Canon's Lens Future
The source admits this is a wild concept and comes from a third party. The third party is in a position that this type of knowledge is possible.
I received the following information. Even the source says take it with a large grain of salt.
Over the next decade, Canon will go all “L” EF lenses and EF-S lenses. There will be no NON-L EF lenses produced.
The source claims the following. This is a direct quote.
50mm f/1.4 will be replaced by a new upgraded Pro-grade 50mm f/1.4L at $600-700, even at $700 its still about half the cost of the 50mm f/1.2L and in the reach of most people shooting for say, the 50mm f/1.4 Sigma…
It will offer faster AF than its bigger brother due to lighter focusing groups, and possibly better optical performance due to improvements in glass and coatings…
The old 50mm f/1.4 will be discontinued, as will the 24, 28 and 35 non-L primes, all of which replaced with a 35mm f/1.4 EF-S lens that will be less than $400 and feature a build quality close to the 15-85 (Ie very solid)
CR's Take
I have never heard anything like this previously. It may be worth discussing and drawing out other folks that may have some knowledge on the subject. This is a rumors site, this felt worthwhile posting, even if it's complete poppycock.
I will say the price points are likely way off. I can't see a 35 1.4 coming in under $400. The 50 1.4L with better optics than the 1.2L? I'm not sure about the likelihood of that either.
cr
180 Comments
Canon USA shows 21, including 2 TS lenses, 2 macro lenses, and 1 diffractive optics lens which might as well be an ‘L.’ Of those 21, there are ZERO wide angle zooms, 1 standard zoom, and 1 telephoto prime. Really the only non-L EF lenses are the wide angle and standard telephoto primes.
Interesting use of the word “really”, there. Don’t forget the four tele-zooms.
It is worth (?) comparing Canon USA to Canon UK to see the differences in the line-up. There are a whole host of lenses shown on the latter that are missing from the former. Perhaps this is the shape of things to come.
Likely. The US has a substantially larger market than the UK.
It’s also worth noting that Canon Japan’s site depicts a similar lens lineup to the USA, except that there is only one 70-300mm listed (not surpisingly) and the 100mm macro non-L is on there (though we already know production of that has ceased).
Does anyone know the stop difference in the 1.2 and 1.4 50mm lens? Meaning since the lens is so wide at that point is it a full stop difference between f 1.2 and f 1.4?