Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II review by Optical Limits

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II
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Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/4 to f/32
  • One Fluorite Element and Two UD Elements
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Internal Focus, Focus Range Limiter
  • Weather-Sealed Construction
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Optical Limits (former photozone.de) reviewed the new Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II lens.

From their conclusion:

The king is dead and, yes, long live the new king. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is everything that the mk I was plus some. It is the perfect playmate for ultra-resolution Canon cameras. It is mostly tack sharp at mainstream settings with no real weakness across the focal length range. Lateral CAs are low and not really an issue. Image distortions can be visible specifically at the long end though and you can spot some moderate vignetting at f/4. If you use digital auto-correction that will be a lesser concern, of course. The quality of the bokeh is good for a zoom lens.

The build quality is excellent but that’s hardly a surprise when talking about a Canon L lens. The low weight and small size are certainly welcomed when carrying around your camera gear all day long. Canon’s improved image stabilizer is impressive. Read the review…

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is getting one positive review after the other. Canon clearly has another winner here.

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is in stock at major retailers in the US, price is $1,299: B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II world-wide:

[shoplist 51369]

Tamron announces 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD lens for full frame, and it’s just $599

Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD
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Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/2.8 to 22
  • Fluorine and BBAR Coatings
  • Optimized Silent Drive AF Motor
  • TAP-in Console Compatible
  • Leak-Proof Lens Seals
  • Rounded 7-Blade Diaphragm

Tamron announced the new Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD lens. And it has a very affordable price, $599. Pre-order at B&H Photo | Adorama

Tamron press release:

Tamron releases the smallest, lightest ultra-wide-angle zoom lens in its class

A sophisticated balance of outstanding optics and matchless mobility

17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD (Model A037)

August 6, 2018, Saitama, Japan–Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Shiro Ajisaka), a leading manufacturer of optics for diverse applications, announces the launch of a new ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, the 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD (Model A037), for 35mm full-frame DSLR cameras.

The vision behind the Model A037 is that of an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, which has a separate concept from SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A012), with superb image quality and easy portability. At just 90mm (3.5 in) in length and 460g (16.2 oz) in weight, it is the smallest and lightest in its class. The focal length ranges from an ultra-wide 17mm that is suitable for professional landscape photography to a standard 35mm good for snapshot photography. As for F-stops, the wide-angle end is a large aperture F/2.8, and at the telephoto end is a fast F/4. The Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating, help to enhance the user’s photographic experience. For those looking to try out an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for the first time, as well as having a lens that is easily portable, the A037 is the definitive choice.

PRODUCT NAME
17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD （Model A037）

DATE OF LAUNCH
The Nikon mount model: September 4, 2018
The launch date of the Canon mount model will be announced at a later date.

Product Information

1. High-performance imaging for shooting vast landscapes in sharp detail

The optical construction (15 elements in 10 groups) uses four LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements to minimize axial chromatic aberrations that can occur with ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses. With two properly positioned GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lenses, distortion and other aberration can be satisfactorily corrected as well. Being the smallest and lightest in its class* and dedicated to high quality imaging, the engineers have paid particular attention to size. The lens has also been carefully designed to allow peripheral point image reproducibility and thereby facilitate a high degree of sharpness and contrast.
The Minimum Object Distance (MOD) for the entire zoom range is a short 0.28m (11 in), so background blurring is still possible when opening the aperture and approaching the subject close-up with this ultra-wide-angle zoom.
* Among ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses using an F-stop faster than F/4 for 35mm full-frame DSLR cameras. (As of July 2018: Tamron)

Click here to open the rest of the article

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II teardown (Lens Rentals)

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II
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All images © lensrentals.com and used with permission

Roger Cicala of Lens Rentals posted a teardown of the new Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II lens. Impressive images, and interesting findings too.

Excerpts from Roger’s conclusion:

[…] this is, as we would expect, a very well built lens with robust roller bearings, large brass collars, heavy metal keys, and good weather sealing.

[Lens Rentals has] some hints, and a lot of Roger speculation, about how Canon is getting lenses with such low variance. Here’s what we know: Canon has more optical adjustments than most lenses, not less. So while they may have tighter tolerances (I have no clue), the key seems to be more in a careful optical adjustment of compensating elements than anything else.

It is clear that Canon is going with more, and more straightforward, adjustment of optics than the other manufacturers.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II
Image © lensrentals.com

Be sure to head over to Lens Rentals to see the many pictures of the teardown, and to get the findings.

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is getting one positive review after the other. Canon clearly has another winner here. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is in stock at major retailers in the US, price is $1,299: B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II world-wide:

[shoplist 51369]

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II First Look and Hand’s On Video Review

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II
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Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/4 to f/32
  • One Fluorite Element and Two UD Elements
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Internal Focus, Focus Range Limiter
  • Weather-Sealed Construction
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Dustin Abbott posted a first look and hand’s on video on the new Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II lens. The video lasts 20 minutes and can be seen below.

The new Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is in stock at major retailers in the US, price is $1,299: B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II world-wide:

[shoplist 51369]

Canon Patent Application for 800mm f/5.6 lens

Canon Patent Application
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A Canon patent application (2018-087965) for what might be the future replacement for the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS lens.

The patent literature describes a lens concept where weight and size are reduced without affecting optical performance or causing increased chromatic aberrations.

Machine translated patent literature excerpt:

The method of using for a part of imaging optical system the diffracted-light faculty which has a diffraction working effect as a method of reducing lens weight is known correcting satisfactorily several aberration including the chromatic aberration of the imaging optical system. The imaging optical system which constituted the front lens group from ** material whose refractive index is higher than a low dispersing material with abnormal portion dispersibility, such as fluorite, and attained size and weight reduction of the whole system is known, using a diffraction working effect and reducing the lens number of sheets of the front lens group which was conventionally required for aberration compensation

There is a lot of buzz around Canon patent applications as of lately, and a lot of misunderstanding too. Bear in mind that a patent application does not mean a company will launch a product anytime soon. A patent application is a way companies have to secure their research and their intellectual property. In this sense, nothing here is a guarantee that the EF 800mm f/5.6L lens will be replaced in the close future.

Some Canon patent applications we think might get into production in the next few years are these:

Canon patent application: wide-angle zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless camera

Canon patent
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Canon patent application 2018-77320A describes a 16-28mm f/2.8, wide-angle zoon lens for a full frame mirrorless camera.

  • Zoom ratio: 1.67
  • Focal length: 16.48 – 27.44mm
  • F number: 2.88
  • Half angle: 52.70 – 38.25
  • Image height: 21.64mm
  • Back focus: 12.33 – 10.00mm

We expect Canon to announce their full frame mirrorless camera within the next 8 to 12 months. For the latest about it see here.

More Canon patent applications are listed here.

[via Hi Lows Note]