Here are some interesting statistics about cameras used for astronomy photography. Canon cameras rule here too.
In the last three years Skies & Scopes has analyzed approximately 400 images listed for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. The results are not what I would have expected.
The Canon EOS 6D is the most successfully used astrophotography camera overall, with Canon the best performing brand.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is the third most used camera for astrophotography
The number of shortlisted images using mirrorless cameras has increased each year and Sony models dominate this section of the market.
The venerable Canon EOS 6D is the most used camera by astro-photographers. More statistics (emphasis mine):
From the three years of shortlisted astrophotography images, there is a split of 55% using DSLR or mirrorless cameras (205 images), and 45% using dedicated astronomy cameras (CCD/CMOS) (169 images)
Moreover, not only is the Canon EOS 6D the most used camera but Canon is also the most used brand (23%), followed by Nikon (22%), ZWO (22%) and Sony (11%).
A new Irix lens, the Irix 30mm f/1.4 has been announced. The lens will be available for sale in October 2021, price not yet disclosed. A Canon EF mount version will also be released.
Press release:
Irix 30mm f/1.4
Irix brand announces new photographic lens with 30mm focal length!
The newest Irix 30mm f/1.4 lens is a product based on the 30mm Cine model, and therefore intended for the much more demanding film industry market. The entire optical structure of the lens is identical in both versions – the main emphasis here is on the vividness of the image. Of course, the photographic version has a completely different housing, while retaining the optical properties of the cine version.
Irix 30mm f / 1.4 – main features:
● Beautiful Bokeh ● Fast f/1.4 Aperture ● Rear focusing ● Weather-sealed construction ● Aperture control from the camera ● Focus confirmation on the Camera ● Compatible with PASM semi-automatic modes ● Full record of exposure parameters in EXIF ● 61,9 degree field of view ● “Focus Lock” function ● 140-degree rotation angle of the focus ring ● Reinforced internal structure ● 86mm filter mounting front thread ● Mounts: Nikon F, Canon EF, Pentax K
Optical properties
The Irix 30mm F / 1.4 features a modern optical design that includes 3 ultra-low dispersion glass elements, 2 high reflectance glass elements and one aspherical lens. There are a total of 13 elements in 11 groups that provide sharp details, vivid colors and ultra-low distortion – 0.95%. However, what deserves special attention is the smoothness and “cine look” of the image it offers. The lens is designed to work with 35mm full frame sensors. It is worth emphasizing the use of a new, 11-blade design aperture with rounded edges, which ensures a pleasant and very vivid background blur. It works in the range of f/1.4 to f/16.
DRAGONFLY Version – Characteristics
The lens housing is a continuation of the Dragonfly manufacturing standard known from earlier Irix models (45mm and 150mm). It’s most important aspects are:
● Reinforced internal structure based on metal elements ● Scratch-resistant lens finish ● Anti-slip focusing ring with special finish for easy operating ● Engraved markings filled with UV-reactive paint ● Sealings to protect against dust and water ● Hardcase included
Focusing Ring
A special focusing ring with a characteristic shape has become a kind of hallmark of Irix 150mm and 45mm lenses. Many of our clients pay attention to the convenience it provides. The newest Irix 30mm is following same way. Special texturing and properly selected rubber material which covers it, allows for reliable and precise focusing. Dedicated emboss lets you to feel the ring’s position. This makes focusing even easier!
“Focus Lock” function
The Focus Lock function is also a hallmark of Irix lenses – it allows you to lock the focusing ring in a specific position. It’s especially useful when you want to keep a specific distance to the photographed object (zone-focusing) or you want to keep perfect focus at infinity in landscape photography or astrophotography.
Designed for any challenge
Irix customers often use their lenses in extremely difficult conditions. Therefore, the construction of the Irix 30mm f/1.4 lens had to meet their needs. Only the best materials were used. The guarantee of operation in all conditions is ensured by a system of seals located in key places of the lens, and rear focusing – thanks to which the lens does not change its dimensions while focusing. These properties allow not only to work in difficult conditions, but also guarantee the cleanliness of the mirror chamber and the sensor of the camera you are using.
Available mounts
The Irix 30mm f / 1.4 lens will be available with Nikon F, Canon EF and Pentax K mounts.
Two yet unreleased Canon cameras showed up at a Russian certification authority. And there is an interesting fact with this registration.
The two unreleased cameras have the code-names DS126841 and DS126842. The interesting fact is, that they are mentioned along with the code-name for the Canon EOS 90D, that’s DS126801, as you can see in the image on top.
Here is another Canon patent application for an RF-mount lens, as usual spotted by asobinet.com.
Canon patent application 2021-148949 (Japan) discusses optical formulas for what seems to be a RF 16-30mm f/4-5.6 lens for the EOS R full frame mirrorless system. From the patent literature:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small and wide angle-of-view zoom lens having high optical performance in the entire zoom range, and an image pickup device and an image pickup system having the same.
[…] In recent years, a zoom lens used in an imaging device is required to have high optical performance in the entire zoom range, to be compact and to have a wide angle of view, as the imaging device becomes more sophisticated. As a zoom lens that is small and relatively easy to widen, a negative lead type zoom lens in which a lens group having a negative refractive power precedes (is located closest to the object side) is known. As a negative lead type zoom lens, Patent Document 1 discloses a zoom lens composed of first to fourth lens groups having negative, positive, negative, and positive refractive powers arranged in order from the object side to the image side. ing. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a zoom lens composed of first to fifth lens groups having negative, positive, positive, negative, and positive refractive powers arranged in order from the object side to the image side.
If it hits the market, this is going to be an affordable lens for the EOS R system, like the recently released RF 16mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens.
Embodiment 1:
Zoom ratio 1.79
Wide-angle intermediate telephoto
Focal length 16.48 22.05 29.50
F number 4.12 4.79 5.61
Half angle of view (degrees) 55.80 44.90 35.80
Image height 21.64 21.64 21.64
Lens total length 100.88 99.27 100.51
BF 14.00 16.25 19.80
Embodiment 2:
Zoom ratio 1.79
Wide-angle intermediate telephoto
Focal length 16.48 22.05 29.50
F number 4.12 4.12 4.12
Half angle of view (degrees) 55.20 45.00 36.20
Image height 21.64 21.64 21.64
Lens total length 110.07 105.92 108.00
BF 12.80 17.50 21.37
More Canon patents are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:
The most die-hard of the implausible Canon rumors surfaced again. Although this time with some confidence. Will there be an EOS R model with an APS-C sensor?
According to the rumor mill that always propagated this rumor, Canon will announce such a camera in the second half of 2022. We still have a hard time to buy it. But we might be wrong, of course. It’s just that we don’t see Canon sidelining their EOS M system for another interchangeable lens system with APS-C sensor.
According to the source of the rumor, quoted as a “good source”, Canon will release a camera with RF mount and an APS-C imaging sensor. The imaging sensor is said to be a backside-illuminated sensor (BSI). Said sensor is rumored to get featured in “more than one camera”. It’s not known it these cameras will also have an RF mount, or not. Finally, a sensor resolution of 28-32MP is rumored.
Help us out here: do you think this is something that might happen? And if yes, what will be the future of the EOS M system? Time ago we got a suggestion that the EOS 7D Mark II will not be replaced. This lead many people to think the 7D2 will get replaced by an EOS R model with APS-C. This theory gets reinforced by the fact that the EOS M system seems not to be fit for a 7D2 replacement.
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