Patent Application: Full Frame Zoom Lenses

This is a curious patent application (2025-068535) because the lenses are all over the place.  I've seen these types of patent applications before and they always remind me of the designer just throwing optical designs at the wall to illustrate the patent purpose, without having an actual lens in mind for production.  There's a lens that would be more suited on the EF mount (but still too short for EF), and 3 other lenses that could be for the RF mount.  The inclusion of the first embodiment gives me pause on this patent application, so take this as a grain of salt, on top of that there's an RF-S lens as well.  So something for everyone.

So it's a mixed bag, and because I'm dismissing the embodiments, you obviously know that one of them will now make it into production in the near future.

As I mentioned in another patent application showing off some RF Power Zoom Lenses, it's rare that a patent application will turn up for a lens before the lens comes out.  Usually we see the applications after the lens is released.  There are some cases, where this is not the case, but for the vast majority of the patents since 2017 that I've been writing about, this is held true.

These are probably not Power Zoom Lenses

It should be noted that none of these embodiments specify that the lenses are internally power zoom controlled.  I see some other mentions to this patent application and the claims that they are power zoom, no where in this patent application is that specified.  Unlike the other patent application which specifically states electric zoom, this one simply states the standard statement for an optical design patent application

To provide a compact zoom lens having high optical performance.

Canon 20-40mm F.28

This lens is neither an EF or an RF lens design but something in between.  It's also full frame.  So it's an interesting design, but nothing that would ever be developed.

Canon RF 20-50mm F4

In this embodiment, Canon describes a constant aperture 20-50mm lens. However, with Canon already having a 24-50mm, I can't see them making this lens, versus the power zoom equivalent that we discussed in the RF Power Zoom patent application issued numerically right after this patent application.

Canon RF 15-30mm F4

I'm not sure there's room for another ultra wide lens from Canon right now, but here we are.  If this was an APS-C lens, it would be a little more intruging.  With a back focus distance of under 12mm, this lens would sit really close to the sensor plane making it slightly unlikely that it would be developed.

Canon RF-S 12-35mm F2.0 - 3.5

I know the wide aperture is 2.35, but hey, it's marketting.  This is an RF-S lens, and not a full frame lens.

This is only a Patent Application

As with all patent applications that we talk about, this is simply a patent application that was published. It means that Canon was researching this item, or simply blocking others from doing a similar item.  Because there's a patent application doesn't mean that Canon is doing such a product, and even if it's coming out soon.  I've seen credible patent applications that I would have sworn would come to fruition, simply dissappear.

• Japan Patent Application 2025-068535