Canon Consumer Grade Long Zoom lens May Come In 2nd Half Of 2018

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II zoom lens

I have just returned from a Wildlife Photo shoot in Hudson Bay, Canada. The action was very good, with encounters of Polar bear sows and cubs, Arctic and Silver foxes, Snowy Owls and Arctic hares.
Once I have time to catch up with my daily routine, I will post some of the latest photos.  You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon filed a patent for the EF 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 IS super zoom lens in 2016. The market for a consumer grade long zoom lens is dominated by Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm models right now but Canon is interested in this space and may announce their EF 200-600mm lens some time in the second half of 2018.

Unless, the new lens comes in the professional 'L' grade model, the price point (presumably just slightly higher than or equal to the competing third party models) will not make economical sense for Canon to make the lens a great weather-sealed performer. I am not impressed by the current 'super zoom' models on the market. Adding the Canon name to another consumer model will not make it any better, albeit perhaps a solid performer for its price. There may even be a custom extender as an option to add on the new glass.

The current EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II is a great performer. Even with a 1.4x extender added, the image is still quite acceptable. I hope Canon will release the EF 200-600mm in the 'L' grade and the EF 600mm f/4 DO BR some time next year. I will be a buyer of both glass. 

An Interview With Sigma CEO, Mr Kazuto Yamaki

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG zoom lens

Sigma has been putting out rather good lenses for the last few years. In particular, their Art line of prime and short zoom glass are very good value for the money.

They have also gotten into Cine High Speed zoom lens and Super Zoom lens as well. As my readers know, Sigma and Tamron are third party lens manufacturers. They 'reverse engineer' Canon and Nikon cameras and manufacture after market lens that fit these models. However, sometimes there can be minor hiccups as Canon and Nikon keep trying to outsmart the 'imitators'.

For those who want to save some money and perhaps get a lens that has different focal length from what Canon and Nikon offer, Sigma and Tamron may be a good alternative. For those into wildlife photography, there is a good deal on eBay for the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens.

Many Sigma lenses sold in Europe will go up in price rather substantially at the beginning of 2017. This list shows the old and new dealer prices for some lenses. Check the latest EU prices on Amazon.de or Amazon.fr. Price increase for Tamron lenses will not be far behind either. If you are planning to buy one, better hurry up.

Below is a video of a recent interview with Sigma's CEO, Mr. Kazuto Yamaki.

Canon Patent - EF 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 IS Lens

Egami, the Japanese photography blog has discovered a Canon patent for a EF 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 IS zoom lens. Sigma and Tamron both have consumer grade 150-600mm lens on the market and they seem to sell quite well because of their low price.

Canon recently showed off the EF 600mm f/4 DO BR lens during the EXPO Show in September but it will be another Super Telephoto lens and may be out of reach for many photographers. An 'L' grade long zoom like the EF 200-600mm may be within reach for more buyers. Depending on weight, I may be interested in this lens if it comes to market but the EF 600mm f/4 DO BR is definitely on my buy list.

    Patent Publication No. 2015-212724

•         Published 2015.11.26
•         Filing date 2014.5.1

    Example 1

•         Zoom ratio 3.00
•         Focal length 200.00 340.00 600.00
•         F-number 4.60 4.60 5.20
•         Angle of view 6.18 3.64 2.07
•         Image height 21.65 21.65 21.65
•         Overall length of the lens 355.16 355.16 355.16
•         BF 65.16 65.16 65.16

Sigma Announces 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS Lens

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens

RONKONKOMA, N.Y — September 12, 2014 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, has announced two new 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM high-performance, hyper-telephoto zoom lenses that celebrate significant optical and build advancements. The two lens designs vary in size and use, and add to the company’s impressive roster of Contemporary and Sports lenses in the Global Vision lineup.

The 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports delivers enhanced, professional-grade optics and greater durability for challenging, high-action photographic situations. The 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary is a versatile lens that offers similar performance in a more compact and portable design. Pricing and availability of these lenses are not yet available.

Both versions of the 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM feature dust and splash-proof features, as well as new water and oil-repellent coating on the front and rear lenses. They boast an updated Optical Stabilizer (OS) that features an accelerometer for improved vertical and horizontal panning, essential for bird, wildlife and motor sports photography. Two new switches were added for ease-of-use, including a new zoom lock switch capable of locking at any focal distance and a Manual Override (MO) switch for improved control of focusing performance. An enhanced auto focus (AF) algorithm and Hyper Sonic Motor ensure quiet and fast AF. The lenses are compatible with Sigma’s newly announced lineup of Global Vision teleconverters, which are effective up to F/8.

“The Global Vision Art, Sports and Contemporary lines were developed to help photographers identify lenses that are best suited to their specific photography and these two lenses are perfect examples of that intent,” Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “While they share a focal length and many outstanding features, these lenses are designed with different photographers in mind. Both high-performance lenses, one is for the professional-grade action shooter; the other for photographers looking for high performance and portability.”

The 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports offers the highest level of performance and durability with a splash and dust proof construction, and features dimensions of 4.8 inches by 11.4 inches, with a weight of 100.9 ounces. It contains 24 lens elements in 16 groups – including two FLD and three SLD glass elements – with a minimum aperture of F/22 and minimum focusing distance of 102.4 inches. Its maximum magnification ratio is also 1:5. The Sports lens will be available in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts.

The 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens is the first hyper-telephoto zoom lens from the Global Vision Contemporary line, and will enable easy handling with a smaller build than its Sports counterpart. It is equipped with a splash and dust proof mount, and while the weight of the lens is still to be determined, its dimensions will be 4.1 inches by 10.2 inches. The lens will feature 20 elements in 14 groups – including one FLD and three SLD glass elements – with a minimum aperture of F/22 and minimum focusing distance of 110.2 inches. Its maximum magnification ratio is 1:5. It will be available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts.

All of Sigma’s Global Vision lenses are compatible with the company’s USB dock and Mount Conversion Service, and undergo individual testing before being shipped. Using the USB Dock allows for advanced customization of AF speed, OS viewing modes, focus limiter and firmware updates. Every Sigma Global Vision lens is tested with Sigma’s proprietary “A1” MTF measuring system prior to shipping to ensure optimal performance and image quality.

The company will be exhibiting at the 2014 Photokina in Cologne, Germany, later this month. The latest lenses from the Global Vision lineup will be on display at the event and attendees are invited to stop by booth #B20/C29 in Hall 4.2. For information about Sigma, go to www.sigmaphoto.com or follow the company on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.