Canon bans Viltrox lens

MitchAlsup wrote:

sybersitizen wrote:

NanoCam wrote:

I just read that Canon has forbidden Viltrox from producing a lens (85/1.8 and maybe others?)

I assume you read this:

https://www.dpreview.com/news/3875526045/viltrox-representative-reports-canon-told-them-to-stop-selling-all-rf-mount-products

I don't think it's possible for camera companies to 'ban' an entity from making lenses. Nothing restricts anyone from making products that are compatible with the physical mounts.

Camera companies can withhold proprietary communication protocol information from entities that don't pay a licensing fee, but that's something different.

You see, there are these things called patents.

Yes. Have you read the patent application for Canon's RF mount? I have. It's focused on the specific communication protocols rather than the physical design of the mount, which is just a minor variation of the twist/lock method used throughout the industry.

The DPR article says this, focusing entirely on the electronic and communication factors:

It’s unclear whether third-party lens manufacturers using electronic connections with Canon’s RF-mount alone is the issue or whether it’s the code, reverse-engineered or otherwise, enabling AF that’s causing the issue.

As it stands, with Viltrox’s 85mm F1.8 AF lens out of the discussion, only manual RF-mount lenses remain available to purchase from third-party manufacturers (barring second-hand sales elsewhere). This alone suggests some kind of limitation with either the code required to power the AF functionality inside the lenses or an issue with using the electrical contacts at all.