The first licensed autofocus lens for RF to appear from Meike?

[Richard-CN]

The problem is, auto-focus isn't hard if they are simply using the EF protocol. I guess it depends on if they license and use the RF protocol for their lenses.
I had suspected that Samyang was using the RF protocol but if i recall the high speed viewfinder option was disabled when using that lens, and if so, that would have made it most likely EF. Yongnuo I'm pretty sure was just using the EF.

If it was EF, then Canon is just being a complete ass, and using its clout and size to get the third-party vendors dancing to their tune.

Yes, the mount itself is patented, but Canon isn't going after anyone else that simply uses the mechanical mount.

and as far as interconnects, they aren't going after third-party adapters, macro extension tubes, etc. with the actual electronic pins, etc. in place.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

I wonder why Canon would partner with obscure lens makers rather than Sigma, Tamron, etc.?

Sigma and Tamron have their own demands,
Yonnuo and Meike go along to get along.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

Is Meike a company to get excited about?

They make good products but a portrait lens is easy to get wrong.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

and they made is solely for Sony E mount which is suspiciously like Sony did a deal with them for some reason.

Sigma always makes an L-mount version.
They stated that they are waiting to see how the existing Sigma lenses sell on the Z mount before porting any more.
People seem to assume that Sigma and Tamrom will port 100% of their lenses if they are allowed to but lens makers are strategic as well.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

If it was EF, then Canon is just being a complete ass

They would not need any license and Canon could do nothing to stop them.

 

[Walrus]

If it was EF, then Canon is just being a complete ass, and using its clout and size to get the third-party vendors dancing to their tune.

I already love you with the fullest of my heart Richard

 

[Loswr]

If it was EF, then Canon is just being a complete ass, and using its clout and size to get the third-party vendors dancing to their tune.

 

[[email protected]]

I eagerly await the Meike 85mm (yes, Meike makes some nice stuff, like their EF/RF filter adapters). I have the Samyang 85mm AF in RF mount, which I'm pretty sure uses EF protocols, so I think it'll be interesting to directly compare autofocus performance.

On the whole issue of whether Canon is putting its thumb on the 3rd party lens market, I think it's worth calling out what we know and - importantly - don't know:
- Canon operates internationally through nation- or region-based companies like Canon USA. These companies have marketing agreements with their parent company allowing them to market the products, sell them, and perhaps even enforce intellectual property (IP) rights within their region. That latter bit we don't really know. I do know that some US IP litigation (trademark violations) involved Canon Japan as the main party.
- Each of those regions has different IP legal regimes - sometimes quite different. This gives Canon varying levels of control. For instance, in the US, trademark law looks carefully at the interests of the consumer with an eye for whether a defendant's actions cause consumer confusion. So, calling a lens an "RF lens" may trigger a US jurist to think that this make confuse the buyer into thinking that it is made by or blessed by Canon.
- There are different types of IP. Patents are the elements that everyone here focuses on. But there are also trademarks and copyrights, and some more obscure ones.
- The whole story about Canon "disallowing" third party lenses came from a German story that I read as more of a trademark issue. It seemed that Canon Europe was chuffed that a company was representing its lenses as "rf lenses" or "rf compatible." Those are loaded terms. They may imply that there was a relationship with Canon, or that all of the RF functionality was included in them. I suspect it was on this basis that they were threatened with legal action - not a mount patent issue.
- While a company like Meike might get a specific license agreement with Canon, this doesn't infringe on existing abilities for third party makers to produce the EF lenses they've been making for a generation, including the use of the autofocus protocols that plainly work on the RF mount as well.
- Several important countries have been coming down on companies (especially printer companies) that deliberately design into their products superfluous elements that prevent consumers from repairing their own equipment or using third party consumables. This is affecting the product designs of everything from iPhones to John Deere tractors. Canon is likely not anticipating controlling the lens market based on these sorts of tactics.
- Sigma and Tamron can sell all the lenses they make now. I'm sure they'd like to make RF lenses as well - Sigma's CEO has said so multiple times - but they may wait until RF protocols are more openly available so as to not have to deal with the potential liability of their lenses not working with future Canon bodies.
- There are a number of Sigma lenses I'd very much like to have in RF. I already own the ones that I want in EF and adapt them to RF. But the more modern mirrorless-specific designs need to be native-mounted to RF, as they can't be adapted to RF from L-mount or E-mount. This may be a long wait.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

- The whole story about Canon "disallowing" third party lenses came from a German story that I read as more of a trademark issue. It seemed that Canon Europe was chuffed that a company was representing its lenses as "rf lenses" or "rf compatible." Those are loaded terms. They may imply that there was a relationship with Canon, or that all of the RF functionality was included in them. I suspect it was on this basis that they were threatened with legal action - not a mount patent issue.

Yongnou makes RF lenses that do not use the word RF anywhere on the box.
The interesting thing is that there were a lot of third-party EF lenses that just said "For Canon" instead of EF.

 

[DhlcadR6]

It's coming to the end of 2023 and still no sign of the Meike lens coming in RF mount....

 

[EOS 4 Life]

It's coming to the end of 2023 and still no sign of the Meike lens coming in RF mount....

The L mount version that they promised has not come either

 

[MythPlayer]

It's coming to the end of 2023 and still no sign of the Meike lens coming in RF mount....

Delayed to feb 2024 ,source from local reseller

 

[Loswr]

Delayed to feb 2024 ,source from local reseller

February 30th?

 

[MythPlayer]

February 30th?

Maybe

 

[DhlcadR6]

Delayed to feb 2024 ,source from local reseller

Around Chinese New Year time???

 

[DhlcadR6]

February 30th?

There's 30 Feb in Chinese calender....Which converts to 9 April 2024