Canon patent for EF 16-40mm f/4 lens (replacement for EF 17-40mm f/4?)

Canon filed a patent for an EF 16-40mm f/4 lens, which appears to point to a replacement for the venerable Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, one of the more affordable Canon “L” lenses. The EF 17-40mm f/4L was introduced in 2003, a replacement is likely given the new high resolution sensors Canon is starting to produce.

• Patent Publication No. 2015-206976
  • Published 2015.11.19
  • Filing date 2014.4.23
• Example
  • Zoom ratio 2.36
  • Focal length 16.48 24.40 38.90
  • F-number 4.12 4.12 4.12
  • Half angle (in degrees) 52.70 41.56 29.08
  • Image height 21.64
  • Overall length of the lens 177.74 162.40 159.73
  • BF 38.00 45.51 63.40

[via Egami]