Two new RF L mount lenses rumored for 2021 [CR1]

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    ef200f2 - Two new RF L mount lenses rumored for 2021 [CR1]

    Canon Watch has added two new lenses to the RF mount roadmap for 2021, claiming some one of a kind telephoto and super-telephoto lenses are coming for the RF Mount.

    First up, an RF 250mm f/2L IS USM. This sounds good on paper, but I don't think 250mm is a focal length consumers would understand, especially those that are currently using the EF 200mm f/2L IS USM, which is my favorite Canon lens by the way.

    Second up, an RF 500mm f/2.8L IS USM. I'm no engineer, but this would be a massive lens. We have not yet seen an optical formula patent for this yet.

    The third is the long-rumored RF 70-135mm f/2L USM. I have been writing about this lens for a while now and it continues to get mentions.

    Take this info for what it's worth, but I guess anything is possible.

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    1. Just applying the focal length/aperture, the 500 f/2.8 would have a front element diameter of 178 mm, the 600 f/4 = 150 mm, and the 500 f/4 = 125 mm. I would expect this to be expensive, but 28 mm is 1.1 inches, so the diameter would be 1.1 inches greater than the current 600 f/4.

      But, what a statement lens. Love all three of these rumored lenses.
    5. If they can figure out how to optimize that 500mm f2.8 size and weight, I would buy it in a heartbeat. It would be the ultimate bid in flight/wildlife lens. It would take extenders and be a 700 mm f4 or a 1000 mm f5.6! What a beast! The ultimate shoulder hour, forest, rainy day wildlife lens!

      Just need to keep working out to carry this lens and gotta keep working another two years to afford it!

      Bob
    9. Well, yes it's likely to be big and heavy, but let's see what this thing looks like in production. Canon has been pretty innovate with lens designs to overcome these sort of challenges, like how they were able to minimize the 600 f/11 and 800 f/11 with a collapsible design. Who knows, maybe the 500 f/2.8 will come with its own landing gear to roll it around or some sort of harness to anchor it to your hips :sneaky:.

      But seriously, I'm all for weird designs.
    10. I'm not convinced by the 250mm f/2.
      For the 500mm f/2.8 there is already such monster by Sigma. This should give an idea of the size of such monster:
      Ah yes - the rocket launcher!
      unnamed (2).jpg
    11. I'm not convinced by the 250mm f/2.
      For the 500mm f/2.8 there is already such monster by Sigma. This should give an idea of the size of such monster:
      These lenses are specifically designed to convert FroKnowsPhoto to a canon user. He can be working on his biceps while he's shooting.

      -Brian
    12. @Canon Rumors Guy What makes the 200 F2 L your favorite? I was thinking of something like this for astrophotography, but that's not as common a use. What do you mainly use it for?

      Not addressed to me, but I own it. Fantastic for most sports in less than ideal light, and also very nice for portraits.

      And yes, I want all three of those lenses. But, probably would focus on the 70-135mm f/2.
    13. I'm pretty sure there's no reason there can't be a 250mm F/2, and I'd definitely be more interested in that lens than a 200 F/2. I use a 24-70 and 70-200 for night time breaking news, and the 300mm f/2.8 isn't enough extra reach to make me wish I had it, but adding a stop of light and some extra reach would make a great case for keeping a supertelephoto on me for night work. Canon also has been focusing on making *all* of the RF lenses have something special that puts them over the top of EF lenses, so I'm confident this lens would make sense.

      A really, really great night sports/news combination would be RF 28-70 F/2, RF 70-135 F/2, and RF 250 F/2.

      As for the 500mm f/2.8, now that's fascinating. If Canon can apply the same design principles of the EF 400mm F/2.8L IS III and the new 600mm, this might not be all that heavy of a lens. Maybe with the new lens designs they could pull off a 500mm f/2.8L IS that's only as heavy as the old 600mm F/4L IS? Add in DO or other designs and maybe it could be very manageable. This would be a dream lens for football, I know a lot of photogs who shoot with the 500 F/4 or 600 F/4 and sacrifice aperture for reach.
    17. There is no reason Canon can’t make both a 500 f2.8 and a 250 f2, they are similar statement lenses to the early EF lenses like the 200 f1.8 and the 50 f1.0 and the 1,200mm f5.6 and would make a lot of sense if launched with a 1 series R body.

      But the prices are going to be eye watering and they are going to have to use DO elements to keep the size and weight down to manageable levels. I used to shoot tennis and it wasn’t unusual to see ten Canon 200f1.8 and f2’s in the photo pit, but I’d think 250mm might be a bit too long for them. Wide field Astro was another big market for the various super fast 200’s, indeed the very rare reverse engineered FDn 200 f1.8 version collect huge money because they don’t need power for the focus by wire af motor, though many of them have issues with cloudy elements due to age nowadays.

      Of course this brings us neatly to the legendary and very rarely seen Canon 300mm f1.8. https://petapixel.com/2017/04/27/canon-300mm-f1-8-yes-monster-lens-exists/
      Scale that lens up 10-15% and you’d have your 500mm f2.8 DO.

      image3.jpg

      PE 300mm f1.8. EF mount and AF.

      image2.jpg
    18. I hope this rumor dont imply that the 24 or a 35 f1.4 or f1.2 L lenses aren’t coming in 2021 (or earlier).
      I think it most likely they would accompany a 1 series R release, very low volume but high profile statement lenses.

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