Canon Patent Application: Canon Standard Zooms

One thing that Canon has done well with the RF mount is its normal zoom range with the likes of the RF 28-70mm f/2.0L, RF 24-70mm F2.8L, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 STM, RF 24-105mm f/4L, RF 24-105mm F2.8L, and finally the RF 24-104mm F4-7.1 STM. Whew.

In this patent application (2024-160458) Canon is exploring the designs of some constant aperture fast normal zooms. A point to ponder is that it takes quite a bit of time to take a design from conception to production, and both the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L and the RF 24-105mm F/4L are getting “old” at over 5 and 6 years respectively.

So it’s entirely possible that Canon is starting to think of the Mark II versions of the existing lenses.

Canon RF 24-130mm F4 IS

As previously mentioned, a new version of the Canon RF 24-105 f/4L and expanded to 24-130mm f/4L would be a welcomed addition. This lens does require image stretching on the wide-angle end and seems to be a little tight in terms of back-focus distance. The design seems rather straightforward and around the same elements/groups as the existing 24-105 f/4L, leading me to believe that it wouldn’t necessarily be the most expensive of lenses for Canon to develop. The Canon RF 24-104 f/4L is over 6 years old, so it’s due to be replaced sooner than later.

	Wide	Normal	Telephoto
Focal Length	24.72	71.00	130.99
F-Number	4.08	4.08	4.12
Half Angle of View	37.84	16.95	9.38
Image Height	19.20	21.64	21.64
Total Lens Length	127.91	155.41	182.91
Back Focus Distance	11.19	31.28	47.32

Canon RF 24-85mm F2.8 IS

This lens would have been intriguing if we didn’t already have a bazillion in the 28-70mm range for Canon RF. A slight expansion on the 24-75 zoom range, would be welcomed by some. The RF 24-70mm f/2.8L is now over 5 years old, so Canon will be starting to work on its eventual replacement soon. As with most RF standard zoom lenses

	Wide	Normal	Telephoto
Focal Length	24.72	51.54	82.44
F-Number	2.88	2.88	2.91
Half Angle of View	37.91	22.77	14.71
Image Height	19.25	21.64	21.64
Total Lens Length	141.91	160.16	178.40
Back Focus Distance	12.29	28.41	33.22

As with all patent applications, this is a look into Canon’s research and we may not see products like this in the future.

Japan Patent Application 2024-160458

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