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The Canon RF 35mm f/1.2L USM has been on our roadmap since the roadmap began many years ago. Might we finally be getting closer to the lens finally appearing?
The patent definitely shows a full-frame optical formula, but the back focus is ridiculously short.
The optical formulas show “f/1.3”, but if these make it to an actual product, they'll likely be rounded to either f/1.2 or f/1.4, which is a pretty normal thing to do for focal length and aperture.
Canon 35mm f/1.2 Optical Formula
- Focal length: 33.53mm
- F-number: 1.30
- Half angle of view: 32.83°
- Image Height: 21.64mm
- Length Overall: 61.97mm
- Back Focus: 0.29mm
The same patent also shows an fast ultra-wide angle prime lens with a similarly short back focus distance.
Canon 12mm f/1.2 Optical Formula
- Focal length:12.40
- F-number: 1.30
- Half angle of view: 32.82
- Height: 8.00
- Length Overall: 21.76
- Back Focus: 0.44
This patent appears to have been uncovered by asobinet.
Both the one-inch 12.4mm f/1.3 and the 24x36 33.5mm f/1.3 (example 2) have too short a flange back distance (a.k.a. backfocus; 0.44mm and 0.29 mm respectively) to be the basis for an interchangeable lens.
But, the flange distance and back focus distance don't necessarily have to be related. If there is a rear element portruding in to the body, the back focus could be very short. But, I'm still skeptical these are for the RF mount.
-Brian
A one-inch sensor has a crop factor of 2.7 <==> 33.53mm ÷ 12.4mm = 2.70
Again, the lenses in this patent application cannot be used for an ILC: the rear lens element is too close to the sensor plane (0.29mm).
Is it assumed then if the R5II is to be announced soon that the rumoured fw update to the R5 (the big one that was supposed to come with the ibis shift update and then suggested would come later in a big fw update) will not be coming?
Also, no mention on here of the prores raw FW update coming to R5 or did I miss that?
I was really hoping for a couple more little tweaks to the R5, holding on to hope as long as possible....
Maybe not an upgrade for current R5 users but certainly competitive in the price segment.
Perhaps the current R5 could remain in the line up at a lower price like the R6 and R6ii.
You can't have an RF lens with a back focus of a fraction of a mm. 0.44mm is slightly more than 1/64th of an inch and 0.29mm is significantly less than 1/64th of an inch. It's impossibe.
Once the Mk2 is announced, the old Mk1 has to be heavily discounted and that will eat into the sales of both the R5ii the 6Dii.
The 5Diii to 5Div was a huge jump in sensor design. Everything about that newer sensor was better, resolution, readout speed, ISO noise, DR. The mkiii was a major refresh of everything except the sensor, which was based on the older 5Dmkii.
The R5 is just a well rounded and capable camera. It's sensor design, user interface and build are already superior to the R and 5Dmkiv. It is 2 generations of camera later and there's not a lot to improve on it except some mild tweeking to the base specs to bring it in line with the newer R3/R6ii/R8 AF algorithms. I'd be suprised if Canon add these to the current R5...however...they could if they wanted to.
I'm a new entry to the world of Canon mirrorless. I've been a Canon shooter for nearly 40 years. I've rocked a pair of 5Diii's since they were launched (and I shot weddings professionally). I tried the EOS R and RP on launch and I didn't like them. I felt that the loss of the optical viewfinder and drastic changes to the AF system was worth the investment. To me the EOS R felt like a Gen 1 beta, so I decided to wait a few generations before I dipped my toe.
I bought an R8 a month back to ease me into the newer RF system and it's a remarkable camera. The stark contrast from the 5Diii, through the Eos R to the R8 (and R6ii) is a massive quantum leap in technology and AF capability. For me, it's now worth the effort to re-learn everything because the gains in the new system are so much better.
I'd like to pick up a R5 later in the year to use as my primary camera, finally selling my trusty old 5Diii onto their next owners. But for me, do I wait for a R5ii or get a mid life R5 and hope Canon honour their promise to add the newer features and AF algorithms? Ultimately, the R5 will be more camera that I would need. But it's a camera that is entering it's autum of it's production life. The AF has already been improved upon by the R3 and R6ii/R8.
Another feature in the R8 that I enjoy very much is having eye-AF+tracking in a zone and the option to keep tracking the subject when it leaves the zone you have configured.
For larger lenses and subjects where I need spray-and-pray, the R5 is, for me, a much better camera. But outside of that, the R8 holds its own. Provided you have enough spare batteries 🙂
The improvements the R8 has over the R5 are mostly software, and the ones I enjoy most don't seem to need the efficiency improvements in the Digic X, so every time Canon teases R5 firmware updates I hope they show up. I'm almost certain they won't, but hope dies last!
There are a bunch of firmware improvements that Canon could implement (IMHO) hat wouldn't impact sales of R3/R7/R6ii etc. The recent pixel shift high res feature wasn't really great in practice but good on a spec sheet.
The R6 (mark i) is still on sale at a different price to the mark ii so there is precedence for Canon keeping a cheaper R5 vs mark ii but there would need to be some compelling features in a mark ii to tempt even some mark i users to upgrade. I can't see myself upgrading for a long time to come.
The R5 is currently being discounted especially in Australia so perhaps they are reacting to the Nikon's shiny new Z8. I don't think that Canon will have problems shifting stock if they really need to 🙂
I think that I will pick up a second hand RP in a few months as a backup and astro timelapse/star trails on a workshop to the outback. No need for good AF with manual lenses.