As we look at the holes in the RF lens lineup, it's easy to come to the conclusion that the wide angle prime lens offerings are lacking. We currently only have the Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro and Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro lenses to fill the void.
We have been told that Canon will be releasing the following 4 wide angle L prime lenses in the next 12 months.
- Canon RF 12mm f/1.8L USM
- Canon RF 24mm f/1.4L USM
- Canon RF 28mm f/1.4L USM
- Canon RF 35mm f/1.2L USM (This has been rumored for an eternity)
That said, the next L lens to be announced from Canon will be the Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L USM. We're not sure if this lens will get a DS version like the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS USM. We're also not sure if it will come with image stabilization, but we feel that is a longshot.
More to come…
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Will the RF 135mm f/1.8 be STM? Kidding.
... or super-cheap lenses with slow-focus STM motors.
***SCREAM for INBETWEEN***
Canon were king of the heap for 30 years before RF. Now they seem to only be interested in extremes - extreme fast lenses (f1.2 f1.4 etc) at stupid high prices, or extreme slow, f-****-elevens. To make sure they irritate as much people as possible, they won't let third-party lenses compete.
- fast inventory turnover
- better profit margin
Next 4 years of RF lens
- slower inventory turnover
- worse profit margin
The L-series, in Canon's philosophy, is about extremes. The goalposts have moved as technology improves, and what was once difficult becomes easier to achieve. But I believe that L-series lenses will always try to push the optical envelope (and the wallet). Slow L-series primes in the wide to short tele range (where there are already multiple L zoom lenses with slow apertures) aren't at all likely.
People who want the middle can adapt EF.
It's difficult to gauge how much demand there is for such optics, but I honestly believe they would sell in high enough numbers to make it worthwhile to Canon, and I also believe that the "policy of extremes" is alienating a lot of existing customers, and discouraging new customers.
If there was not a supply shortage in the middle then I would tend to agree with you.
It is really hard to predict anything right now.
Canon tends to push things a little further.
There is too big of a gap between L and non L lenses.
They even used that motor in some cheaper lenses (EF 70-300) then decided to go with the worse STM. What is that if not market segmentation?