B&H Photo has a huge selection of discounted gear. Canon gear inclusive.

See here for a list of Canon cameras and lenses that are on sale (just scroll down a bit to see the list)

See here for the full list of discounted gear at B&H Photo.

More selected deals:

• Get Excire Foto (AI powered photo managment) with 15% discount by using code “canonwatch” at checkout
• USA: Canon USA | B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon US
• Germany: Amazon Germany
• Refurbished lenses and DSLRs at Canon Store (best deals might be found here)

A new Canon patent, regarding the operation of tilt-shift lenses: automatic setting.

Canon patent 2024-157119A (Japan published 11/7/2024) discusses methods and technology to automatically set the tilt in a tilt-shift lens, which is usually the most complicated settings for most users. From the patent literature:

• A lens device capable of changing the focusing range with a simple operation is provided.
• Description of the Related Art: Conventionally, lens barrels have been proposed that enable tilt photography to adjust the in-focus range, and shift photography to change the shooting angle of view and correct distortion. In tilt photography, it is possible to tilt the focusing plane so as to bring the entire object surface in focus well relative to a plane that is inclined from a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system, or to tilt the focusing plane so as to bring the object surface into focus partially. Patent Document 1 discloses an imaging device that displays the in-focus range superimposed on an image so that the in-focus range can be easily visually confirmed when the image is partially in focus.
• In the configuration of Patent Document 1, when creating an image by expanding or contracting the focus range after tilting the focus plane, it is necessary to change the focus range by changing the tilt of the current focus plane. However, it is difficult to intuitively understand how to move the imaging optical system in order to change the focus range, so it is necessary to move the optical system once and check the change in the focus range before changing it to the desired focus range.
• SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT: An object of the present invention is to provide a lens device capable of changing the focus range with a simple operation.

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]

Here is a review of the rather rare Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM lens. Read on if you’re interested.

The Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM review posted by JuzaPhoto is in Italian but the automatic translation is very decent. So you won’t miss anything.

The review comes with many sample pictures and insights, but the most interesting part (in my opinion) is where the author narrates his experience with the lens. From his conclusion:

Even though due to the enormous value and rarity of the lens I was only able to shoot in non-ideal conditions, trying the 1200 F5.6 was an exceptional experience and I was able to get many of the answers I was looking for, first and foremost whether the performance was still good by current standards (and surprisingly it is, at least on the 1DX II sensor). The photos I have published are the first and only ones ever taken with this lens on JuzaPhoto, and in general among the very few that can be found on the internet (perhaps the only ones published at full resolution).

Although it has now become a collector’s item, in its day the Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM was a true working tool, designed not to be displayed in a glass case but to be used and abused at sporting events, by naturalists and for real field use. Its weight and price made it a very niche lens, but in the 80s and 90s it allowed the lucky few who used it to take home photos that would otherwise be impossible.

Well, if you are interested in rare and sophisticated lens, then this review is for you. I recommend you have a look.

Here is a Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM review.

At a glance:

• Full-Frame Format | f/1.4 to f/16
• Extremely Fast Design, Advanced Optics
• Voice Coil Motor (VCM) for Rear Focus
• Nano USM for Fast Floating Autofocus
• Manual Iris/Full-Time Focus Rings
• Air Sphere (ASC) Coating
• Two Aspherical Elements, Two UD Elements
• Rounded 11-Blade Diaphragm
• Weather-Sealed Design
• Attachable Rear Gel Filter Holder

Dustin Abbott posted an exhaustive Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM review, as usual with everything you might ask from a serious review. From his conclusion:

The Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM is a rather complicated lens, and it has already become clear that it will be somewhat polarizing.

[…] Autofocus in particularly stands out to me as being exceptional in this lens. This is definitely the fastest focusing of the big L series primes that I’ve reviewed on RF thus far. Autofocus is near instantaneous in all situations, and the ability to keep up with fast action gives this lens further value for sports, reportage, and even in critical wedding situations. 

Pros:

• Over 30% lighter than the EF lens
• Great build with additional features
• Advanced weather sealing
• Very fast and confident autofocus
• Exceptional video AF performance
• Extremely sharp
• Good contrast
• Good color
• Cheaper than the EF lens by a good margin

Cons:

• Bokeh and rendering isn’t at the level of the EF 35L II
• A shocking amount of distortion for a 35mm lens
• Very heavy vignette
• Very confusion implementation of an aperture ring
• Some flare issues

Sample pictures can be seen here. If you prefer to watch the review, here you are:

Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM:

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

[via Dustin Abbott]

Here is a new Canon patent application for a 70-150mm F1.8 lens (70-200mm F2.8 and 70-150mm F2 lenses are also mentioned in the patent literature)

Canon patent application 2024-154138 (Japan, published 10/30/2024) discusses optical formulas and methods for a 70-150mm F1.8 lens with inner zoom mechanism.

From the patent literature:

• To provide a large-aperture zoom lens that is compact yet has high optical performance.
• In recent years, in digital still cameras and video cameras, the number of pixels in solid state image sensors such as CCD and CMOS sensors has increased, and therefore optical systems used in image pickup devices using these image sensors are required to have high optical performance. Furthermore, large-aperture zoom lenses are required to take advantage of the blur effect.
• If the diameter of the zoom lens of Patent Document 1 is increased further, the positive lens group in the focus group will become larger in the outer diameter direction, making it difficult to sufficiently miniaturize the zoom lens by using an actuator or the like that is arranged on the outer periphery of the positive lens group.

Example 1

• Focal length: 72.10-145.50
• F-number: 2.05
• Half angle of view: 16.70-8.46
• Image height: 21.64
• Overall length: 227.00
• Back Focus: 13.99

Example 2

• Focal length: 72.10-194.00
• F-number: 2.91
• Half angle of view: 16.70-6.36
• Image height: 21.64
• Total length: 221.00
• Back Focus: 17.04

Example 3

• Focal length: 72.10-145.50
• F-number: 1.89
• Half angle of view: 16.70-8.46
• Image height: 21.64
• Total length: 240.00
• Back focal length: 14.34

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]