A rumor describing Canon’s next lens for its full frame mirrorless cameras has taken everyone by surprise: a 5.2mm f/2.8L “dual fisheye” designed for virtual reality. What is Canon planning, and who is this lens for?
Nokishita, a reliable source of information in the camera industry, announced the rumor in a tweet describing the lens as the “RF5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye,” and following it with another tweet mentioning “VR” — virtual reality. Such a lens would project two image circles onto the sensor, which could then be stitched together during post-production in order to give a 360-degree field of view.
Canon News has dug into Canon’s patent applications and discovered a design for a stereoscopic lens that ties in with this rumor.
It’s likely that such a lens would have a limited production run and be designed with very specific uses in mind, and as the “L” moniker suggests, it will probably have a price tag to match. There is probably a relatively niche use where digital designers producing virtual worlds and augmented realities would appreciate being able to stay within Canon’s system throughout their workflow. Sphere Optics announced an omnidirectional lens earlier this year and its marketing materials include the question: “Have you sunk $60k+ into your RED camera and hate when you have to leave it in the case to shoot VR?“
Were you expecting something slightly less specialized from Canon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
> Such a lens would project two image circles onto the sensor, which could then
> be stitched together during post-production in order to give a 360-degree field of view.
It's *not* a 360-deg lens. At least not if as shown on the patents. Both lenses points in same direction. It is a stereoscopic lens for 3D depth/effect.
> who is this lens for?
Depends on the price
I definitely expected them to release more traditional "niche" lenses such as tilt-shift and normal fisheyes before something as odd/interesting as this.