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    Patent: Canon RF 17-70mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

    By Updated:39 Comments1 Min Read Canon Patents
    patentrf1770 - Patent: Canon RF 17-70mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

    It looks like Canon is serious about the 17-70mm focal range for a new lens design as discovered by Canon News. This isn't the first time we've seen mention of an RF 17-70mm lens, which leads us to believe we are likely to see this introduced at some point.

    This would be a nice kit lens for a new entry-level EOS R camera body.

    This patent also shows two similar EF designs.

    Canon RF 17-70mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

    • Focal length: 17.40mm 34.99mm 67.97mm
    • F-number: 3.31 4.12 5.88
    • Half angle of view: 51.20° 31.73° 17.66°
    • Image height: 21.64mm 21.64mm 21.64mm
    • Total lens length: 168.41mm 154.99mm 168.39mm
    • BF: 8.36mm 52.48mm 81.91mm

    Canon EF 17-70mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

    • Focal length: 17.40mm 35.00mm 68.00mm  
    • F-number: 3.33 4.09 5.88
    • Half-field angle: 51.19° 31.72° 17.65°
    • Image height: 21.64mm 21.64mm 21.64mm
    • Total lens length: 168.42mm 153.33mm 168.42mm
    • BF: 38.32mm 53.44mm 84.11mm

    Canon EF 16-60mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

    • Focal length: 16.30mm 35.00mm 60.00 mm
    • F-number: 3.31 4.22 5.88
    • Half angle of view: 53.01° 31.72° 19.83°
    • Image height: 21.64mm 21.64mm 21.64mm
    • Total lens length: 68.46mm 153.33mm 168.42mm
    • BF: 38.35mm 56.15mm 83.82mm
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    39 comments

    5. Now wouldn't that be a nice focal range for an APSC R Camera :)
      Why yes, yes it would. Useful on a crop sensor, and yet usable when you work your way up to a full frame sensor in the future. A nice vacation lens too, perhaps, or a good 2-lens kit when paired with something like a 70-300 tele zoom.

      It would also be useful for the 2 R bodies out now, in terms of dealing with the cropped 4K mode.
    6. Now wouldn't that be a nice focal range for an APSC R Camera :)
      If it were to be an APS-C lens, I would have expected the lens to be faster than f/3.5-5.6 probably closer to the Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4...and for that reason I believe this is going to be a FF lens.
    7. Canon's third consumer lens, interesting as a kit lens for RP or even R !
      24-240 was too "extreme" for system-beginners, who are usually looking for a trans-standard zoom.
      Good choice, Canon.
    8. Yeah the chances of this being an EF or EF-S lens are close to zero. If Canon decided to release a $700-800 FF RF body (the bread and butter of Rebels and discounted 70/80/90D series), they'll start pushing cheap, general zoom glass to match. There's no room at this price level to continue supporting an EF-S mount, bodies and lenses. I was really hoping they'd at least release one last great APS-C kit upgrade lens to replace the very dated EFS 17-55 f2.8. It would pair well with millions of existing Rebels and XXD bodies, including the brand new 90D, millions more M mount bodies, and continue selling well for years. But there's almost no chance of that now. A sub $1000 FF RF body kills off EF-S. The 90D would really need to sell extremely well to justify any future investment. The M-mount should survive, though, just for the smaller form factor.
    9. This is potentially a step in that direction, but I don't think the EF-S lines are dead quite yet. I mean, we do already have a sub-$1000 FF RF body (just barely) in the RP. But there aren't any kit lens and body combinations that can compete price-wise with the Rebel kits. I imagine we'll get there, but not yet. And I think the killing blow is a sub-$500 RF body, be it full frame or APS-C. I might be wrong, but I don't think the average Rebel user cares about the size of the sensor as some of the rest of us do.

      I can't be the only one expecting that an APS-C RF body is imminent, right?

      A sub $1000 FF RF body kills off EF-S.
    10. Great focal range for FF for those who are more tele-oriented.

      Maybe some 20 ... 70 f/4.0 IS L lens will follow which I would prefer: a little bit less on the wide end but constant f/4 and very good correction.
      Would make a good travel kit with the maybe upcoming 70-400 and a 2nd body EDIT: and RF 35mm for low light/semi-macro!
    11. An RF 17-70mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM would indeed be a fab lens for the RP or as someone has already mentioned even for the R, I'd like to see it small and light. The RP and that lens would make a nice little combo for hobby or holiday
    12. An image hight of 21.64 mm is for a full frame sensor. (APS-C lenses are 14.80 mm usually).
      I'm glad to see that all patents for RF lenses are full frame so far.

      (by the way, is this the radius of the image circle, for a full frame sensor is 36mm wide and 24mm high?)
    13. If it were to be an APS-C lens, I would have expected the lens to be faster than f/3.5-5.6 probably closer to the Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4...and for that reason I believe this is going to be a FF lens.
      This, if it was APS-C, we'd be talking a $200 kit lens, which would be weird for Canon to release so far ahead of many of their more natural $500-700 range of non-L lenses.

      Canon dropping an RF 17-70 kit lens that hits probably $499; and a 70-300 f/4-5.6 lens that hits a similar price point would make full-frame RP with 17-300 range for <$2k really appealing. And likely with stronger IQ and performance than the RP+24-240 deals they are running right now.
    14. An image hight of 21.64 mm is for a full frame sensor. (APS-C lenses are 14.80 mm usually).
      I'm glad to see that all patents for RF lenses are full frame so far.

      (by the way, is this the radius of the image circle, for a full frame sensor is 36mm wide and 24mm high?)
      Yes it is the half of SQRT (24*24+36*36) = 0.5 * SQRT(576+1296) = 0.5 * SQRT (1872) = 0.5 * 43.266... = 21.63...
    16. Yeah the chances of this being an EF or EF-S lens are close to zero. If Canon decided to release a $700-800 FF RF body (the bread and butter of Rebels and discounted 70/80/90D series), they'll start pushing cheap, general zoom glass to match. There's no room at this price level to continue supporting an EF-S mount, bodies and lenses. I was really hoping they'd at least release one last great APS-C kit upgrade lens to replace the very dated EFS 17-55 f2.8. It would pair well with millions of existing Rebels and XXD bodies, including the brand new 90D, millions more M mount bodies, and continue selling well for years. But there's almost no chance of that now. A sub $1000 FF RF body kills off EF-S. The 90D would really need to sell extremely well to justify any future investment. The M-mount should survive, though, just for the smaller form factor.

      I am not so sure. Not long ago Canon introduced 2000D and 4000D, a $400 DSLR (with lens) for markets where even 500-600$ is considered too expensive.
      I don't see how a full frame will be ever that cheap. And someone who wants a 7D or 90D like camera, a very basic full frame without viewfinder and 3 fps won't be enough.
      So i think there is a need for n APS-C line. Maybe the M will stay alive but that system is quite weak in lens department.
    17. I am not so sure. Not long ago Canon introduced 2000D and 4000D, a $400 DSLR (with lens) for markets where even 500-600$ is considered too expensive.
      I don't see how a full frame will be ever that cheap. And someone who wants a 7D or 90D like camera, a very basic full frame without viewfinder and 3 fps won't be enough.
      So i think there is a need for n APS-C line. Maybe the M will stay alive but that system is quite weak in lens department.

      The jury is definitely still out regarding if Canon has any intentions on creating an IQ focused smaller format camera system.

      As others have mentioned, EF-S is dead for all intents and purposes, and the EFM lenses prioritize portability over IQ (although the 32f1.4 does cast some doubt on this theory).

      Very interesting to see if Canon focuses on low cost FF to be the gateway to up-selling existing customers vs the old EF-S to EF upgrade path. It certainly seems that way with the recently released consumer zoom & this rumored lens. And if the M remains the APS-C option.

      Either way I think this is all a bit early as we won't know for some years potentially as Canon focuses on the R bodies and RF mount in the near term.

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