Patent: Canon shows off optical formulas for APS-C RF mount kit lenses

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    rf1545 - Patent: Canon shows off optical formulas for APS-C RF mount kit lenses

    Canon News has uncovered a patent with various APS-C RF mount lenses. On the Canon Rumors RF mount lens roadmap, I have had an RF 18-45mm f/4-5.6 IS STM for quite some time. I've always thought this was a strange focal length for full-frame image sensors based on Canon's history of kit lens focal lengths.

    I have not heard anything about an APS-C image sensor equipped sensor for the RF mount in quite some time, but I still believe such a camera is part of Canon's long-term plans.

    Canon RF-S 15-45mm F4-6.3

    • Focal distance: 15.46mm 24.00mm 43.65mm
    • F-number: 4.16 4.92 6.50
    • Half angle of view: 38.73° 29.65° 17.38°
    • Image Height: 12.40mm 13.66mm 13.66mm
    • Total length of lens: 96.84mm 85.69mm 84.27mm
    • BF: 26.19mm 34.03mm 49.18mm

    Canon RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3

    • Focal length: 18.53mm 30.00mm 43.65mm
    • F-numbe:r 4.56 5.48 6.50
    • Half angle of view: 33.78° 24.48° 17.38°
    • Image height: 12.40mm 13.66mm 13.66mm
    • Lens total length: 89.11mm 81.23mm 81.40mm
    • BF: 28.48mm 38.21mm 47.77mm

    Canon RF-S 16-45mm F4-6.3

    • Focal length: 16.41mm 24.00mm 43.65mm
    • F-number: 4.21 4.90 6.50
    • Half angle of view: 37.08° 29.65° 17.38°
    • Image height: 12.40mm 13.66mm 13.66mm
    • Lens total length: 99.00mm 87.77mm 83.61mm
    • BF: 24.60mm 31.13mm 45.64mm

    Canon RF-S 20-45mm F4-6.3

    • Focal length: 20.01mm 27.0mm0 43.65mm
    • F-number: 4.60 5.15 6.50
    • Half angle of view: 31.79° 26.84° 17.38°
    • Image height: 12.4mm0 13.66mm 13.66mm
    • Lens total length: 92.00mm 84.32mm 83.15mm
    • BF: 33.77mm 39.3mm 52.69mm
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    5. Well, if they do an "R7" I hope for an RF-S kit option something similar to my EF-S 15-85mm (and a wideangle zoom going down to at least 10mm). But good to see some activity nonetheless.

      Don't forget there's also a patent for an APS-C 100-400mm F5.6-7.1. Such a zoom is also to be found on CR's road-map, and it could be super-cool to announce together with an "R7" :)

      And recently some APS-C 55-250mm telezoom patents was discovered too.

      I'm starting to become really optimistic on RF APS-C ...
    6. Well, if they do an "R7" I hope for an RF-S kit option something similar to my EF-S 15-85mm (and a wideangle zoom going down to at least 10mm). But good to see some activity nonetheless.

      Don't forget there's also a patent for an APS-C 100-400mm F5.6-7.1. Such a zoom is also to be found on CR's road-map, and it could be super-cool to announce together with an "R7" :)

      And recently some APS-C 55-250mm telezoom patents was discovered too.

      I'm starting to become really optimistic on RF APS-C ...
      I don't think there is any way of telling in any of these patents whether these designs are aimed at the RF mound or the M mount, but the apertures and focal lengths strongly suggest M to me. Also, note that Canon has released an EF to RF focal reducer, and it has been speculated that is aimed at the Cine camera bodies, but it should be noted that the crop mode video in the R5 is the most versatile all around mode with more depth of field. In that mode, you can shoot 4k/60p oversampled video that looks much better than the FF 60p video and as far as I can tell, there is no heating problem. I think the take away is don't get your hopes too high for an APS-c R any time soon. Cine cameras will stay at super35 for as long as possible because that is what cinematographers are most familiar with when calculating DOF, etc. and I can tell you from first hand experience with many of them that they don't accept change easily, not to mention that FF actually makes many cinema shots harder to optimize (65mm originals were famously had to shoot).

      If these patents are M oriented, then the 100-400 seems the most likely as it would fill an obvious hole in the line.
    7. I got my R5 a few weeks ago and am about to do something I thought I would never do – put both my 7DII and 5DIV up for sale. With the crop mode on the R5 there simply is no longer any need for me to use the 7D.

      There may be a market for a crop sensor R body, but I wonder just how large that market would be, when the current R system offers both a full frame and a crop sensor body in one. Not discounting it entirely, but I think it will have to wait until after Canon issues the R3, R1 and high-megapixel R body.
    8. I got my R5 a few weeks ago and am about to do something I thought I would never do – put both my 7DII and 5DIV up for sale. With the crop mode on the R5 there simply is no longer any need for me to use the 7D.

      There may be a market for a crop sensor R body, but I wonder just how large that market would be, when the current R system offers both a full frame and a crop sensor body in one. Not discounting it entirely, but I think it will have to wait until after Canon issues the R3, R1 and high-megapixel R body.
      I particularly like the feature that the R5 recognizes an EF-s lens and automatically switches to crop mode. The R5 has pretty much taken over my FF activity, but do still use the M5 quite a bit because of its extreme portability. The high MP body will remove the last functional reason for a high end APS-c body (i.e. pixels on the bird). I think those wishing for another mini 1 series like the 7D line will likely not see their wishes fulfilled. In my experience shooting birds with the R5, FF is a huge advantage over my 90D for keeping the bird in the frame and more usable shots result in spite of the lower pixel density.
    9. With the crop mode on the R5 there simply is no longer any need for me to use the 7D.

      It's the old discussion repeated again and again on these comment threads and all photography forums.
      But for someone shooting both fullframe and crop, I understand demand is considerable smaller for a crop camera when high-res fullframe cameras has a crop mode.
      But I'm not a fullframe user. I want a "cheap", compact and light system, and preferable more light and compact than my current APS-C DSLR system. Yes, you can mount cheaper, lighter and smaller (EF-S) lenses using crop-mode on an R5, but the price of an R5 is way beyond what I ever can justify paying for a camera. If the R6 was a 20megapixel crop-camera though, I would probably be shooting mirrorless now...
    11. It's the old discussion repeated again and again on these comment threads and all photography forums...
      ...I want a "cheap", compact and light system, and preferable more light and compact than my current APS-C DSLR system.

      I understand, but as they say, "we don't know what we don't know." By that I mean, we don't know just how much of an impact on pricing the smaller sensor might have. It seems like most of the people wanting an R7 assume it will follow the pattern of the 7D -- that is, it will have high end R3 or R1 features with about the only compromise being the crop sensor. And that it will be priced significantly below the R5.

      What we don't know is just how much of a savings the smaller sensor represents. If the price differential remains what it was seven years ago, then we could see a crop sensor version at much lower cost, but if Canon has increased efficiencies in sensor production, then the smaller sensor might translate into only a small difference in pricing.
    12. By that I mean, we don't know just how much of an impact on pricing the smaller sensor might have.
      Yes, but I'm talking about complete system. Not just a camera (But as I said. Though kinda expensive, I would probably have been ready to pay for the R6 if it had a 20mp APS-C sensor).
    14. It's the old discussion repeated again and again on these comment threads and all photography forums.
      But for someone shooting both fullframe and crop, I understand demand is considerable smaller for a crop camera when high-res fullframe cameras has a crop mode.
      But I'm not a fullframe user. I want a "cheap", compact and light system, and preferable more light and compact than my current APS-C DSLR system. Yes, you can mount cheaper, lighter and smaller (EF-S) lenses using crop-mode on an R5, but the price of an R5 is way beyond what I ever can justify paying for a camera. If the R6 was a 20megapixel crop-camera though, I would probably be shooting mirrorless now...
      If you want small and light, why not get an M6 II? My M5 is my "portable" camera and I use it quite a lot. I would like to see an M5 II (or equivalent), but an APS-c R doesn't make much sense to me and if it were to truly be a 7D II replacement, be prepared for at least a $2500 price tag. I suspect that price tag is why you haven't seen one and probably won't. Canon threw out a bargain with the 7D II and in this shrinking market, that is unlikely to happen again and they realize that a high (relatively) priced APS-c camera isn't likely to sell in enough volume to make it pay. Even the M5 wasn't a barn burner and it is actually a great little camera. The mass market wants easy and cheap, hence the M50 is one of the best selling cameras around.
    15. I am surprised how many people think there will be an RF-S mount when neither Sony nor Nikon has separate mounts for APS-C.
      For a smaller mount stick with EF-S or EF-M.
    17. I am surprised how many people think there will be an RF-S mount when neither Sony nor Nikon has separate mounts for APS-C.
      For a smaller mount stick with EF-S or EF-M.

      Do people think there will be an "RF-S mount"? I think by "RF-S" people are referring to lenses.
      Btw, I have newer thought of Canon's DSLR "APS-C mount" as being different from their fullframe mount. They both have EF-mounts in my eyes. It's just there's a mechanical obstacle on fullframe cameras preventing EF-S APS-C lenses being mounted by mistake. They don't need that obstacle on fullframe RF cameras though, because the fullframe cameras also have a crop-mode.
      Also EF(/EF-S) mount is not smaller than RF. They have exact same diameter.
      I don't know, maybe I misunderstood you?

      If you want small and light, why not get an M6 II?

      There has never been anything attractive for me about the EF-M system. I want a system that's highly focused for advanced users. To put things in perspective I have a system with 11 lenses for my 7DII, and though I have known it is the future, there has been nothing atractive for me in going mirrorless until Canon introduced their Animal AF on R5/R6.

      So by small and lightweight, I'm not talking about being "pocketable". I'm talking about something being convenient and versatile. A system where I feel I can carry a 3-4 lens kit when going on a "photowalk".
    18. I got my R5 a few weeks ago and am about to do something I thought I would never do – put both my 7DII and 5DIV up for sale. With the crop mode on the R5 there simply is no longer any need for me to use the 7D.

      There may be a market for a crop sensor R body, but I wonder just how large that market would be, when the current R system offers both a full frame and a crop sensor body in one. Not discounting it entirely, but I think it will have to wait until after Canon issues the R3, R1 and high-megapixel R body.
      It is a matter of cost and size, not all (me included) make money from their photography or want to carry such an expensive equipment around in the city. These are separate markets.
    19. I can understand f/6.3 on the EF-M entry level lenses as it's designed to be cheaper, lightweight and portable. But I think f/5.6 entry level lenses would have been a better sell and a slight upgrade incentive on an R series crop as that would be a more higher up market then the M. I'm thinking they will release one or two models which are Rxx and R7.

      I don't think there will be an RF-S mount, the full frame RFs will go into crop mode when one of these lenses are mounted.

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