Canon gets really wide with 11-24mm f4 pro lens
The widest full-frame lens to date comes courtesy of Canon.
Canon gifts its pro shooters with the EF 11-24mm f4L USM, a rectilinear wide-angle zoom that has all the weather-sealed chops of the company's L series of lenses. Okay, maybe "gifts" is the wrong word. After all, the lens will cost $3,000 (about £1,960, AU$3,850 directly converted) when it ships in February.
In addition to the requisite 9 rounded-blade aperture, the lens uses Canon's latest coatings -- SWC (Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating) and fluorine for dust and water repelling on the end elements, ASC (Air Sphere Coating) on the fourth element and SSC (Super Spectra Coating). Coatings generally improve light transmission, decrease internal reflections and improve ghost and flare.
Other noteworthy specs include internal focus -- a technical necessity with a front element so big -- a minimum focus distance of 11 inches/28cm, a minimum aperture of f22 and a rear filter holder. It's pretty big: it's got a diameter of 4.3 inches/108mm and 5.2 inches/132mm long, and weighs 41.6 oz/1,180g. As a comparison, Nikon's 12-24mm f2.8 FX lens is also hefty at 3.8 inches/98mm by 5.2 inches/131.5 mm and weighs 35.3 oz/1,000g.