Canon patents design for 70-200mm f/2 lens

Canon has filed a Japanese patent (JP 2026-168807) detailing several optical designs, most notably a full-frame 70-200mm f/2 zoom lens. The patent, published on October 16, includes 11 different examples of lenses with constant maximum apertures.

The featured 70-200mm design utilizes 23 elements arranged in eight groups, including six aspherical surfaces. To maintain a compact size while allowing for a wider aperture, the design employs three or more focus groups, whereas current RF series lenses typically use two. This configuration is intended to help manage aberrations and field angle variations during focusing.

One specific iteration mentioned in the patent features a focal length range of approximately 71.65mm to 194mm with an f/2.06 aperture and a total optical length of 240.16mm. Another variation offers a slightly shorter total length of 223mm at an f/2.5 aperture.