While their mirrorless bodies have received mixed responses, no one can accuse Canon of playing it safe when it comes to mirrorless lenses, and they're showing no signs of stopping, as patent documents have emerged showing a positively ludicrous lens design.
Canon Rumors is reporting that Canon recently filed a patent for a 50-80mm f/1.1 (no, that's not a typo) zoom lens for their mirrorless full frame mount. Of course, f/1.1 is a ridiculously wide maximum aperture for a prime lens, and it's entirely unheard of in a zoom lens. In fact, the widest full frame zoom lenses are the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 and the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L; f/1.1 is approximately 1.72 stops faster than those. If the optical quality is there, photographers will essentially get a highly versatile portrait lens that offers both the classic headshot focal length and the half-body focal length.
Now, one has to remember, of course, that a patent is not the same as a product, and we see plenty of patents that never come to market. Nonetheless, Canon has shown that they can push the boundaries of design with the RF mount, and it's quite exciting to see that they're not slowing down.
I love carrying a camera around with my lens
(nah seriously this would be cool - wildly impractical, but so is the Noct-Nikkor for most people... both would be fun to use once or twice though)
Headline: “...Truly Insane...!” Taken literally, I disagree! Design experimentation is needed or their market will evaporate. What’s insane is the hours we spend pining for the Grail and never finding it!
But, but, but... I thought they finally solved spherical aberration with just one element?
I'm glad I invested in all th 1.2 and 1.4 L primes. Gear announcements like this along with the 28-70mm f2 just roll off my back. I can get close enough or better. It's not zoom but I can deal with that. I never need to daydream what it would be like. G.A.S. evaded.
50-80 f/1.1 lens will never be manufactured with current lens technology. Constructing such a lens might be possible from physical stand point. However, practically it is not. Look at the size of new Canon RF primes: RF 50mm F/1.2 and 85mm f/1.2. Although they are prime lenses with max aperture of f/1.2, they are enormous.
Their 85mm f1.2 was one of my all-time favorite portrait lenses! That thing had a depth of field about an inch deep. Just killer! You could take one of those horrible "messy kitchen in the background" selfies that people post on social media, and it would look amazing.
Maybe they should put their time into making cameras that don't overheat instead of $4000 lenses that only a bodybuilder can carry.