Recent Canon lens heralds possible Mirrorless model?

[Chris Dodkin]

The recent launch by Canon of a 40mm pancake lens, is leading to intense speculation that this could be the start of a line of small lenses suitable for a new Canon mirror less camera, to take on the Fujis.

The lens mount on the new camera would NOT be EF mount, the current Canon standard, but Canon have a patent lodged for an EF adapter, which could bridge the new EF pancake lens to the new system.

When you put the new lens and the patent together, you get something like this:

I think it's a good bet - no real reason to do the pancake otherwise IMHO.

And they have to bridge EF to any new lens system to avoid loosing the access to their legacy lens system.

More wild speculation here: Canon Mirrorless Information [CR1] « Canon Rumors

Should be an interesting next 12 months!

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Yes Chris, there is supposed to be an announcement at the end July from canon which is reported as a possible introduction of a new camera. Rumor I know, yet I am sure canon will enter this market at some point. It is all that is holding me off buying the fuji. I have canon gear so any possibility that the lenses could be used via adaptor on a new camera would be the least expensive route to go.

 

[Andy Boardman]

Hi Julian, as a Canon user I get where you are comming from but the Fuji will be far better & sharper than the Canon if/when it comes out, I would put money on it.
I would go for the X-Pro 1 any day as I have never seen a nicer camera & as for sharpness, nothing can touch it I think.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I'm wondering if the Canon mount adapter will be MF only?

I can buy an adapter today to put my EF lenses on my Fuji, and use MF - I haven't bothered as the L lenses are so huge compared to the Fuji body, it would be ungainly. Plus, they do not allow the adjustment of aperture on the EF lenses - which makes the whole process a complete waste of time!

And, I'd have to say the Fuji lenses are meeting my expectations for IQ, even versus the quality of my L lenses.

Regarding Andy's comments on the IQ of the Fuji - well, time will tell - but I have put my X-Pro1 head to head with my Canon 5DII full frame, and it matches it.

I used the 35mm f/1.4 on the Fuji, and the 50mm f/1.2 on the Canon - Both at f8.

I set both to ISO200, and used the Live View focus on both, looking at the same scene.

The results - zoomed into 100% I can't see any resolution advantage for the 5DII - even though it's 21.1MP vs the Fuji's 16MP.

100% Zoomed Crop

That's quite an achievement for the sensor and lens - and echoes the feel I'd got from shooting with the X-Pro1 over the last few months.

As you can see on the sample - Fuji did a better job on WB, which again echoes my general experience - Fuji out of camera colors are superb.


So how does this translate to a possible Canon mirrorless?

No idea, other than they'd have their work cut out to up their game from the current G Series.

 

[Pete Askew]

Interesting Chris. Thanks.

 

[David M. Byrne]

Very interesting & awesome little comparison, Chris. I'll go out on a limb here and say it's only a matter of time before Canon enter this segment; it seems like not a day goes by that it's not muted on Canon Rumors. No smoke without fire, if you know what I mean. As for the lens itself. I've yet to really play with it but I'm impressed with its sharpness (& of course its compactness). & that STM motor is almost silent; not the quickest, but silent as hell (I had to bring the camera up to my ear to hear it searching for focus with the lens cap on). Regardless of Canon's long term intent for the lens I'd still be happy with it were it never to mount a mirrorless body, especially as it retails for less than $200. I mean what's not to like at that price?

 

[Hamish Gill]

It's supposed to be insanely sharp!
For some reason I thought you were a Sony man Dave?

If the Nikon ft1 is anything to go by Chris any canon adapter will likely be full featured