Canon Patent: Compact APS-C Wide Primes — 10mm, 12mm, 18mm & 28mm F2.8

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Canon has filed a patent application (publication number P2026052804, published March 25, 2026, filed September 12, 2024) covering optical systems that look suspiciously like a lineup of compact APS-C prime lenses. The patent — titled simply "Optical System and Imaging Device" — presents multiple embodiments clustered around an F/2.8 aperture class, covering focal lengths from 10mm to 28mm.

Here's what the optical data tells us:

Embodiment 1 — ~12mm F2.8

  • Focal length: 12.38mm
  • F-number: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 42.99°
  • Image height: 11.54mm
  • Total length: 63.50mm
  • Back focus: 12.00mm

Embodiment 3 — ~28mm F2.8

  • Focal length: 28.17mm
  • F-number: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 24.14°
  • Image height: 12.63mm
  • Total length: 67.03mm
  • Back focus: 15.32mm

Embodiment 4 — ~10mm F2.8

  • Focal length: 10.02mm
  • F-number: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 48.98°
  • Image height: 11.52mm
  • Total length: 65.00mm
  • Back focus: 12.00mm

Embodiment 7 — ~14mm F2.8

  • Focal length: 14.63mm
  • F-number: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 39.45°
  • Image height: 12.04mm
  • Total length: 64.29mm
  • Back focus: 16.54mm

Embodiment 8 — ~18mm F2.8

  • Focal length: 18.13mm
  • F-number: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 33.83°
  • Image height: 12.15mm
  • Total length: 70.71mm
  • Back focus: 12.17mm

What's Canon Up To?

A few things stand out immediately. All embodiments share a tight F/2.83 aperture — clearly a unified F2.8 optical design philosophy across the series. The total lengths are remarkably compact: sub-70mm for everything from 10mm to 28mm is impressive. These aren't the kind of chunky pro primes Canon builds for RF full-frame.

The image heights are the interesting wrinkle. At 11–12mm image height, these designs fall short of what you'd normally expect for APS-C (which typically needs ~14mm image height). Asobinet's own analysis notes this discrepancy, suggesting Canon may be designing these with some built-in cropping in mind — trading a bit of the corner image circle to correct residual distortion in-camera. This isn't unusual; several existing Canon lenses do exactly this.

The back focus situation: With back focus values of 12–15mm across the lineup, these are clearly designed for a short flange-to-sensor distance mount. That points firmly at EF-M or RF-S / EOS R APS-C territory. Canon's EF-M system is effectively on life support at this point, so RF-S is the logical destination — meaning these could be affordable compact primes for the EOS R50 / R10 / R100 crowd.

Does This Mean Anything?

As always with Canon patents: file with healthy skepticism. Canon patents prolifically, and the vast majority never leave the lab. That said, this is a coherent, well-structured lineup — five focal lengths with unified aperture and compact dimensions — which suggests someone at Canon was seriously thinking about a kit of compact APS-C primes. Whether that becomes RF-S 10mm F2.8, 12mm F2.8, 18mm F2.8, and 28mm F2.8 lenses is another question entirely.

What Canon has shown with the RF-S line so far is a willingness to offer affordable, small lenses for their crop-sensor mirrorless bodies. A set of fast-ish primes in this style would fill a real gap in the RF-S lineup, which currently leans heavily on zooms. Fingers crossed this one actually makes it to production.

Source: Asobinet (Japanese) — Patent P2026052804

Canon Plans to Re-Introduce a New Lens? No, It’s Just A Patent

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Here we have a classic example of rumor fabrication.

A patent shows up, and they want you to believe it means a new lens is coming soon. In the meantime you are kindly invited to click on their ads.

That’s not how it is. Patents are not proof of upcoming lenses. In their wet phantasies, someone calls it “eye of Sauron lens”. Is more childish bs even possible?

Asobinet spotted a new patent describing the optical design and specs of three new RF lenses:

  • 150mm f/1.4
  • 200mm f/1.8
  • 300mm f/2

Patents, nothing else.

Source: Asobinet

Canon WM-E1-R: Specs Surface for Canon’s First Wireless Bluetooth Microphone

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Details on Canon’s upcoming wireless microphone system have surfaced via an overseas certification authority, giving us a first look at the specs for the WM-E1-R. Canon’s first official Bluetooth wireless microphone.

The filing covers two model numbers: DS586233 (receiver) and DS586234 (transmitter/mic capsule), which together make up the WM-E1-R system.

Specs

  • Wireless: Bluetooth 5.2
  • Polar pattern: Omnidirectional
  • Made in: Japan
  • Receiver size: approx. 45.4 × 36.4 × 52.8 mm
  • Microphone size: approx. 54.0 × 23.2 × 47.5 mm

The receiver is compact enough to mount in a hot shoe; the mic capsule is a clip-on or lavalier-style unit. Both are small, comparable to competing systems from Rode and DJI in the same category.

Timing

The certification registration dropped on February 23, 2026, just days before CP+. That’s not a coincidence, Canon tends to clear regulatory hurdles right before major announcements. Whether it showed up at CP+ or lands shortly after remains to be seen, but the filing strongly suggests a formal reveal is imminent.

What It Means

Canon has been steadily building out its video ecosystem alongside the EOS R lineup, and a first-party wireless mic is an obvious gap to fill. Bluetooth 5.2 is a reasonable choice for this use case, low latency, solid range, and no need for an extra dongle beyond the receiver.

The omnidirectional pickup pattern keeps it versatile for on-camera interviews and vlogging, though it’s not a replacement for directional mics in noisier environments.

More details, including pricing and availability, when Canon makes it official.

Source: Asobinet

Canon Patent Application Highlights New Compact Zoom Lens Designs

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A new Canon patent application, published on April 28, 2025, outlines several interesting optical system designs. Among them are full-frame-compatible zoom lenses believed to target configurations like a 20–40mm f/2.8 and 20–50mm f/4, as well as an APS-C format lens such as a 12–35mm f/2.5–3.5.

Although it’s uncertain whether these specific designs will reach commercial production, Canon’s track record suggests it’s a real possibility. These lenses might be part of a broader initiative to develop zoom lenses optimized for video applications.

Patent Overview

  • Publication Number: JP2025-68535 (P2025-68535A)
  • Publication Date: April 28, 2025
  • Title: Zoom Lens and Imaging Device Having the Same
  • Filing Date: October 16, 2023
  • Applicant: Canon Inc.
  • Applicant ID: 000001007

The patent describes a compact zoom lens that offers high optical performance.

Background

Zoom lenses used in image capture devices often become bulky when the mass, number, or movement range of lens groups increases during zooming. Previous designs, such as the one cited in Patent Document 1, fall short in correcting optical aberrations effectively throughout the zoom range. This has created a demand for compact, high-performance zoom lenses.

Summary of the Invention

The aim of this invention is to provide a small-form-factor zoom lens with excellent optical quality.

Several of the optical systems in this application suggest designs intended for inner zoom-type lenses, including both full-frame and APS-C models. Some may be considering a powered zoom mechanism with an integrated motor drive, similar to Canon’s RF-S 14–30mm f/4–6.3 IS STM PZ, which appears in related patent filings that assume the use of electric zoom functionality.

The examples include lenses with constant apertures of f/2.8 and f/4, offering user-friendly optics. The focal lengths lean toward the wide-angle end, aligning with the growing demand for video-capable lenses. While the aperture varies only in the APS-C design – reaching a bright f/2.35 on the wide end – all examples are noted for their relatively long lengths. However, their inner zoom construction ensures the center of gravity remains stable during use, which is especially beneficial for video work.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 20.61-38.72
  • F-number: 2.90
  • Half angle of view: 43.64-29.19
  • Image height: 19.65-21.64
  • Total length: 130.70
  • Back focus: 31.45-40.28

Example 2

  • Focal length: 20.61-48.39
  • F-number: 4.10
  • Half angle of view: 43.69-24.09
  • Image height: 19.69-21.64
  • Overall length: 133.51
  • Back Focus: 12.18

Example 3

  • Focal length: 15.47-28.82
  • F-number: 4.10
  • Half angle of view: 52.36-36.90
  • Image height: 20.06-21.64
  • Overall length: 97.47
  • Back Focus: 11.75

Example 4

  • Focal length: 12.37-33.97
  • F-number: 2.35-3.60
  • Half angle of view: 44.47-21.96
  • Image height: 12.14-13.70
  • Overall length: 113.77
  • Back Focus: 11.50

[via asobinet]

Canon Patent: RF-S 14-30mm F4-6.3 IS STM PZ

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A noteworthy Canon patent application, published on April 4, 2025, has surfaced. It shares a similar design to the recently announced RF-S 14-30mm F4-6.3 IS STM PZ. A comparable patent was also filed last year. So, I am not sure if this patent refers directly to the RF-S 14-30mm or if it is a new lens design.

Overview

  • Publication Number: P2025050505
  • Publication Date: April 4, 2025
  • Title: Zoom Lens and Imaging Device
  • Application Date: September 25, 2023
  • Applicant: Canon Inc. (ID: 000001007)

The invention describes a compact and lightweight zoom lens with a wide angle of view and high optical performance.

Background

Zoom lenses used in imaging devices must maintain high optical performance across the entire zoom range, particularly at wide angles, while also being compact. Patent Document 1 introduces a negative-lead wide-angle zoom lens, where a lens group with negative refractive power is positioned toward the object side. This design helps achieve both compactness and a wide angle of view.

However, the lens described in Patent Document 1 suffers from inadequate correction of field curvature at the wide-angle end, resulting in reduced image quality at the edges.

This new invention aims to address those issues by offering a negative-lead type zoom lens that is small, lightweight, and delivers high optical performance throughout the entire zoom range, including at wide angles.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 14.42-29.10
  • F-number: 4.08-5.71
  • Half angle of view: 38.88-24.93
  • Image height: 11.63-13.52
  • Overall length: 78.51
  • Back Focus: 12.34

Example 2

  • Focal length: 14.42-29.10
  • F-number: 4.12-6.40
  • Half angle of view: 38.92-24.89
  • Image height: 11.65-13.50
  • Overall length: 78.53
  • Back Focus: 12.41

[via asobinet]

Canon Patent: 24-130mm F4 IS and 24-80mm F2.8 IS

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Here is a new Canon patent application for two zoom lenses.

Canon patent application 2024160458 (Japan, published 11/14/2024) discusses optical formulas for two zoom lenses:

  • 24-130mm F4 IS
  • 24-80mm F2.8 IS

From the patent literature:

  • To obtain a compact zoom lens having a bright F-number, a high zoom ratio, and high optical performance.
  • Background Art: Zoom lenses used in imaging devices such as those described above are required to have high performance with minimal aberrations and high resolution up to high spatial frequencies. In such zoom lenses, the degradation of optical characteristics due to diffraction cannot be ignored. Since the degradation of imaging performance due to diffraction is determined by the F-number of the zoom lens, zoom lenses are required to have a bright open F-number (large aperture ratio). Also, in order to reduce noise when imaging in dark places, a bright F-number is required throughout the entire zoom range. Furthermore, zoom lenses are required to be compact and to have a high zoom ratio.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 24.72-130.99
  • F-number: 4.08-4.12
  • Half angle of view: 37.84-9.38
  • Image height: 19.20-21.64
  • Total length: 127.91-182.91
  • Back focus: 11.19-47.32

Example 2

  • Focal length: 24.72-82.44
  • F-number: 2.88-2.91
  • Half angle of view: 37.91-14.71
  • Image height: 19.25-21.64
  • Total length: 141.91-178.40
  • Back focus: 12.29-33.22

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]