Without taking image quality necessarily into consideration, zoom lenses offer a huge amount of convenience for photographers. That is especially true for huge tele-lenses, which usually weigh several times that of the DSLR itself.

One popular example of a zoom that saves a tremendous amount of weight is Canon’s 200-400mm f/4 L, which has a 1. 4x extender built-in.

Natively this would give the lens a reach of 280-560mm f/5. 6, and it was also still compatible with Canon’s 2. 0x teleconverters – which would give the lens even more reach.

But zoom lenses aren't the only way for photographers to have more flexibility without needing to change lenses.

Apparently after seeing how popular that 200-400mm f/f L was, Canon execs gave the green light for their engineers to develop more telephotos lenses with built-in teleconverters. Japanese rumour mill Egami just discovered a patent for a 400mm f/2. 8 L IS with two converters built in: a 1. 4x and a 1. 7x for maximum versitility.

With a full-frame Canon camera you can effectively reach 400mm, 560mm, and 680mm. The advantage of this lens as opposed to a series of zooms is the sheer convenience of having the best quality possible in one package. A built-in teleconverter means it has been designed with the 400mm lens in mind, hopefully diminishing any loss in quality.

Of course this is just a patent, and as such, it may never see the light of day. But since Canon have previously made the aforementioned 200-400mm, this actually doesn’t seem so unlikely.

2016-11-21 03:00