Canon Announces Redesigned EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 600mm f/4L IS III Lenses

Canon EF 400mm F/2.8L IS III
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I missed this on Canon EOS R announcement day. So here it is. The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 with an estimated retail price of $11,999. The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 for an estimated retail price of $12,999. Pre-orders are not open yet but you can get notified when they are available.

Canon press release:

Canon Redesigns Premium L-Series Super-Telephoto Lenses With Its New EF 400MM F/2.8L IS III USM AND EF 600MM F/4L IS III USM Lenses

New Compact and Lightweight EF Super-Telephoto Lenses Are Well Suited for a Variety of Photographers’ Needs

MELVILLE, N.Y., September 5, 2018 – Most professional photographers need to carry multiple lenses in their camera bags. Helping to lighten their load, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, introduces two new super-telephoto lenses, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM. Both lenses possess a dramatic weight reduction and high-image quality, making it ideal for shooters to easily transport and capture images during action-driven scenarios, such as sports and wildlife. Both lenses now hold the title of world’s lightest in their respective focal length*. The weight of the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lenses has been reduced by 2.2 lbs. (more than 25 percent) and 1.9 lbs. (more than 20 percent) respectively.

“When developing updates to some of Canon’s most popular legacy lenses, one common question that is asked by photographers was ‘can they be lighter,’” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The significant reduction of weight in these two lenses addresses this customer need and delivers thoughtfully designed, high-quality optics .”

The new lenses are must-haves for advanced and professional photographers shooting wildlife, aviation, sports and news with Canon’s new EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera (with use of one of the three new Canon mount adapters), as well the EOS 1D and 5D series of DSLR Cameras. Both lenses feature two of Canon’s most advanced propriety lens technologies – Air Sphere Coating (ASC) and Super Spectra Coating (SSC), helping to reduce flaring and ghosting, and suppressing the reflection of light, leading to vivid images. These updated lenses inherit the excellent overall build-quality and ruggedness photographers have come to expect and admire from the Canon EF L series of lenses. In addition, the minimum focusing distance has been improved for both lenses, from 2.7m to 2.5m (8.8ft to 8.2ft) for the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and 4.5m to 4.2m (14.8ft to 13.8ft) for the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM.

Additional noteworthy features of the lenses include:

  • Upgraded Optical Image Stabilization from three-and-a-half stops to five shutter speed stops1 of correction over the previous f/2.8 lens
  • Improved, flexible focus control with a customizable electronic-focus ring
  • Two fluorite lenses and one super UD lens, helping to provide high image quality
  • Circular nine-blade aperture
  • 17 lens elements in 13 groups
  • Heat-shielding paint helps prevent lens temperature from rising during excessive exposure to sun
  • Fluorine coating on front and rear optical elements, helps to reduce smears and fingerprints
  • Inner focusing system with Ring Ultrasonic Motor

Availability and Pricing

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 with an estimated retail price of $11,999. The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 for an estimated retail price of $12,999^. For additional information regarding the lenses predecessors please visit, visit usa.canon.com.

The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens

A New Pancake Lens is Coming, the ExperimentalOptics 35mm f/2.7 for FF Cameras

Experimentaloptics 35mm F/2.8
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A new lens got a funding campaign at Kickstarter. The ExperimentalOptics 35mm f/2.7 full frame pancake lens claims to the “Smallest Fastest Pancake Lens in the World”.

About the mount type they say “the lens has a clever combined Leica M and M39 mount to make it universally adaptable to virtually any camera (apart from SLRs), especially any mirrorless present or future“. So not Canon DSLRs, but hopefully it will work with the Canon EOS R.

The ExperimentalOptics 35mm f/2.7 full frame pancake lens, 7mm thin, 40g light, stealth, sturdy and razor sharp. This is not just an engineering achievement, it is truly the perfect lens for photographers: it puts the least amount of glass and kit between you and your world. It’s a joy to handle and operate, a beautifully crafted object in itself, and creates absolutely stunning results. Our careful choice of focal length, aperture, design and handling allow photographers to capture the world exactly as they see it and truly express their creative vision.

This is not a toy lens. It is a special piece of equipment for professionals, aficionados and connoisseurs. We spent more than two years developing and testing it, and now it’s ready. Almost, that is, because it still needs to be produced… To bring this unique, uncompromising project to life, we’ve gone on kickstarter.

It all will be handmade and, as a result, in very limited quantities only. We expect to ship a first batch of 20 lenses in 2018 and a second batch of another 20 lenses in 2019. That should make this not only the tiniest, but also one of the rarest lenses in the world.

Canon’s Ultra High Sensitivity 2MP Sensor Has Gone Into Production (the sensor that can see in the dark)

35MMFHDXSCA Image Sensors
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Canon’s ultra high sensitivity sensor, the 35MMFHDXSCA, with a 2 MP resolution has been released into production, as Nikkei reports.

The new product, “35MMFHDXSCA” is targeted at astronomical observation, monitoring of a natural disaster, industrial use, etc. Its pixel is as large as 19 x 19μm. Canon reduced noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases. As a result, it became possible to shoot color video with a low illuminance of 0.001lx or less, enabling to take video of shooting stars.

The 35MMFHDXSCA is capable of reading out video with a pixel count of 2,160 x 1,280, which is broader than full HD. Therefore, it is suited not only for astronomical observation, for which wide-angle video needs to be taken, but also for monitoring and industrial use, which require special aspect ratios.

There was a press communication by Canon Japan (machine translated) and while their are not revealing the price, Canon USA is offering the sensor for sale. You won’t be able to order online or to just stop by at you nearest camera shop. To know the price and purchase it you have to contact Canon for further information.

For those more technically inclined, a white paper can be downloaded from this page.

[via Image Sensor World via Nikkei]

Sample Photos of Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L and Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS lenses for Canon EOS R

Canon RF 24-105mm F/4L IS Review Canon EOS R
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ePhotozine posted sets of sample photos shot using two of Canon’s new RF mount lenses on the brand new Canon EOS R.

All Canon EOS R information, hands-on reviews, first impressions, videos etc we collected so far are listed here.

Pre-orders for the Canon EOS R will start September 12, 2018, you can get notified by B&H Photo or Adorama when they are available. For pre-order notification at B&H for all new Canon gear announced today see here.

Pre-orders for the new RF mount lenses will also start September 15, 2018, and here too you can get notified.

Canon announces the fastest aperture lens for the EOS M system, EF-M 32mm F/1.4 STM

EF-M 32mm F/1.4 STM
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Pre-orders start September 12, 2018, get notified when they are available. For pre-order notification for all new Canon gear announced today see here.

The EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM will be available for purchase in late September 2018 for an estimated retail price of $479.99.

Press release:

Canon Introduces New Lens Featuring The Largest and Fastest Aperture in The EF-M Lens Family

New EF-M 32mm F/1.4 STM Expands Canon’s Robust Lineup of EF-M Lenses Aimed at Entry and Enthusiast-Level Photographers

MELVILLE, N.Y., September 5, 2018 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today introduced a new EF-M wide angle fixed-focal-length lens, the EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM. The EF-M lens is both compact and lightweight, serving as an ideal addition for any photographer shooting with an EOS-M series camera. Entry and enthusiast-level photographers who are passionately seeking to take their photography skills to the next-level will find this lens to be a great addition for portraiture, landscapes or general travel photography.

“As Canon continues to expand the company’s EF-M lineup, it is very important that users are provided the tools they desire for a variety of shooting situations,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM lens delivers great image quality in a compact and lightweight form factor, allowing photographers to capture the images they envision when they pick up their camera.”

The EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM lens is the second EF-M lens to feature a large-aperture, delivering stunning bokeh with a soft blurred background that helps photographers isolate their subjects. In addition, the 32mm focal length converts to approximately 51m in 35mm format, providing an angle-of-view close to the field-of-view of the human eye.

Additional noteworthy features of the EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM lens include:

  • 14 elements in eight groups, including a glass molded aspherical lens
  • Super Spectra Coating technology and optimized lens element placement helps minimize ghosting and flaring
  • Lead gear-type STM stepping motor to help provide smooth and quiet focus operation when taking photos, and near-silence when shooting video
  • Wide focusing ring with full-time manual focus capabilities
  • Compact and lightweight design: maximum diameter of 60.9mm, total length of 50.5mm and approximate weight of 235g
  • Maximum magnification of 0.25x and minimum focusing distance of 0.23m
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