Canon News has uncovered a patent for a new super wide angle RF mount zoom and it looks extremely impressive.

US Patent Application 20180314060 shows an optical formula for an RF 14-21mm f/1.4L. That's correct… f/1.4!

Both Canon News and I had to read the patent multiple times to make sure we weren't reading it incorrectly. If Canon wants to do these “look what we can do lenses”, I have no issue just letting them do their thing.

This patent also mentions optical formulas for an RF 16-35mm f/2.8L and an RF 12-20mm f/2L

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157 comments

  1. Canon is not delivering, canon is not innovative....
    While I get what you're saying, it's kind of disingenuous. Are they really delivering or innovating? Sure, especially in lenses. In bodies they're a lot iffier.
  2. While I get what you're saying, it's kind of disingenuous. Are they really delivering or innovating? Sure, especially in lenses. In bodies they're a lot iffier.
    The lens actually has to come out. Canon makes like a million patents and like 1% opf the stuff actually comes out then even that takes years.
  3. Based on the absurdity of an RF 28-70mm F/2L, I'd say an RF 14-21mm F/1.4L is very feasible, albeit, very expensive. Lenses like these are what the EOS R system was designed for. Now if Canon could just deliver an EOS R camera body worthy of their glass... Hopefully I won't have to wait too long.
  4. I'm glad the Canon designers are having fun, but I wonder about the size and weight of such a lens. I'm a Canon M5 user, but if I were to go to full frame mirrorless I think right now Nikon is much more appealing. Practical lenses, and a Fuji style lens roadmap. In comparison, Canon seems to be sort of in left field, with large heavy expensive show-off lenses, no lens roadmap, and strange-for-strange-sake controls on the EOS R body. I had a Fuji system plus a Canon EF system, but recently sold all that and am just using the M5 at the moment. So I could choose either the EOS R or Z6 without wanting the adapters for legacy lenses. Buying into the respective new systems, the Z6 plus 24-70 kit lens is $800 less (!?) than the EOS R with 24-105 kit lens. I don't get that at all. Plus, personally, I would want the smaller lighter Nikon setup.

    Just got the new 32mm f/1.4 EF-M lens. Sticking with the M5 for now, until full frame things settle down.
  5. I wish Canon were more conservative and and not so risk-taking. More like Sony and Nikon.

    Seriously though, an f4.0 version of exactly this range would be perfect for my work, which is all on tripod and none of it 'subject isolating'—so that blinding fast aperture is wasted on me. Trade the f1.4 for perfect distortion control in a slower, sub-6-pound lens!
  6. No reason to pay exhorbitant amount of money for such a lens. Even for astro use the "here and now" belongs to Sigma Art 14mm f/1.8 and to other good lenses like the f/2.4 Samyang.
  7. I'm glad the Canon designers are having fun, but I wonder about the size and weight of such a lens. I'm a Canon M5 user, but if I were to go to full frame mirrorless I think right now Nikon is much more appealing. Practical lenses, and a Fuji style lens roadmap. In comparison, Canon seems to be sort of in left field, with large heavy expensive show-off lenses, no lens roadmap, and strange-for-strange-sake controls on the EOS R body. I had a Fuji system plus a Canon EF system, but recently sold all that and am just using the M5 at the moment. So I could choose either the EOS R or Z6 without wanting the adapters for legacy lenses. Buying into the respective new systems, the Z6 plus 24-70 kit lens is $800 less (!?) than the EOS R with 24-105 kit lens. I don't get that at all. Plus, personally, I would want the smaller lighter Nikon setup.

    Just got the new 32mm f/1.4 EF-M lens. Sticking with the M5 for now, until full frame things settle down.

    Isn't the Canon RF 1.8 35mm IS Macro for lousy 500 bucks a practical lens? I am sure that Canon will release some RF 1.8 lenses soon (within the next 2 years) after checking where the market goes: EOS Rprofessional or/and EOS Rottonormalverbraucher (german equivalent for joecitizen).

    With the EF-M 32mm I am with you: While no (for my profile) interesting 1.4 50mm equiv solution is available I settled with this lens and I am more than satisfied: It has an awesome IQ and is very compact - the cream on top is the 1:4 closeup capability! And maybe I will stay with EF-M and a bunch of longer EF lenses for a longer while!
  8. ... and they could add IS to their RF16-35 f/2.8L future version. Otherwise the EF16-35 f/2.8L III will be very hard to beat. It's only flaw is vignetting and NOTHING else!
  9. I guess the spraying of patents for EOS R mount could be a way to deter photogs from staying put with the EOS EF one. Understandably since the EOS R don't seem to be such an atractive camera compared to the the similar priced 5D4... Good luck with the Rs, RX or whatever though...
  10. f/1.4 is incredible for a zoom like this, but who is it for. It could be a fantastic Astro lens, but I would not plunk $4k down for it.

    I think this could definitely be an incredible photojournalism lens. I can't think of a single Canon-shooting news organization that doesn't have the 11-24mm, and having it at f/1.4 would be incredible.
  11. This would be a beast of a lens but would also be a lot of fun for astrophotography and landscape (don't need the wide aperture). I can only imagine how much this will weigh, cost and what the filter system will be for it.
  12. Perfect for low-light vlogging.
    On a more serious note, I am not sure it will actually make it into production, the f/2 zoom would be quite monstrous already. Or maybe the mirrorless design really pays dividence here.
  13. Continue reading...

    I am so glad to see Canon flexing their muscle this way. I am sure the regular lenses are there and will be coming for us mere mortals. They are just showing, especially to Sony fanboys, that Sony can't even begin to compete with pro level lenses at Canon even if they wanted to. As far as bodies, the R is just a start. I am sure some will complain it is too little. I bet 99% of those on this site can't even begin to fully utilize what the R can do already except for pixel peep which is really showing a total lack of capability to produce great photos so they blame the camera. Well the R is great and wonderful, there will be more coming too.

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