Canon 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6
Seems a long slower telephoto zoom from Canon is coming. This I suppose will be a direct competitor of the Tamron 150-600mm and Sigma 150-600mm lenses. Other usual approach of Canon to make an other super expensive something, like the 200-400mm f/4. According to Egami, Canon has filed a patent for the new telephoto. Together with this 200-600mm there is a patent for a 60-600mm f/4.5-5,6 and a Cinema version of the 50-1000mm f/4.5-7.2 lens on a Super 35mm format (Cinema EOS camcorders).
Canon 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 specification
Focal length:
200-600mm it is very interesting, 600mm with an f/5.6 brightness, the Tamron and the Sigma both only f/6.3. On the other hand the lens needs to be bigger to achieve that(and heavier as well). The Tamron and the Sigma has 95mm and 105mm filter size respectively. The f/5.6 brightness means 107mm front element if I guess right (600/5.6). If it will be sharp at long end it will be a serious optics.
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Optical design:
Seems the optical design is quite complex, many lenses in many groups. If I count well more than 20 lens elements in 6-7 groups.
Build quality:
This is one area where can save some weight, or cut back specs. Can be a plastic lens, which is ok, or a metal with “L” quality. In case of high pro standards it won’t be a light lens. Fluorite is used to reduce weight but it is very expensive.
Exotic glass:
To keep the price low I guess no fluorite element, but some Ed elements I think needed to achieve the proper performance.
Weight:
Such a lens is easily can be 3kg, or more but would be preferable max 2kg for good portabilility.
Size:
With such parameters it will be a huge lens, with a 107mm front element, I guess can be 105mm as well. I assume the lens will be bigger during zooming, like the Sigma or the Tamron, otherwise it would be enormously huge.
Canon 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 price
This is a real question. Nikon also produced their 200-500mm lens, against the Tamron 150-600mm and the Sigma 150-600mm lenses. The Nikon is slightly more expensive (1400 USD) than the Sigma or the Tamron (1070 USD) I guess the Canon will be more expensive as well.
Canon 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 release date
No release date yet, only a patent for a lens, but there is an optical formula for it. It take some time to produce the lens, can be several months or years. If it will be the high end-high price lens, I guess more time is needed.