in New Zealand and I´ve been waiting ever since to do that again. In New Zealand, I shot with the Sigma 20mm F1.4, the RF 35mm F1.8 and the EF 16-35mm F4. I opted to keep the pics of the Sigma 20mm because it is wider, brighter and liked the frame more. But I thought the IQ was better with the 35mm F1.8. I´ll check my external hard drive to see, if I still have those pics.

I did shot a time-lapse of the nightsky with the RF35mm from my balcony for practice… nothing special, but I kind of liked the IQ of it. I´ll try to post it here. I should note: I live in southwestern part of Germany in the distract with the fifth most-dense population… so, there is a lot of light pollution going here and the time lapse was „straight of the camera“ (EOS R) without any editing.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06f57Pwy-kS5Yr2YF48xG7g5w

So, if you’re on no budget I’d opt for a UWA prime or at least a F2.8 zoom

If you’re on low budget, I’d opt a used the Sigma 20mm F1.4* (in Germany, you can get it for less than 600 €)

If you don’t want to spent any money on an astro lens, I’d go with the RF 35mm and try to get a panorama shot. (I didn’t really know how to do this in 2019… I now do) The RF 14-35mm (if it is in your kit) will get some decent, good shots as well, but in either way you might end longing for „more“ (ever since I have GAS for a 12-14mm F1.4/ F2 prime because you’ll definitely will be missing something. But for fun shooting and experiencing something, it definitely is capable enough.

*Note: Laowa has a few „less than 1.000 $“ lenses (15mm F2/ 12mm F2.8) with manual focus which seem destined for astro. But I still haven’t tested/ used them.

 

[photophil]

Whew, good question.

At first, let me say that I’m just a photo enthusiast who hasn’t sold any pics so far. I’m not a pro who makes a living and who will a different opinion then I might have.

Shooting Astro with the 35mm F1.8 is challenging because you’ll a lot of the scene and due to the longer focal length your exposure time is limited. So, you’ll have to crank up the ISO on your camera.

Generally speaking: with the 35mm F1.8 you can nice, decent shoots of the nightsky, depending on how dark it really is in your area. The darker, the better. Of course, your frame will be rather tight, but you might manage to get the entire milky way in one shot.

I shot the milky way for the first time in 2019 in New Zealand and I´ve been waiting ever since to do that again. In New Zealand, I shot with the Sigma 20mm F1.4, the RF 35mm F1.8 and the EF 16-35mm F4. I opted to keep the pics of the Sigma 20mm because it is wider, brighter and liked the frame more. But I thought the IQ was better with the 35mm F1.8. I´ll check my external hard drive to see, if I still have those pics.

I did shot a time-lapse of the nightsky with the RF35mm from my balcony for practice… nothing special, but I kind of liked the IQ of it. I´ll try to post it here. I should note: I live in southwestern part of Germany in the distract with the fifth most-dense population… so, there is a lot of light pollution going here and the time lapse was „straight of the camera“ (EOS R) without any editing.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06f57Pwy-kS5Yr2YF48xG7g5w

So, if you’re on no budget I’d opt for a UWA prime or at least a F2.8 zoom

If you’re on low budget, I’d opt a used the Sigma 20mm F1.4* (in Germany, you can get it for less than 600 €)

If you don’t want to spent any money on an astro lens, I’d go with the RF 35mm and try to get a panorama shot. (I didn’t really know how to do this in 2019… I now do) The RF 14-35mm (if it is in your kit) will get some decent, good shots as well, but in either way you might end longing for „more“ (ever since I have GAS for a 12-14mm F1.4/ F2 prime because you’ll definitely will be missing something. But for fun shooting and experiencing something, it definitely is capable enough.

*Note: Laowa has a few „less than 1.000 $“ lenses (15mm F2/ 12mm F2.8) with manual focus which seem destined for astro. But I still haven’t tested/ used them.

Thanks for the detailed answer, that really helped! I'm in the Mannheim area so light pollution is definitely a thing. Guess it's worth a shot then!

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Thanks for the detailed answer, that really helped! I'm in the Mannheim area so light pollution is definitely a thing. Guess it's worth a shot then!

You are welcome. Also, we are practically neighbors I live in the HD area

 

[Vieux's Views]

All I want are three lenses from Canon. An RF 35 F1.4 IS USM, an RF 50mm F1.4 IS USM, and an RF 85mm F1.4 IS USM. I would buy them all with no hesitation.

 

[M1k4]

Definitely interested:
24mm f 1.4 L
35mm f 1.2 L
200mm f 1.8 / f 2.0 L
Whenever those arrive

 

[mxwphoto]

That 14mm looks incredible! 19 elements, perhaps even 20 if they sandwich a BR in there.... on a prime lens! That's got to be the highest element count for a prime lens ever! I wonder if that will drop actual T stop to say a 1.6 or 1.7.

Take Sony price adjust for inflation, add Canon premium, add world's first premium, add large glass premium... Placing my bets at $3k if they do come out with it.

 

[SwissFrank]

In the past Canon hasn't cared about coma. I hope their new found love for software corrections means that they start caring about coma a bit more and not so much about barrel distortion.

Didn't they fix coma between the EF 35/1.4 and 35/1.4 MkII? I too agree that whatever can be fixed in software SHOULD be fixed in software, and leave to glass the things that can only be done in glass.

 

[roby17269]

All cool but where is the 35mm f/1.2L?
Interesting lenses nonetheless, although I would prefer for them to be TS lenses, especially with AF as per some rumors.

 

[EricN]

Anyone want to guess on minimum focus distance for the 14mm?

 

[Bonich]

Instead of buying an propably 3k€ "cheap" astro-lens (as an 14mm), you might consider a much cheaper tracker....

Please, how is a tracker helping to shoot any nightscape where thesis rotates, the landscape does not and northern lights do move erratically?
A fast aperture is essential.

BTW: The Sony GM 14mm 1.8 costs 1k. If you thing the Canon will cost 3k I will buy a 2k Sony body to fulfill the task.

 

[Bonich]

Anyone want to guess on minimum focus distance for the 14mm?

The 17mm is great in minimum distance.
Minimum distance is less a requirement for the 14mm but a fast aperture, 1.8 or faster.

 

[davidcl0nel]

Please, how is a tracker helping to shoot any nightscape where thesis rotates, the landscape does not and northern lights do move erratically?
A fast aperture is essential.

Every good milky way picture with something in the foreground is a composite image. (of the same place, don't get me wrong here, I don't mean to put any milky way in any foreground.)
You can also do it with stacking of several pictures to reduce the noise, but its the same. The earth is rotating, the milky way is moving, and if you stack it, you also do a composite. There are programs which will automatically fix the foreground, but its nevertheless the same thing.

So you also can expose the night sky with a rotating tracker and compose it with an unrotated foreground picture.

Aurora I wouldn't call as Astro... (yes yes, Sun...) - But, yes, for Aurora a fast lens is very good. (But I did it also with f/4... works).
But is this the target for the 14 IS here? A special lens for all Aurora enthusiasts? This "big" market?

I did panoramas of cities also with IS lenses. Last journey in Bangkok on some skyscrapers (skybars), where tripods are not allowed. With RF 35 IS I could exposure 1-1,5sek with ISO400 (and f/8!!!) in the blue hour to get tacksharp city skyline images with the R5 (and IBIS of course). "Handheld" with leaning on elbows - We came a long way.... but this is now possible. But if I use f/8 I don't need such a fast lens....

But 14 IS with 1.4... I don't get it. But I don't have to understand all... Whoever this will buy, do it. No problem with it....

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Take Sony price adjust for inflation, add Canon premium, add world's first premium, add large glass premium... Placing my bets at $3k if they do come out with it

BTW: The Sony GM 14mm 1.8 costs 1k. If you thing the Canon will cost 3k I will buy a 2k Sony body to fulfill the task.

I guess you're right, it does sound like a super expensive lense! But if Canon charges such a premium, I'd go with "Bonich"s approach or I'd the Sigma 14mm EF and use it with an adapter. There are ways to get great astro photos without this particular and hope Canon has this at mind when thinking about pricing. I'd still figure it'll cost 2.K...

Personally, for me this lens would not be a keeper... I'd try to buy it (depending on when maybe even used), schedule my vacation trips to get astro/ aurora shots within a year or two and then sell it again. Or I'd go with a tracker, if it is too expensive...

 

[Exploreshootshare]

I did panoramas of cities also with IS lenses. Last journey in Bangkok on some skyscrapers (skybars), where tripods are not allowed. With RF 35 IS I could exposure 1-1,5sek with ISO400 (and f/8!!!) in the blue hour to get tacksharp city skyline images with the R5 (and IBIS of course). "Handheld" with leaning on elbows - We came a long way.... but this is now possible. But if I use f/8 I don't need such a fast lens....

I did the same in London with the 35mm and the 15-35mm F2.8. It is amazing and it greatly reduces the need for a tripod!