Robots hand polish Canon’s L-series lenses, and 9 more facts about the Utsunomiya lens factory

Utsunomiya
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The Utsunomiya lens factory in Japan is where all Canon L-series lenses are produced.

Sci-fi style robots, fault-hearing engineers, anti-static shoes – Canon’s Utsunomiya lens factory is a hotbed of innovation and precision. Canon’s L-series lenses are known around the world for their professional-quality build and sharp results, but to produce such outstanding lenses requires impressive levels of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and a few surprising practices.

Canon Europe posted a short and neat article with 10 (supposedly) unknown facts about Canon’s L lenses, and the Utsunomiya factory. These are:

  • Japanese engineering is everywhere
  • Lens experts can hear faults
  • Lens polishing tools are made with diamonds
  • Aspherical lenses are made by melting glass
  • Sci-fi robots roam the factory
  • Lens polishing machines self-correct
  • Lens measurements are incredibly precise
  • The hardest lens to make is…
  • The innovation never ends
  • Canon lenses could (probably) cover half the world

If you want to know more about the facts listed above (every point comes with text and pictures) and the Utsunomiya factory, I encourage you to head over to Canon Europe.

Canon announce a new 20mm prime lens for 4K cameras (CN-E20mm T1.5 L F)

CN-E20mm T1.5
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CN-E20mm T1.5 L F at a glance:

  • Covers Full Frame & Super 35 Sensors
  • T1.5 Maximum Aperture
  • 11-Blade Iris
  • Breathing Minimized Virtually to Zero
  • Dual Focus Markings
  • Stepless 300° Focus Rotation
  • Standard Cine Gears
  • Same Gear Positions as Other CN-E Models
  • Dust- and Water-Resistant Housing

The CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens can be pre-ordered at B&H Photo.

Canon press release:

Canon U.S.A. Expands EF Cinema Lens Lineup With New 20MM Prime Lens for 4K Cameras

MELVILLE, N.Y., March 28, 2018 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch of a new addition to the Cinema EOS System: the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens – a full-manual 20mm Cinema Prime Lens for EF Mount cameras. A popular focal length, the 20mm lens delivers exceptional optical performance in a compact form factor. With the introduction of this new lens, Canon further enhances its EF Cinema Lens family to meet a diverse range of cinematic and video-production needs, further contributing to the world of cinematography.

“As Canon continues to expand its reach in the cinema space, we are thrilled to introduce the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens, further expanding a robust line up of Cinema Prime lenses,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “This new lens will provide users with an option in-between our 14mm and 24mm lenses, giving greater flexibility for their scene framing. Canon is excited to see the projects our users create with this lens and Canon Cinema cameras.”

The new CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens can provide 4K resolution from the center of the images to the periphery, providing high image quality for Canon cameras that feature full-frame sensors such as the new EOS C700 FF digital cinema camera. In addition, the 11-blade aperture diaphragm alongside a T number1 of 1.5 allows the lens to provide beautifully soft bokeh. Like all Canon Cinema Prime lenses, the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens features warm, natural-looking tones, 300 degrees of focus ring rotation, and minimized focus breathing.

Since the launch of the Cinema EOS System and EF Cinema Lenses in November 2011, Canon has greatly expanded the EF Cinema Lens offerings. The lineup—which includes the Prime, Zoom, Compact Zoom, CINE-SERVO and COMPACT-SERVO series of lenses—has become very popular for a wide range of users. With the introduction of the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens, the lineup now boasts a total of 21 lens models. This expansive line of lenses provides cinematographers with even more options to choose from, which can support enhanced content creation for a variety of uses and shooting scenarios.

The CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens is scheduled to begin shipping in fall 2018. For more information please visit usa.canon.com/provideo.

Click here to open the rest of the article

Canon patent application for 18-185mm IS lens for APS-C PowerShot, 18-135mm IS for APS-C DSLR


Canon patent

 

Japanese site Hi Lows Note spotted two new Canon patent applications.

Patent application 2018-36364 describes a 18-185mm F/3.6-6.5 lens for compact cameras with an APS-C sensor, i.e. most likely a PowerShot compact camera (image on top). The lens appears to have image stabilisation.

  • Zoom ratio: 9.96
  • Focal length: 18.56 39.37 184.95
  • F no.: 3.61 5.11 6.49
  • Half image angle: 36.35 19.13 4.22
  • Image height: 13.66 13.66 13.66
  • Lens length: 110.65 121.29 164.53
  • Back focus: 8.65 10.60 12.43

The same patent literature also describes a 18-135mm F/3.6-6.5 lens for APS-C DSLRs (image at bottom). This lens too appears to have image stabilisation.

  • Zoom ratio: 7.40
  • Focal length: 17.98 28.29 133.11
  • F no.: 3.60 4.15 6.49
  • Half image angle: 37.2 25.78 5.86
  • Image heigth: 13.66 13.66 13.66
  • Lens length: 99.01 100.39 147.68
  • Back focus: 24.78 28.43 62.75

canon patent

More Canon patent applications.

A patent application doesn’t mean the described technology will go into production soon. Some Canon patent applications which in our opinion might go into production:

Super Bowl: An Army of Canon Lenses Help NBC Capture the Big Game

Top 10 Cameras Canon Rumors Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Canon Eos R Pro Eos R Canon Lens Explorers Of Light
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Thanks EdinaMN Guy.

Canon seems to still be the preferred lens manufacturer for professionals shooting sports.

From SVG Blog:

Live From Super Bowl LII: An Army of Canon Lenses Help NBC Capture the Big Game

The vendor’s onsite support team aims to ensure that they’re all ready for any shot

At Super Bowl LII, Canon lenses will be ubiquitous throughout NBC Sports’ game production. NBC is deploying almost exclusively Canon lenses — more than 60 in all — the only exceptions being for the specialty camera systems: the pylon cams at both end zones, four Sony HDC-4800 4K cameras, and a pair of SkyCam systems. However, it’s not just gear that Canon is providing in Minneapolis; it’s also a high level of onsite technical support.

“This one of the biggest shows of the year — or even multiple years — for a lot of people out here,” says Richard Eilers, national accounts sales director, ITCG Professional Products Sales Engineering Division, Canon USA. “And then you have a lot of them heading over to Korea on Monday [for the Olympics], so there is definitely a lot of stress surrounding these shows. It’s our job to take away the stress point from a technology standpoint. We just want to make sure that the lenses are well-dressed and ready to do any shot that might be asked of them.”

[…]

CPS on Hand Supporting Pro Clients in the Twin Cities

Canon Professional Services is also on-site in full force with CPS Director Elizabeth Pratt leading the way. CPS has deployed a massive amount of equipment in Minneapolis, stocking and loaning out anything from DSLR bodies and lenses to cinema EOS bodies and cinema lenses to pro clients in attendance at the game.

Canon also provides free loans of gear to the pro market base, as well as full photographic and cinema service and support. In addition, two techs are on hand to support sports clients utilizing Canon DSLR’s.

Read the report at SVG Blog.

No prime lens for EOS M coming anytime soon

 

canon rumorscanon rumors

We had doubts about this rumor, which was suggesting Canon would announce a prime lens ahead of CP+. It just looked to be too much perfectly timed. Moreover, ahead of any important photography show it’s always “crap rumor season”. That’s not to say that websites are always responsible for fake rumors. We all get fooled, from time to time.

Now, unfortunately the “a new prime lens for the EOS M system before CP+”-rumor turned out to be not reliable.

Back in November 2016 we got an identical rumor saying Canon would announce a prime and a zoom lens for the EOS M system in 2017. It didn’t happen and since then I lost a bit of confidence about Canon’s plan with the EOS M system. A system that’s recognised to be powerful but to dramatically lack native lenses. Since the EOS M5 () and EOS M6 () you can properly use almost all EF and EF-S lenses via adapter (). Never the less it’s not the same as having good native lenses (something you get if you buy into Fuji’s mirrorless system).

New EF-M lenses are rumored since a while, and we got a few suggestions it could be 35mm prime lens. However we haven’t heard anything since a long time about an EF-M 35mm lens so we do not think this old rumor is still reliable. The last time we heard something in this direction was one year ago.

However, there is a lot of stuff Canon is set to announce ahead of CP+ (starting March 1, 2018), and it’s listed here.

Stay tuned.