Patent Application Reveals Canon 28-45mm F1.2 and 35-70mm F1.4!
A new patent application, P2026033938, has surfaced, hinting at two incredibly exciting, and dare I say, ambitious, lenses from Canon: a 28-45mm F1.2 L USM and a 35-70mm F1.4 L USM. If these lenses ever make it to production, they would be the world’s first full-frame zoom lenses with such fast apertures in these focal ranges.
Breaking the f/2.0 Barrier
For years, the f/2.8 aperture has been the standard for high-end professional zoom lenses. Canon’s own RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM broke this mold, offering a full stop of light over the traditional f/2.8 options. This lens, while large and heavy, is a favorite among wedding and event photographers for its ability to blur backgrounds and shoot in low light.
The lenses described in this new patent would take this a step further, offering an f/1.2 and f/1.4 aperture in a zoom. To put this in perspective, an f/1.2 aperture lets in more than twice the light of an f/2 lens and four times the light of an f/2.8 lens. This would be a game-changer for low-light photography and videography, as well as for creating an incredibly shallow depth of field.
The Engineering Challenge
Designing a zoom lens with such a large aperture is an immense optical engineering challenge. It requires large, heavy glass elements to gather the necessary amount of light, which in turn necessitates powerful focusing motors.
To illustrate the potential size of such a lens, we’ve created a conceptual comparison. In the image below, we see a hypothetical Canon 28-45mm F1.2 L USM (right) next to the real-world, already substantial Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM (left). You can see that the f/1.2 lens would likely need to be even larger and more bulbous to accommodate the necessary glass.
What Do We Know for Sure?
It’s important to note that this patent application is just that: an application. Canon, like all major camera manufacturers, applies for hundreds of patents each year, and not all of them ever see the light of day as actual products.
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No Official Confirmation: Canon has not officially announced or confirmed these lenses.
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Existing Lenses: Canon currently has the RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM and the RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM. While these are incredible lenses, they are not zooms. The new patent for a 28-45mm f/1.2 and 35-70mm f/1.4 would fill a gap in the market, but it’s a huge undertaking.
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Other Patents: Other recent patents from Canon have been for things like an RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM, an ultra-wide power zoom, and even a defocus smoothing prime, showing they are constantly pushing boundaries. The 28-45mm f/1.2 and 35-70mm f/1.4 are certainly plausible, but it’s impossible to say for sure if they will ever become a reality.
The Future of RF Mount
Regardless of whether these specific lenses ever come to market, this patent shows that Canon is not slowing down its innovation for the RF mount. They are clearly exploring the boundaries of what is possible, and that’s good news for all of us. The conceptual optical diagram below gives a glimpse into the intricate lens design that would be required for such a feat.
Conclusion
While we may never see these specific lenses, it’s clear that Canon is exploring new and exciting possibilities for the RF mount. The very fact that they are patenting such ambitious lenses is a good sign for the future of photography and videography.
What do you think? Would you buy a 28-45mm F1.2 L USM or a 35-70mm F1.4 L USM? Let us know in the comments!
via j-platpat
