A recently published Canon patent application (JP 2026-135787) details optical formulas for ultra-fast, ultra-wide full-frame prime lenses, including 12mm F1.4, 14mm F1.4, and 18mm F1.4 designs. While the 14mm F1.4 embodiment serves as the optical foundation for the RF 14mm F1.4 L VCM, the inclusion of 12mm and 18mm variations highlights Canon’s broader optical research into ultra-wide, high-speed optics.
Patent Details
- Publication Number: JP 2026-135787 (P2026-135787A)
- Filing Date: February 13, 2025
- Publication Date: August 25, 2026
- Applicant: Canon Inc.
- Core Objective: Minimize focus breathing and suppress optical aberrations across varying focus distances to deliver uniform edge-to-edge sharpness wide open at f/1.4.
Embodiment Highlights
- 12mm F1.4: An extreme ultra-wide concept pushing field-of-view limits for astrophotography and architectural interiors while maintaining an ultra-fast f/1.4 light-gathering capability.
- 14mm F1.4: The production-aligned optical embodiment designed to control sagittal coma flare and peripheral distortion.
- 18mm F1.4: A balanced wide-angle option tailored for documentary, landscape, and gimbal videography, bridging the gap between ultra-wide primes and standard wide options like 24mm.
Technical Takeaways The patent focuses heavily on internal focus group configurations that keep physical lens movement compact while mitigating angle-of-view shifts during video recording. By prioritizing minimal focus breathing and coma correction at maximum aperture, these designs are engineered to support both hybrid cinema applications and demanding stills photography.
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via j-platpat