Four New Canon Telephoto Lens Patents: 2 x 400mm f/4, 600mm f/4 and 800mm f/5.6, all with macro)

Once more Egami (translated) spotted interesting new patents filed by Canon. A 400mm f/4 DO macro 1:1.4, a 400mm f/4 DO macro 2:1, a 600mm f/4 macro 1:1 and an 800mm f/5.6 DO macro 1:1. All lenses feature diffractive optical elements (the DO in the naming)

Self-interpretation and summary, Patent Documents

  • Patent Publication No. 2012-242742
    • Release Date 2012.12.10
    • Filing date 2011.5.23
  • Example 1
    • Focal length f = 788.34mm
    • Fno. = 5.80
    • 2ω = 3.14 ° angle of view
    • Image height 21.64mm
    • 486.00mm length lens
    • BF 110.67mm
    • β = -1.02
    • (The second and third group is for the focus) consists of four groups of positive and negative polarity
    • (One side of the image, such as the most protective glass) x 17 lens elements in 12 groups composed
    • Maximum effective diameter 135.92mm
    • Two two-sided aspherical
    • DOE 1 surface
    • One fluorite
    • Three Super UD glass
    • One low-dispersion glass
  • Example 2
    • Focal length f = 400.00mm
    • Fno. = 4.12
    • 2ω = 6.20 ° angle of view
    • Image height 21.64mm
    • 300.00mm length lens
    • BF 55.00mm
    • β = -2
    • (For the second focus group 2,4) consists of four groups of positive and negative positive negative
    • (One side of the image, such as the most protective glass) x 19 lens elements in 12 groups composed
    • Maximum effective diameter 97.09mm
    • Five 5-sided aspherical
    • DOE 1 surface
    • Two fluorite
    • 1 UD glass sheet
    • One low-dispersion glass
  • Example 6
    • Focal length f = 585.00mm
    • Fno. = 4.12
    • 2ω = 4.24 ° angle of view
    • Image height 21.64mm
    • 350.00mm length lens
    • BF 55.00mm
    • β = -1
    • (For the second focus group 2,4,5) group configuration 6 positive negative positive positive negative
    • (One side of the image, such as the most protective glass) 22 sheets 13 groups lens configuration
    • Maximum effective diameter 142.00mm
    • Four four-sided aspherical
    • DOE 1 surface
    • Two fluorite
    • 1 UD glass sheet
  • Example 9
    • Focal length f = 390.99mm
    • Fno. = 4.12
    • 2ω = 6.34 ° angle of view
    • Image height 21.64mm
    • 256.40mm length lens
    • BF 62.35mm
    • β = -0.7
    • (For the second focus group 2,4) consists of four groups of positive and negative positive negative
    • (One side of the image, such as the most protective glass) x 16 elements in 12 groups lens configuration
    • Maximum effective diameter 94.90mm
    • Four four-sided aspherical
    • DOE 1 surface
    • 2 UD glass sheets
    • Two low-dispersion glass
  • Inner focusing formula
    • Easy to shorten the minimum focusing distance
    • AF is faster
    • Large variations in aberrations
    • Many aberration occurs at close range
  • Inner focusing high-performance formula
    • With a focus group of two or more
    • However, optimization of the parameter is mandatory
    • In the macro range of 0.5 times more difficult to correct aberrations
  • Diffractive optics
    • Shortening of the total length can be
    • Distance of the lens group becomes narrow, the range of movement of the focus group will be limited
  • Canon patent
    • Group before and after the group of positive and negative
    • Inner Focus (and the second group, one of the rear group)
    • By setting multiple focus groups, perform the division of sensitivity, the amount of movement
    • In short travel distance, is focused on the short-range
[via Egami]

 

Rumor: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS Prototype Out In The Wild (May Be Announced In 2014)

Not the rumored prototype but the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Latest murmurings about the highly speculated EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens. Canon Rumors reports:

There are plans to release an EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS sometime in the next 18 months. I have confirmed from two sources that the end of 2013 or early 2014 is the earliest we’d see a production model announced.

So no announcement in the next months, according to the sources. It is somewhat weird that Canon takes so long to field test the new EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens with image stabilization.

Btw, there is a deal going on at B&H for the EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM lens: you can get it for $2049 (click here) with free overnight shipping. Normal price is $2,299. The final price shows up after having added the item to the cart.

Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA [via CR]

 

Impressjapan prediction for 2013: Rebel Miniaturization and High Resolution Lenses.

Like every year ImpressJapan interviewed Canon mangers and after that posted a prediction about the 2013 Canon strategy. There is really not a lot of info but here is what they write:
1) Rebel series will undergo a “Miniaturization” process (see this patent)
2) Renewal of existent lenses for high quality performance on high Megapixel cameras.
3) New lenses for the EOS-M system.

That's it!

 

More Canon Gear Deals (5D Mark II, Rebel T4i/EOS 650D)

Adorama has the Canon EOS 5D Mark II body only for $1529 (click here). The final price shows up when the item is added to the cart.

Amazon has the EOS 5D Mark II body for the same price, $1529 (click here). Again: the final price shows up after having added the item to the cart.

B&H has the Canon Reel T4i/EOS 650D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens $649 (click here). That’s $100 less than usual.

B&H’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II deal with accessories is still going on. For$1599 (click here, final price shows up after adding item to cart) you get the EOS 5D Mark II with the following accesssories:

  • Pearstone LP-E6 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (7.4V 1450mAh)
  • Vello BG-C2 Battery Grip for Canon EOS 5D Mark II
  • SanDisk 16GB CompactFlash Memory Card Extreme 400x UDMA

 

Rumor: A Bunch Of 400mm Lenses To Be Announced In 2013?

This Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Autofocus Lens

That's what Canon Rumors has been told, that we can expect up to four new lenses in the 400mm range. Quoting:

Below are lenses that are apparently in prototype form and are on tap to be announced in 2013.

    • EF 400 f/5.6L IS (Highly desired)
    • EF 400 f/4L IS (Not DO)
    • EF 100-400 f/4-5.6L IS (Not push-pull & patents exists)
    • EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x (Long known about)

[via CR]

 

Canon EOS 6DSample Pics (Imaging Resource)

Imaging Resource, while working on the full review of the EOS 6D (price and specs), posted a full set of samples images taken in a lab setting. If you are following CanonWatch then you probaly know that the EOS 6D sensor produces less noise than the sensor featured on the EOS 5D Mark III (price and specs). Not bad for Canon's entry level full-frame DSLR, which by the way also sports WiFi connectivity and GPS.

Canon EOS 6D price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Canon EOS 5D Mark III price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

[via IR]