Canon Announces Redesigned EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 600mm f/4L IS III Lenses

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III
View Post

I missed this on Canon EOS R announcement day. So here it is. The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 with an estimated retail price of $11,999. The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 for an estimated retail price of $12,999. Pre-orders are not open yet but you can get notified when they are available.

Canon press release:

Canon Redesigns Premium L-Series Super-Telephoto Lenses With Its New EF 400MM F/2.8L IS III USM AND EF 600MM F/4L IS III USM Lenses

New Compact and Lightweight EF Super-Telephoto Lenses Are Well Suited for a Variety of Photographers’ Needs

MELVILLE, N.Y., September 5, 2018 – Most professional photographers need to carry multiple lenses in their camera bags. Helping to lighten their load, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, introduces two new super-telephoto lenses, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM. Both lenses possess a dramatic weight reduction and high-image quality, making it ideal for shooters to easily transport and capture images during action-driven scenarios, such as sports and wildlife. Both lenses now hold the title of world’s lightest in their respective focal length*. The weight of the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lenses has been reduced by 2.2 lbs. (more than 25 percent) and 1.9 lbs. (more than 20 percent) respectively.

“When developing updates to some of Canon’s most popular legacy lenses, one common question that is asked by photographers was ‘can they be lighter,’” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The significant reduction of weight in these two lenses addresses this customer need and delivers thoughtfully designed, high-quality optics .”

The new lenses are must-haves for advanced and professional photographers shooting wildlife, aviation, sports and news with Canon’s new EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera (with use of one of the three new Canon mount adapters), as well the EOS 1D and 5D series of DSLR Cameras. Both lenses feature two of Canon’s most advanced propriety lens technologies – Air Sphere Coating (ASC) and Super Spectra Coating (SSC), helping to reduce flaring and ghosting, and suppressing the reflection of light, leading to vivid images. These updated lenses inherit the excellent overall build-quality and ruggedness photographers have come to expect and admire from the Canon EF L series of lenses. In addition, the minimum focusing distance has been improved for both lenses, from 2.7m to 2.5m (8.8ft to 8.2ft) for the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and 4.5m to 4.2m (14.8ft to 13.8ft) for the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM.

Additional noteworthy features of the lenses include:

  • Upgraded Optical Image Stabilization from three-and-a-half stops to five shutter speed stops1 of correction over the previous f/2.8 lens
  • Improved, flexible focus control with a customizable electronic-focus ring
  • Two fluorite lenses and one super UD lens, helping to provide high image quality
  • Circular nine-blade aperture
  • 17 lens elements in 13 groups
  • Heat-shielding paint helps prevent lens temperature from rising during excessive exposure to sun
  • Fluorine coating on front and rear optical elements, helps to reduce smears and fingerprints
  • Inner focusing system with Ring Ultrasonic Motor

Availability and Pricing

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 with an estimated retail price of $11,999. The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is scheduled to begin shipping in December 2018 for an estimated retail price of $12,999^. For additional information regarding the lenses predecessors please visit, visit usa.canon.com.

The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens

A New Pancake Lens is Coming, the ExperimentalOptics 35mm f/2.7 for FF Cameras

experimentaloptics 35mm f/2.8
View Post

A new lens got a funding campaign at Kickstarter. The ExperimentalOptics 35mm f/2.7 full frame pancake lens claims to the “Smallest Fastest Pancake Lens in the World”.

About the mount type they say “the lens has a clever combined Leica M and M39 mount to make it universally adaptable to virtually any camera (apart from SLRs), especially any mirrorless present or future“. So not Canon DSLRs, but hopefully it will work with the Canon EOS R.

The ExperimentalOptics 35mm f/2.7 full frame pancake lens, 7mm thin, 40g light, stealth, sturdy and razor sharp. This is not just an engineering achievement, it is truly the perfect lens for photographers: it puts the least amount of glass and kit between you and your world. It’s a joy to handle and operate, a beautifully crafted object in itself, and creates absolutely stunning results. Our careful choice of focal length, aperture, design and handling allow photographers to capture the world exactly as they see it and truly express their creative vision.

This is not a toy lens. It is a special piece of equipment for professionals, aficionados and connoisseurs. We spent more than two years developing and testing it, and now it’s ready. Almost, that is, because it still needs to be produced… To bring this unique, uncompromising project to life, we’ve gone on kickstarter.

It all will be handmade and, as a result, in very limited quantities only. We expect to ship a first batch of 20 lenses in 2018 and a second batch of another 20 lenses in 2019. That should make this not only the tiniest, but also one of the rarest lenses in the world.

Deal: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV – $2315 (reg. $3099, import model)

canon EOS 5D Mark IV
View Post

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV at a glance:

  • 30.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 6+ Image Processor
  • 3.2″ 1.62m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
  • DCI 4K Video at 30 fps; 8.8MP Still Grab
  • 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
  • Expanded ISO 102400; 7 fps Shooting
  • Dual Pixel RAW; AF Area Select Button
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF

Top Rated seller 6ave (98.8% positive ratings) has the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV on sale at $2,315. Compare at $3,099. Please note: this is an import model, 1 year US seller warranty applies. Import models are legally imported from another country through channels other than the maker’s official distribution system. Limited time offer.

More selected and exclusive deals…

Canon’s Ultra High Sensitivity 2MP Sensor Has Gone Into Production (the sensor that can see in the dark)

35MMFHDXSCA image sensors
View Post

Canon’s ultra high sensitivity sensor, the 35MMFHDXSCA, with a 2 MP resolution has been released into production, as Nikkei reports.

The new product, “35MMFHDXSCA” is targeted at astronomical observation, monitoring of a natural disaster, industrial use, etc. Its pixel is as large as 19 x 19μm. Canon reduced noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases. As a result, it became possible to shoot color video with a low illuminance of 0.001lx or less, enabling to take video of shooting stars.

The 35MMFHDXSCA is capable of reading out video with a pixel count of 2,160 x 1,280, which is broader than full HD. Therefore, it is suited not only for astronomical observation, for which wide-angle video needs to be taken, but also for monitoring and industrial use, which require special aspect ratios.

There was a press communication by Canon Japan (machine translated) and while their are not revealing the price, Canon USA is offering the sensor for sale. You won’t be able to order online or to just stop by at you nearest camera shop. To know the price and purchase it you have to contact Canon for further information.

For those more technically inclined, a white paper can be downloaded from this page.

[via Image Sensor World via Nikkei]