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How much longer will the EF/EF-S lens system last?

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Y0GI

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I've been told that the reason that contrast detect AF is so slow is that the EF/EF-S lens system is optimized for phase detect AF. With every new camera coming out with video, it seems that the slow contrast detect AF makes this system a target for retirement.

So:
  • Is this true?
  • How much longer will EF/EF-S last?
--
Yogi

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of photography, the results depend on the 'nut' behind the camera!

See the 'Plan' in my 'Profile' for my current equipment.
 
I haven't heard that one before. It seems that the af speed of contrast detection is also a function of that technology and the particular camera, ie. different speed of AF between Panasonic and Olympus micro 4/3 cameras using the same lenses.

EF/EF-S lenses are not going anywhere.
Y0GI said:
I've been told that the reason that contrast detect AF is so slow is that the EF/EF-S lens system is optimized for phase detect AF. With every new camera coming out with video, it seems that the slow contrast detect AF makes this system a target for retirement.

So:
  • Is this true?
  • How much longer will EF/EF-S last?
--
Yogi

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of photography, the results depend on the 'nut' behind the camera!

See the 'Plan' in my 'Profile' for my current equipment.
Click to expand...
--
http://www.ronhartman.net
 
The last orders for EF-S lenses will be accepted by Canon distribution centers up to the local close of business on Friday, May 14, 2027, which is more than 17 years from now.

Stocks at the distributors will be allowed to decline in the months leading up to that date, so don't wait until the last minute to order a lens you want.

A decision is not made yet regarding the end of production of any particulr EF-S lens. That will be made based on a number of factors, inclduing stock of components and likely demand for vrious models when prices are slashed to clear the pipeline.

Hope this helps.

BAK
 
Close of business at which distribution center? If I order online, will I be allowed to order until the one in Irvine (I think that's in the furthest west time zone) closes, or only until my local one (I'm in Australia right now, but I'm not sure where I'll be in 2027) closes?

I'm just trying to plan ahead here, and it would be helpful if I had all of the details.

LOL
BAK said:
The last orders for EF-S lenses will be accepted by Canon distribution centers up to the local close of business on Friday, May 14, 2027, which is more than 17 years from now.
Click to expand...
 
BAK said:
The last orders for EF-S lenses will be accepted by Canon distribution centers up to the local close of business on Friday, May 14, 2027, which is more than 17 years from now.
Click to expand...
But the world is supposed to end in a couple of years, in fact, they just made a movie about it. Manufacture of all Canon lenses will obviously stop then.

--
http://www.pixelmap.com
 
yeahh......... i have been wondering what lenses i should concentrate on adding to my small selection to shoot that with.
--

i am beginning to suspect that those who say i have snapped are not referring to my photography.
 
It's more likely that full frame lenses would end. Cropped cameras outsell full frame 10 to 1.

That said, I wish I knew what Canon is going to do in that product area. I doubt they will leave that segment to Olympus and Panasonic, and risk getting too far behind. Developing lenses takes so long, what if those cameras get a critical mass of customers and lenses. Image quality is plenty good enough, and the cameras are so nice and small. I wear glasses and disliek using the optical viewfinder - especially for thign sliek macro or when I shoot with the camere near the ground...really poor useability.
 
back in 1986 when rumours of autofocus lenses came out.

Canon has done a complete abandonment of an SLR lens mount twice already (they had a screw mount before the FD bayonet).

You'd cry too if it happened to you.
 
SamKnopf said:
back in 1986 when rumours of autofocus lenses came out.

Canon has done a complete abandonment of an SLR lens mount twice already (they had a screw mount before the FD bayonet).

You'd cry too if it happened to you.
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly!
--
Yogi

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of photography, the results depend on the 'nut' behind the camera!

See the 'Plan' in my 'Profile' for my current equipment.
 
Brian,
Sources please.

JD
BAK said:
The last orders for EF-S lenses will be accepted by Canon distribution centers up to the local close of business on Friday, May 14, 2027, which is more than 17 years from now.

Stocks at the distributors will be allowed to decline in the months leading up to that date, so don't wait until the last minute to order a lens you want.

A decision is not made yet regarding the end of production of any particulr EF-S lens. That will be made based on a number of factors, inclduing stock of components and likely demand for vrious models when prices are slashed to clear the pipeline.

Hope this helps.

BAK
Click to expand...
--
John
 
I am puzzled why the mount have anything to do with the AF detection system performance :s

Things like the lack of an AF detector with mirror up and having to rely on the sensor and software seem the performance issue
Y0GI said:
  • How much longer will EF/EF-S last?
Click to expand...
--
J.
 
JimmyTheHand said:
I am puzzled why the mount have anything to do with the AF detection system performance :s
Click to expand...
It's not the mount per se, but the EF lens + contrast detect system .
JimmyTheHand said:
Things like the lack of an AF detector with mirror up and having to rely on the sensor and software seem the performance issue
Click to expand...
But regular Canon video cameras use contrast detect AF and don't have the long focus time of the EF system. What do they use?
JimmyTheHand said:
J.
Click to expand...
--
Yogi

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of photography, the results depend on the 'nut' behind the camera!

See the 'Plan' in my 'Profile' for my current equipment.
 
Y0GI said:
But regular Canon video cameras use contrast detect AF and don't have the long focus time of the EF system. What do they use?
Click to expand...
For consumer-grade video, the sensor is so tiny that is has enough DOF that super-accurate focus is not that important. So, all they need to do is "get it in the ballpark" and that's good enough.

For professional video equipment, the sensor is again relatively small (smaller than APS-C) and the lenses are not as fast as SLR lenses, so they have more DOF as well. Besides, when the professional cameras run $10,000+ ($100,000+ ?), they can afford to put in a nice AF system.
 
Y0GI said:
It's not the mount per se, but the EF lens + contrast detect system .
Click to expand...
I think it probably has more to do with the type of lens and sensor than the mount - I doubt they could improve performance with a new mount and keeping same sort of lenses that work well for high resolution photos
Y0GI said:
But regular Canon video cameras use contrast detect AF and don't have the long focus time of the EF system. What do they use?
Click to expand...
looking at D50 with live view running, possibly not a lens opened to F1.4 (or whatever current max lens aperture) - i.e. lowest possible DoF (though not sure whether that is different in daylight) so maximum - and likely to be much smaller DoF than average video camera

If the sensor always outputs maximum resolution and camera “cpu” reduces it to what is saved (most likely I think) - then a much smaller data set to analyse (and thus quicker for same speed “cpu“)

--
J.
 
Since nobody else answered, the way the Canon camcorders focus so fast is a secondary focus sensing system (which has been done before on DSLRs if I remember correctly) which assists the normal contrast detect system. Sometimes they work the same way a bat sees. It works fairly well, and absolutely is not covered up by the high DOF, it is very clear when it (sometimes) misses the focus. It's a open loop thing though, so you still require a closed loop assist like the contrast detect, but Canon could focus vastly faster with contrast detect if they were interested in doing so. If you look at how much faster digicams have gotten at this over the years it is impressive.

Nothing about the EF-S mount would not allow vastly faster focus with the mirror up.

Jason
 
It's local time.

And while you might think that ordering from a distribution center/centre in another time zone would give you an hour, or two, or even more, extra, shipping will only be from the centre closest to the customer.

I do not know my Australian time zones, so it may be possible that the nearest centre is in a different time zone than the community you are in.

But beware.. cutting the ordering really close to deadline may mean the centre does not have what you want.

Plus, orders to the centre only come from retailers. End users need to get in touch with a store,a nd get the store to order.

Nothing's every easy.

BAK
 
SamKnopf said:
Canon has done a complete abandonment of an SLR lens mount twice already (they had a screw mount before the FD bayonet).
Click to expand...
Canon never had a screw mount for SLRs. The screw mount was for their rangefinder cameras which went into production shortly after WWII, and it's compatible with Leica's screw mount. Canon's initial SLR mount, called the R mount used the same physical means of attachment as the breechlock FL and later FD mount, but the connecting pins were not compatible. The R lens's diaphrams had to be cocked in order to close to working aperture, a very cludgy way of doing it. Winding the film cocked both the shutter and the lens. R lenses were only made for a few years and were replaced by FL lenses, which had stopped down metering and did not require cocking. About 1971 FL lenses were replaced by FD lenses which finally allowed Canon to sell cameras with metering at full aperture. FL and FD lenses are interchangeable, but if either the camera or the lens is from the FL system, you'll only have stopped down metering. You will have automatic aperture, so at least you can focus at full aperture and just press the shutter release to have the lens stop down to working aperture. FD lenses also allow automatic metering with shutter priority with suitable bodies.
 
Jason Hutchinson said:
Since nobody else answered, the way the Canon camcorders focus so fast is a secondary focus sensing system (which has been done before on DSLRs if I remember correctly) which assists the normal contrast detect system. Sometimes they work the same way a bat sees. It works fairly well, and absolutely is not covered up by the high DOF, it is very clear when it (sometimes) misses the focus. It's a open loop thing though, so you still require a closed loop assist like the contrast detect, but Canon could focus vastly faster with contrast detect if they were interested in doing so. If you look at how much faster digicams have gotten at this over the years it is impressive.

Nothing about the EF-S mount would not allow vastly faster focus with the mirror up.

Jason
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply, Jason!

Do you know any details of the secondary system? Is it phase detect?
--
Yogi

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of photography, the results depend on the 'nut' behind the camera!

See the 'Plan' in my 'Profile' for my current equipment.
 
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