Patent: Canon RF 180mm f/3.5L Macro and Canon RF 200mm f/4L Macro | Canon Rumors

This is a patent on a general macro lens architecture or design that is meant to minimize fluctuations of aberrations.

There are seven examples in the patent, from 140mm to 194mm, f/3.5 to f/4, back focuses from 13 to 49mm, but the patent isn’t about any of these examples, but rather the general lens formula. It specifically mentions (all their patents do, I think) “imaging device such as a digital still camera, a video camera, a surveillance camera, and an in-vehicle camera.”

I’ve mentioned several times that this website is being misleading by claiming that patents of formula or designs are somehow really patents of the examples. I’ve asked if anyone can point to any production lens specific design actually being first mentioned as an example in a patent application and no-one’s pointed out a single case to me. I also haven’t seen such a case myself. I’m sure it must happen from time to time but I’m still waiting for someone to point such a case out. Until we have a good record of many or even most new lenses being mentioned in patents as examples of their respected general architecture or designs, though, I think it’d be premature to hope that this particular design would be built. (And I’m not even sure it would be, as some aberrations are pretty high.) My takeaway is that if anything it might be a lot LIGHTER than the EF 180mm, and maybe CHEAPER, but the figures don’t necessarily look BETTER.