Canon has some truly fabulous lenses in their EF and RF mounts. From fish-eye to tilt shifts to super telephoto zooms, Canon’s lenses are built on character and incredibly reliable, even if they can be expensive. There are budget-friendly versions, too, but they lack a better build and weather sealing. As Canon is working towards expanding its lens range for mirrorless mounts, there are fresh rumors that they are thinking of introducing updates to two recently launched super telephoto lenses.
According to a report by Canon Rumors, the company is considering introducing new variants of the Canon RF 400mm f2.8L IS USM and Canon RF 600mm f4L IS USM. These lenses were first introduced for DSLR bodies in 2018, and their mirrorless version was launched as soon as 2021. The RF lenses are optically similar to the EF lenses, which were introduced after the EOS R5 and R3 launch.
At that time, the launch claimed that the lenses would improve R3’s autofocus speed thanks to the extra push they could give. However, it is really hard to say whether this was really true. In addition, the company wanted to introduce silver mount lenses, which, of course, never materialized.
This news follows a new patent filed by Canon, which showcases two new super telephoto lenses with built-in teleconverters. Here is a look at what the lenses will offer:
Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM Extender 1.4x
| Specification | Without Extender | With Extender |
| Focal length | 389.00 | 544.00 |
| F-number | 2.91 | 4.19 |
| Half Angle of View (°) | 3.18 | 2.28 |
| Image height | 21.64 | 21.64 |
| Lens length | 406.00 | 406.01 |
| Back Focus Distance | 53.83 | 53.83 |
Canon 600mm f4L IS USM Extender 1.4x
| Specification | Without Extender | With Extender |
| Focal length | 582.00 | 814.80 |
| F-number | 4.12 | 5.88 |
| Half Angle of View (°) | 2.13 | 1.52 |
| Image height | 21.64 | 21.64 |
| Lens length | 486.10 | 486.10 |
| Back Focus Distance | 81.91 | 81.91 |
Both lenses are said to be updated by 2026, and it’s also possible that they will be extremely costly. However, patents sometimes get lost with time, so until there are more updates, we must take this with a pinch of salt.
However, a five-year production-to-sales time is not too long either. Most products today take a similar time to refresh their products. And so new lenses with built-in converters could be great for professionals who do not wish to compromise. Furthermore, as video is becoming a major source of income now, more and more wildlife photographers who shoot videos could also benefit from it. However, one major concern is the weight. The RF 400mm weighs 2840g while the RF 600mm weighs 3050g.
While lighter than their predecessors, they are still heavy for the range. So that and the price are two things that Canon must reconsider. Furthermore, a better job at the paint could also be helpful, as we noticed that it seems to weather off soon. There is also a chance a new series of cameras will be launched before the lenses, just like they did in 2021, to get the most out of the devices.
Built-in converters are the logical step in Canon’s evolution, but so does the need to get lenses at a decent price. Innovations are great but when they limit some groups from purchasing, it calls for a need to change.