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    Patent: New Consumer Level Zoom Lenses

    By 26 Comments1 Min Read Canon Patents
    patent1770 728x462 - Patent: New Consumer Level Zoom Lenses

    A couple of optical formula consumer zoom lens patents have appeared at the USPTO.

    Canon EF 17-70mm f/3.5-5.6 (US Patent Application 20180275370)

    Focal Length     17.40    35.00   67.98
    F-Number          3.23     4.10    5.85
    Image Height   21.64     21.64  21.64
    BF                        38.38     53.37  84.83

    Canon EF 16-60mm f/3.5-6.3 (US Patent Application 20180275382)

    Focal Length     16.30   24.10   58.00
    F-Number          3.59    3.94    6.37
    Image Height    21.64   21.64   21.64
    BF                         38.42   45.65   83.75

    Canon EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 (US Patent Application 20180275383)

    Focal Length     15.45    30.00    44.45
    F-Number          3.60     5.00     6.44
    Image Height     13.66   13.66    13.66
    BF                         11.36   11.36    11.36

    The EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is one of the few weak spots in the EF-M lens lineup and an update would be quite welcomed.

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    26 comments

    3. Remember, the first two designs are FULL FRAME.

      I really doubt, especially now, that we'll ever see an f/6.3 minimum aperture point on an EF lens especially after Canon have said for so many years that won't happen.


      What CR missed out of the story is that the first lens design also has IS.

      I still suspect that the two designs (and obviously we'll only see one of them) are more likely as RF than EF now.
    6. I still suspect that the two designs (and obviously we'll only see one of them) are more likely as RF than EF now.
      The unusual range does seem to suggest consumer-grade RF mounts - which will have to come sooner rather than later.
    7. Wait, FF 17-70mm or 16-60mm? Is there any precedence for such ultrawide-to-short-tele zoom lenses? Sounds like a really novel concept.

      At the right price, it could be interesting. I own a 16-35, but rarely use it because I don't really need wider than 24mm very often, and I don't like having to switch the 24-70 back on afterwards. If it's consumer grade, it will probably be light, and that will be just fine (or preferable) for a second body that I tote around.
    8. An interesting pair of EF lenses, but oddly overlapping.

      I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for EF-S. It does look like Canon needs to rationalise its mounts and since few EF-S buyers ever expand their lens collection it would be relatively painless to let it lapse. The xxxxD owners will just keep using their kit lens until their camera dies and then throw the whole rig in the bin, anyway. By the time they head back to Besy Buy for a new camera EF-M and RF will have filled the EF-S space from each direction.
    11. The EF-M lens patent doesn't mention anything specifically about IS, so I wonder if this indicates either a shift in the future towards IBIS in the EOS-M series, or more possibly for a new cost-reduced lens to go with the next low-end EOS-M (M100 replacement) .
    12. An interesting pair of EF lenses, but oddly overlapping.

      These are patent applications on optical formulas, not plans to produce lenses like those. Optical patents very often include a few variations of the same basic concept. Nothing odd here.
    14. The EF-M lens patent doesn't mention anything specifically about IS, so I wonder if this indicates either a shift in the future towards IBIS in the EOS-M series, or more possibly for a new cost-reduced lens to go with the next low-end EOS-M (M100 replacement) .

      IBIS isn't a full replacement for lens based IS. Yes, IBIS is great for when you have a lens mounted that doesn't have any built-in IS. But its been proven that lens based IS is currently superior, especially for video. Now if you have IBIS working in tandem with lens based IS, then that would be an incredibly stable shooting experience even for larger focal length lenses. Like others have said, this is most likely just an optical lens patent and not what will be coming out as an actual lens. I would much rather want an EF-M 15-45mm F/4 IS USM (Nano USM) lens then something like a slightly upgraded version of the current EF-M 15-45mm lens.
    16. Who in the hell would by such slow lenses? A zoom that tops out at 60mm and ramps to f/6.3? Yeah, sign me up. Said no one ever.

      yeah...the sigma and tamron 150-600 are such fails... :rolleyes:

      you missed the fact (as have I) that these are FF zooms and start at 16/17mm all the way to 60/70. i'll just wait until you show us another zoom which does that
    18. Also, don't forget that at the lower end of the market most buyers haven't a clue what the difference between f/3.5 and f/6.3 is
      I think you are going too far there.

      Focal length and aperture are the defining properties of a lens. Without knowing anything about them, purchasing a new lens seems impossible.

      I mean who would ever buy a nifty fifty 50mm 1.8? Each kit lens can deliver the same field of view, and more. Clearly, Canon can't hope to ever sell a single copy of that lens, since its price and Performance are targeting the lowest end market, that doesn't know the difference between 1.8 and 5.6 - Wait :D
    19. At the right price, it could be interesting. I own a 16-35, but rarely use it because I don't really need wider than 24mm very often
      16-35 better under 28mm. 24-70 wide distortion is bad.

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