The Future of Canon Lens . . .

[RJSorensen]

I have been thinking on where Canon will go with future lens. I think the EF-S is going to be with us for sometime in the bargain and mid-quality and price levels. But what of "L" glass. Where will the new updated L lens change to enhance digital performance over film? Not being the expert, but nonetheless understanding that the way light needs to be focused for a digital chip is somewhat different from that of a 35mm film plane. I suspect a change in design is forthcoming . . .

I suppose from this that new lens will feature a enhanced "Blue" strip to denote that they are optimized for digital performance. The short back focus EF-S lens have this in them now, I think it only a little time before you see a whole new world of Digital "B" (for Blue) stripe lens on our dealers shelves.

What are your thoughts of the future of new non-EFS lens? Explicitly in the "L" category.

[Skip Souza]

I think you are right on RJ. Canon has started out with the EF 400mm f/4.0 DO IS USM (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=154&modelid=7468) which has all the earmarks of an L lens including the price tag. The Difractive Optics allow a lighter and more compact unit optimized for digital photography.
I am sure that we will be seeing more of the same.

[pradeep1]

I don't think we'll see EF-S L lenses. We'll probably see an L lens that is fast and will cover a good range. Maybe a killer 17-85 f/2.8 L L. :p

[CyberDyneSystems]

EF-S "L" will happen when one of the Pro digitals goes APS sensor sized...

[RJSorensen]

Things will get cold in Hades then . . . No I think the L series will get a refit for exacting digital use. I think they can do better with red strips and the new cameras they are sprouting up on. i.e. digital bodies.

[Avalonthas]

Well i believe it was from a previous post that in the next year or two (was it nikon??) that said they would stop developing film bodies, and therefore, canon would most likely logically follow (in terms of SLR and 35mm anyways, as digital medium format isn't that great right now). But anyways to that end, they eventually will stop producing film bodies, and so all future lenses at that time would be made for the digital bodies, so they will prolly keep the red stripe because its recognized around the world for so many years, i dont think any canon enthusiast will be able to give it up. Maybe a blue dot or something, closer to the body or on the outset of the red ring will differentiate it from other L glass, who knows, but im sure canon has already started to think about it.

Maybe they will begin a 2 ring process, where a red stripe would be the most prominant near the front of the lens, representing an L quality piece of glass, followed by a blue stripe either behind it, somewhere in the middle, or somewhere near the body to denote it is specially for digital. Then on the bargain to midrate glass, it would simply carry the blue stripe in its respective position.

Me personally would prefer a red ring followed by a blue ring with maybe half a centimeter spacing between the lines. That would be a sweet lens.

[ShutteringFocus]

Humm...white lens...red and blue stripes...

heck...all we need now is a star instead of the red dot and you got yourself "America's Lens!"