2 New Canon L lenses

[ajuk]

Thought it might be of some interest to people here, especially the new Dead Link Removed

 

[Lee Shively]

Canon makes some very fine optics. Even their cheap, marginally-built consumer lenses are surprisingly sharp. The two L-series lenses I own are outstanding.

What is disturbing in this Canon announcement is the lack of reference to anyone other than digital camera users. I suppose we film users have been written off by the major players in professional photography today.

 

[jmailand]

What is disturbing in this Canon announcement is the lack of reference to anyone other than digital camera users. I suppose we film users have been written off by the major players in professional photography today.

There are 3 email address at the bottom of the page for Canon sales,marketing people. I think concerned film EOS users should write these people and ask why there is no mention that these can be use for film and why film users are being ignored. I would write them myself, but all my Canon gear is the manual focus FD system. Canon wrote me off years ago.

Here are the email addresses.

dszajngarten@cusa.canon.com

gcoalter@cusa.canon.com

ccenter@cits.canon.com

 

[Lee Shively]

Done.

 

[Petzi]

I wonder if these outperform their predecessors. The EF 4/70-200 L would be hard to beat, and I wonder if the EF 1.2/50 L actually gives you sharper images than the EF 1.4/50 at any normal aperture other than wide open.

 

[bjorke]

I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was putting film into their lens. A new trick to me!

Canon stresses their full-frame digitals because only Canon makes such beasts, with the demise of full-frame Contax and Kodak cameras. This just cross-product marketing -- emphasize the brand across all SKUs.

Film bodies, on the other hand, are not a unique market for Canon -- Nikon and Vivitar and a handful of others also sell such things. Talking about film bodies presents no marketing advantage for The Big C.

 

[ajuk]

Canon makes some very fine optics. Even their cheap, marginally-built consumer lenses are surprisingly sharp. The two L-series lenses I own are outstanding.

What is disturbing in this Canon announcement is the lack of reference to anyone other than digital camera users. I suppose we film users have been written off by the major players in professional photography today.

Well you have Canon's full frame cameras to thank for the thank for the fact it will work on film. I am surprised they don't mention that they are for both digital and film. I suggest that anyone who buys one of these for a film camera writes to Canon!

My guess it Canon sell a lot more new lenses to film users than thay do cameras.

 

[reub2000]

There are 3 email address at the bottom of the page for Canon sales,marketing people. I think concerned film EOS users should write these people and ask why there is no mention that these can be use for film and why film users are being ignored. I would write them myself, but all my Canon gear is the manual focus FD system. Canon wrote me off years ago.

Here are the email addresses.

dszajngarten@cusa.canon.com

gcoalter@cusa.canon.com

ccenter@cits.canon.com

Relax this simply just marketing. These lenses should work perfectly well film cameras. Canon is simply not marketing these lenses for film because film is not trendy.

 

[PhotoJim]

I suppose not too many film shooters who are too cheap to go digital are going to spend the big dollars on a 50/1.2. (This isn't my assessment of film shooters, but it is a common perception.)

The f/1.4 is a far better deal anyway. But ssh, the first-generation 50/1.8 is just as good and a lot cheaper (although it costs used about what the second-generation plastic lens costs new).

I shoot Nikon so none of this matters to me, but if I were a Canon film shooter I'd be glad to see that these lenses had been released. Nikon just discontinued its 28/1.4 so it appeared that fast lenses might not be as much in vogue as they had once been.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Glad to see a new prime lens from Canon, but I'm standing pat with my FD 50/1.2L thank you.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

I've got a f/1.8 50mm and it suits me fine, though I'm always happy to see more lenses on the market. Lens makers are coming out fine from this popular analog > digital changeover I guess, shame kodak never had awesome optics.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Kodak Commercial Ektar and Wide Field Ektar lenses were pretty good and widely used in their day. The first Hasselblad lenses were made by Kodak. The Kodak Medalist Ektar is one of the best medium format lenses of all time.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

I stand accurately corrected! Best to remember how young I am sometimes, I haven't owned a kodak camera bar a couple brownies I've played with, but have always had a canon around somewhere.

 

[Lee Shively]

In response to my email concerning the lack of mention of film EOS cameras in the new release, this was the reply I received today from Geoff Coalter:

Lee-
I understand your concern, and thank you for taking the time to write to me. Allow me to say, that Canon certainly supports the customers who have purchased our film cameras, and we continue to develop lenses and accessories that work on all EOS bodies, film and digital. In fact, you may have noticed in that press release, there was a push toward "full frame" digital SLR cameras, which give a more accurate viewfinder, and a look and feel closer to that of 35mm film.
So again, we apologize for not adding anything about film in there - You guys remain the backbone of our photo business, and the next release I write for an EOS system product will certainly mention film based EOS cameras. Thank you again for pointing that out, and have a great day!

Geoff Coalter
Public Relations Associate
Canon USA
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042
Voice: 516.328.4288 / Fax: 516-328-4889
gcoalter@cusa.canon.com

 

[Petzi]

That was a good response. The man seems to have found the right position at Canon.

 

[copake_ham]

In response to my email concerning the lack of mention of film EOS cameras in the new release, this was the reply I received today from Geoff Coalter:

Lee-
I understand your concern, and thank you for taking the time to write to me. Allow me to say, that Canon certainly supports the customers who have purchased our film cameras, and we continue to develop lenses and accessories that work on all EOS bodies, film and digital. In fact, you may have noticed in that press release, there was a push toward "full frame" digital SLR cameras, which give a more accurate viewfinder, and a look and feel closer to that of 35mm film.
So again, we apologize for not adding anything about film in there - You guys remain the backbone of our photo business, and the next release I write for an EOS system product will certainly mention film based EOS cameras. Thank you again for pointing that out, and have a great day!

Geoff Coalter
Public Relations Associate
Canon USA
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042
Voice: 516.328.4288 / Fax: 516-328-4889
gcoalter@cusa.canon.com

Well at least your received a response that wasn't canned.

Just to put things in perspective - today is the first day of the US Open Tennis tournament in NYC.

Canon had a special advertisment insert in the NY Times to note the commencement of the tournament and introduce its full line of digital P&S and DSLR gear. Just in case spectators were looking for a reason to buy one...

They didn't display any of their film SLRs in the advert insert.

 

[Shawn Mielke]

How excellent that this 50mm 1.2 lens is going to be released. This makes me very happy, whether or not Canon's marketing includes EOS 35mm shootists. In combination with their 24mm 1.4, 35mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.2, and I am ready to rock the 1V along side my F6. Go full frame digital!

 

[braxus]

I've been waiting for the 50L to come out for a long time. I even called Canon to request one of these be made. Now that its out I'll be waiting till I can actually get the spare cash together to get it which might be 3 years! Ouch.