Canon’s legendary EF 1200mm f/5.6L lens on sale for $180,000 (used)

1200

The Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6L lens is on sale at B&H Photo for $180,000. A single, used unit in good condition. Act fast as this “super deal” won’t last long ;-) The video below gives an introduction to the EF 1200mm, Canon has a dedicated page for the EF 1200mm, or check Wikipedia.

The Canon 1200/5.6L USM, the longest fixed telephoto lens ever built by Canon, contains 13 elements (2 Fluorite) in 10 groups and focus’ down to 49.5′. With an angle-of- view of about 2° on a full-frame 35 mm camera, calling this lens a ‘tele’ is like calling King Kong a monkey.

Built-to-order by Canon from 1993 to 2005, each lens was hand-crafted at the rate of about 2-per-year and a delivery time of about 18 months. Only a dozen-or-so were ever made. Who bought them? National Geographic magazine and Sports Illustrated are known to own a couple, the Feds probably have a few squirreled away somewhere, and a few well-heeled photo enthusiasts.

This particular lens is extremely clean inside and out. Included with this lens is a leather slip-on ‘lens cap’, the original fitted aluminum trunk case, a custom trunk case with wheels that holds the original trunk case, and a prodigious measure of ego satisfaction. Weighing in at over 36lbs and an overall length of 33 inches, a sturdy tripod and pan/tilt head is highly recommended.

Pack mule not included.

Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6L – Image by Wikipedia

 

Canon aids relief efforts following earthquake in central Nepal

Canon Rumor
Canon aids relief efforts following earthquake in central Nepal

TOKYO, April 27, 2015—On April 25, a powerful earthquake struck central Nepal, causing extensive destruction and loss of life. We at Canon would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this disaster and our thoughts go out to those suffering in its aftermath.

While we realize that the road to recovery will be challenging and time-consuming, we hope that the region will soon be able to begin the rebuilding and healing process.

To aid in the relief efforts for the earthquake victims, the Canon Group is making a donation of 5 million yen (approximately US$42,000) to the NGO Japan Platform.

Note:Currency translation based on exchange rate of US$1=JPY119.

(CW2) Canon EOS 6D Mark II coming with tiltable display?

Canon RumorCanon Rumor

I got a small new EOS 6D Mark II rumor (thanks). 

I have been told that Canon may well feature a tiltable display on the upcoming Canon EOS 6D Mark II (see yesterday’s rumor). I rate this rumor only CW2, for the following reason. The EOS 6D Mark II will be as much oriented to the video folks as its predecessor is. That is: very little. The [shoplink 7139]EOS 6D[/shoplink] is mainly a still camera (albeit having video features) and so will be the EOS 6D Mark II.

A tiltable display doesn’t make that much sense on a DSLR which is thought for still photography rather than for serious video work. However, in the past there was a rumor suggesting the EOS 6D Mark II may feature a tiltable display. The same rumor was also suggesting that the EOS 6D Mark II (and EOS 5D Mark IV) will sport Dual Pixel AF. So far no rumors have suggested this possibility. It’s a question I am particularly curious about: will Canon feature Dual Pixel AF on the 6D Mark II?

The Dual Pixel AF question is less obvious than you may think. For the time being, and excluding Canon’s Cinema cameras, only two Canon DSLR have Dual Pixel AF on board, the [shoplink 14246]Canon EOS 70D[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 22664]EOS 7D Mark II[/shoplink]. Canon isn’t putting DPAF in every new DSLR, as many of us thought they would. It seems that DPAF is not a technology Canon considers the to be the right one for any camera. The EOS M3 didn’t get it, to our all surprise.

What do you think?

About our rumor rating:

  • CW1 – probably fake rumor, not reliable (less than 15% chance to be real)
  • CW2 – rumor from an unknown/new source, but otherwise at least a plausible rumor (20%-40% chance to be real)
  • CW3 – around 50% chance to be real, coming from a known source, or from new source with good insight in Canon’s business
  • CW4 – rumor from a known source that was right in the past, high probability to be true (60%-80% chance to be real)
  • CW5 – as good as certain to be true

Canon Announces Results of Extended Acceptance Period for Public Cash Offer to the Shareholders of Axis

Canon Rumor

Canon press release:

Canon Announces Results of Extended Acceptance Period for Public Cash Offer to the Shareholders of Axis

TOKYO, Japan, April 24, 2015—On February 10, 2015, Canon Inc. (“Canon”; Chairman and CEO: Fujio Mitarai) announced a recommended public cash offer (the “Offer”) to the shareholders in the Swedish company Axis AB (“Axis”; President and CEO: Ray Mauritsson) to tender all their shares in Axis to Canon for 340 Swedish krona per share (the Offer Price). Following the end of the acceptance period under the Offer, Canon decided to extend the acceptance period from April 8 until 17:00 (CET) on April 21, 2015. During the extended acceptance period, Axis shareholders tendered 5,445,997 shares, which accounts for 7.84% of the total number of Axis’s outstanding shares. In addition, Canon has acquired 500,187 Axis shares outside of the Offer. As a result, the combination of these shares with the shares tendered by Axis shareholders during the initial acceptance period brings Canon’s current holdings in Axis to 58,362,081 shares, which corresponds to 84.02% of Axis’s outstanding common stock.

Click here to open the rest of the article

(CW3) Canon EOS-1D X Mark II talk (prototypes out in the wild?)

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The Canon EOS-1D X

 

Canon Rumors got some tidbits about the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. Sum up of the rumor:

  • A “handful of Canon EOS-1D X Mark II bodies currently being tested in the field“
  • Announcement expected “some time in 2015“
  • Sensor will have more than 18MP (that’s the resolution of the [shoplink 4119]EOS-1D X[/shoplink])
  • New AF system with more AF points and a “new technology” in the viewfinder display
  • New battery to lower the weight of the camera
  • Larger LCD than EOS-1D X
  • Some ergonomic changes

If the announcement really occurs in 2015 we should soon start to get more rumors Stay tuned…

About our rumor rating:

  • CW1 – probably fake rumor, not reliable (less than 15% chance to be real)
  • CW2 – rumor from an unknown/new source, but otherwise at least a plausible rumor (20%-40% chance to be real)
  • CW3 – around 50% chance to be real, coming from a known source, or from new source with good insight in Canon’s business
  • CW4 – rumor from a known source that was right in the past, high probability to be true (60%-80% chance to be real)
  • CW5 – as good as certain to be true

Deal Alert: Canon EOS 60D – $479 (B&H Photo, compare at $663 on Amazon)

60d

Thanks Niklas. Authorised US Canon dealer B&H Photo has the Canon EOS 60D (body only) for the bargain price of $479 (click here). Compare at $663 on Amazon. Free shipping in the US.

The EOS 60D is still a very good mid-range DSLR (DPReview’s review), if you are looking for a powerful back-up body or for your first semi-pro DSLR, this may be the deal for you. EOS 60D specs:

  • 18MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • 1920 x 1080 HD Video Capture
  • SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card Slot
  • Vari-Angle Clear View 3.0″ Flip-Out LCD
  • DIGIC 4 Image Processor
  • 5.3 fps Continuous Shooting
  • Works with all Canon EF and EF-S Lenses
  • ISO 6400 – Expandable to 12800
  • HDMI Output to HDTV
  • In-Camera Editing Options