Canon Patent: 17-70 and 16-60mm F2.8 Zooms

Kidneys would be sold for these!

Canon has shown this focal range before in patent applications, but we've never seen a lens like this produced. I'd literally be selling a kidney for this lens if it ever came out. It's certainly my go-to focal range for a zoom, and the lenses also have a constant aperture.

This patent application (2025-041292) shows several different designs for constant aperture, reverse zoom lenses (lenses that are longer when the lens is at it's widest focal length and get shorter as the focal length increases).

The purpose of this patent was fairly straight forward;

To provide a compact zoom lens having a wide angle of view, a high zoom ratio, and high optical performance.

Whether or not Canon would make this is up to their internal market research and what they feel they can sell to us, but as with most patent applications, this is a look into Canon's research and may not end up on an actual store shelf one day.

Canon RF 17-70 F2.8 IS 

In this example, LIS identifies the IS unit.  That's normally a smaller element group that sits near the middle of the lenses if it's not labelled.  In this case, a 17-70mm F2.8? Yes please.  There is some optical stretching on the wide end, but that's to be expected for this zoom range.  This is also a reverse zoom; the lens gets smaller as you increase the focal length.

Canon RF 18-80mm F2.8 IS 

This lens is very similar to the 17-70, except the focal length starts at 18mm.  While both are excellent ranges, I prefer starting at 17 versus 18.   That extra 1mm on the wide end makes far more difference than 10mm on the long end for me.

Canon RF 16-60mm F2.8 IS 

Well, since I like wide, Canon has decided to either troll me or tease me with this lens.  A 16-60mm lens would offer crazy one-lens coverage from the traditional 16mm ultra-wide focal length to beyond the standard 50mm focal length.  As with the other lenses, it's a reverse zoom lens and a constant F2.8 aperture.

Reminder: This is a Patent Application

As much as I wish one of these lenses were out now, this is a patent application.  They may not continue the development of this lens beyond the patent application.  This is simply a look into Canon's ongoing research.

• Japan Patent Application 2025-041292