Canon has developed a series of advanced "large, white" lenses, promising to deliver speed, weight reduction, and a smaller overall size.
Canon's latest patent, P2025114982, published on August 6, 2025, reveals the company's development of compact, lightweight super telephoto lenses with high optical performance and fast apertures. The patent covers new 300mm f/2.8 IS, 400mm f/2.8 IS, and 500mm f/4 IS lenses designed to be smaller and lighter than traditional super telephoto primes without compromising on sharpness or aberration control.
The lenses utilise an optical system featuring a telephoto-type design with both positive and negative lens groups to achieve long focal lengths compactly. A floating focus design is incorporated for improved image quality throughout focusing distances. Canon aims to maintain fast apertures (f/2.8 and f/4) while significantly reducing the size and weight, traditionally requiring large, heavy glass elements.
The patent application includes detailed specifications for multiple super telephoto lens designs. Example 1: The first super telephoto lens design has a focal length of 387.98mm, an F-number of 2.91, a half angle of view of 3.19 degrees, an image height of 21.64mm, a total length of 372.01mm, and a back focus of 38.28mm. Example 2: The second super telephoto lens design has a focal length of 543.19mm, an F-number of 4.12, a half angle of view of 2.28 degrees, an image height of 21.64mm, a total length of 372.05mm, and a back focus of 38.30mm.
The patent also includes a super telephoto lens design with a focal length of 289.77mm, making it the shortest among the examples provided. Another design with a focal length of 289.77mm is also included, with a half angle of view of 4.27 degrees, a total length of 240.23mm, and a back focal length of 37.97mm.
The moving lens groups are built from single, lightweight negative lenses, reducing overall lens weight and enabling faster, more precise autofocus. The patent application also includes a super telephoto lens design with a focal length of 543.19mm, making it the longest among the examples provided.
The patent's vision is to provide an optical system that has high optical performance, a long focal length, and is small and lightweight. This new generation of super telephoto lenses could further enrich Canon’s RF mount lineup by providing faster, lighter, yet top-tier optical quality lenses, potentially setting a new standard for professional telephoto lenses in terms of portability without compromise.
The smaller weight of the current RF lenses is a big win for professionals who need high-performance gear that's easier to handle in the field. The patent application provides detailed specifications for the total length, back focus, and half angle of view of each lens example.
Comparatively, Canon's older DSLR giants like the EF 600mm f/4L IS USM weighed 5.36kg, and the EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM weighed a staggering 16.5kg. The described innovation in Canon's patent could potentially make super telephoto lenses significantly lighter, which could be a game changer for professional action, wildlife, and nature shooters.
In summary, Canon's patent P2025114982 demonstrates promising advancements toward small, lightweight, fast-aperture super telephoto lenses that maintain excellent optical correction and performance, possibly shipping as new RF mount lenses in the near future.
- Canon's new patent reveals the development of compact super telephoto lenses with fast apertures, aiming to provide high optical performance.
- The patent covers several super telephoto lens designs, including a 300mm f/2.8 IS, a 400mm f/2.8 IS, and a 500mm f/4 IS, all designed to be lighter than traditional super telephoto primes.
- The patent includes a design for a 289.77mm focal length lens, making it the shortest among the examples provided.
- Another design with a 289.77mm focal length is also included, with a smaller half angle of view and back focus length.
- The moving lens groups of the new designs are built from lightweight negative lenses, enabling faster, more precise autofocus.
- The patent's vision is to provide an optical system with high optical performance, a long focal length, and a small, lightweight design.
- The described innovation in Canon's patent could make super telephoto lenses significantly lighter, potentially revolutionizing action, wildlife, and nature photography.
- In the near future, the new RF mount lenses based on these designs could set a new standard for professional telephoto lenses in terms of portability without compromise.
