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Chinese lens manufacturer Yongnuo seems to have developed their own proprietary VCM motors for their upcoming Sony E mount lenses. The E-Mount won't be the only mount released this year, it will just be first.
I have been told to wait for some news about a Canon mount. The first VCM lens that Yongnuo is launching will be a full-frame. We'll have to wait for more information in regards to Canon.
VCM in Action
While the video below isn't the greatest thing ever, you can see the lens focusing quite quickly on a Sony camera. Perhaps we're going to see an EF version of these lenses like Laowa has started to do.
Chinese Manufacturers Are Getting Better
As we've all seen, there are all sorts of Chinese lens manufacturers racing to come up with top end autofocus performance lenses. This is a hard thing to get right, and I don't think it's going to take much longer for brands to get to the same level as Sigma and Tamron.
Viltrox is quickly making a name for itself with their great value autofocus lenses, and I expect that Venus Optics is going to improve rapidly. Their latest Laowa EF 200mm f/2 is quite good in the autofocus department, even if the optics aren't at the standard a lot of people demand. Going the EF route gets them around Canon's hammer of justice they have for the RF mount.
OEM lenses will always perform better than third party companies. Canon and others don't give access to their proprietary algorithms to approved lenses from Sigma and Tamron. This is the biggest reason why you buy OEM. They cost more, and they make some unique designs, but they'll never be as good when it comes autofocus. One can debate optics.
I'm going to get a bit more information soon with what Yongnuo's plans are.
Is there any patent on VCM that Canon could claim?
I wouldn't think the motor type matters since everyone uses VCM, though they probaby all do them a little bit different. It's probably the physical mount, electronics and algorithms. I'm not 100% sure though.
See: https://www.stanfordmagnets.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-voice-coil-motor.html
- YouTube
Tested on this little R50V:
I don't have a VCM RF lens for reference, but... well, see for yourself. It's quick, it doesn't focus hunt. And whatever Yongnuo uses is already inaudible.
Speed looks decent enough, especially because it is changing focus from far to close. I can't wait for them to fill their lineup. I already want to buy the 50mm just to test it.
If you want 56mm as a portrait lens, their 85mm is full-frame and said to be near perfect optically. But it is a bit older than the aps-c 1.4s and 1.8s.
…I do wish that 11mm came in RF mount.
I have an EF-S Sigma 30mm 1.4 myself! While not quite a pancake:
It's fantastic.. But too narrow for me on APS-C. It turns out I mostly shoot >24mm or <70mm, and its autofocus is too noisy for video. Hence I got the Yongnuo to replace it, and intend to sell this Sigma 30.
There's also a couple of EF 28mms (like the full-frame Sigma 28mm),the manual focus Thypoch Simeria 28mm 1.4, and the 28mm Laowa Argus 1.2.