Are the canon lens behind in technology due to age?

[chariotofFIRE]

Hello, I just purchased my first DSLR the 30D new.

I'm looking for lens to purchase and i've come down to these lens to buy for now:

50mm 1.4
85mm 1.8
17-40mm L

I don't see anything else I would like on my canon. I also considered the 35mmL 1.4 maybe in the future. (that lens particularly is 14 years old)

But i have realized some of these lens are 10-15 years old.

Are canon lens behind due to age? Or is there just nothing in the market that can even compare to these ancient technology

 

[RedDragon870503]

Short answer: No.

Glass today is as good as glass manufactured ten years ago. No my knowledge there have not been any remarkable improvements in the way glass is made for quite some time. Definitely not in the last 20 years. That said, your IQ would be on par with "newer" lenses.

The focus speed, silence and accuracy of a USM is as good as anything else. Save the 50mm with uses a micromotor. Which isn't true USM they are all excellent.

In summary: If it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

[nutmac]

Canon upgrades about half a dozen lenses or so each year. In general, much of the upgrade consists of:

• Aspherical, fluorite, UD elements, and/or Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating for improved performance, reduced flare, less distortion, less chroma aberrations.
• Faster auto focus CPU and algorithm.
• For image stabilized lenses, 4-stop image stabilizer (and sometimes hybrid image stabilization and/or with auto panning).
• Improved weather resistant sealing for L-series lenses.
• And typically, higher price tag.

These lenses are often rumored to be replaced this year (I strongly doubt all would be updated this year, however):

• EF 15mm f/2.8L II fisheye
• EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS USM
• EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM
• EF 50mm f/1.4 II USM
• EF 300mm f/4L IS II USM
• EF 300mm f/2.8L DO IS USM
• EF 400mm f/4L DO IS USM
• EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM
• EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM

 

[toxic]

lenses do not go obsolete. if it has good coatings and/or high-tech glass, it will always have it.

Canon upgrades about half a dozen lenses or so each year. In general, much of the upgrade consists of:
*Aspherical, fluorite, UD elements, and/or Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating for improved performance, reduced flare, less distortion, less chroma aberrations.

high-tech glass is only put into new versions of the more expensive lenses.

*Faster auto focus CPU and algorithm.

the lens does not have anything to do with this. all it does is report data to the camera. if Canon makes a new AF motor, then they would introduce it in new or updated lenses, but this is just motor technology, nothing else.

*For image stabilized lenses, 4-stop image stabilizer (and sometimes hybrid image stabilization and/or with auto panning).

hybrid IS is intended for macro lenses. there is no such thing as "auto panning", just one-dimensional stabilization.

any zooms or supertelephoto primes will likely get the latest version of IS, which seems to be 4-stop IS right now since that's what the latest lenses have...but who knows, maybe Canon has 5- or 6-stop IS now.

*Improved weather resistant sealing for L-series lenses.

none of them are improved, weathersealing is just added to the professional lenses that don't already have it.

 

[Phrasikleia]

toxic, your knowledge continues to impress. Just sayin'.

 

[nutmac]

high-tech glass is only put into new versions of the more expensive lenses.

Right, which is why I said "typically higher price tag."

the lens does not have anything to do with this. all it does is report data to the camera. if Canon makes a new AF motor, then they would introduce it in new or updated lenses, but this is just motor technology, nothing else.

hybrid IS is intended for macro lenses. there is no such thing as "auto panning", just one-dimensional stabilization.

Actually, lenses have some sort of auto focus logic as well, and newer models may have faster CPU with improved algorithm for faster and/or more accurate auto focus.

Hybrid IS is designed for macro lenses, but given only EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM has it, I am certain it will be featured on other upgraded version of macro lenses.

Auto panning refers to auto panning detection. Some of Canon's newer EF-S lenses have auto panning detection (instead of relying on photographers to engage the panning mode manually).

none of them are improved, weathersealing is just added to the professional lenses that don't already have it.

Many older L-series lenses lack weather sealing (or only partial sealing) and having more complete weather sealing is an improvement, isn't it?

 

[toxic]

Actually, lenses have some sort of auto focus logic as well, and newer models may have faster CPU with improved algorithm for faster and/or more accurate auto focus.

really? I'm pretty sure it was the AF sensor in the camera that's comparing images for optimal contrast...

Auto panning refers to auto panning detection. Some of Canon's newer EF-S lenses have auto panning detection (instead of relying on photographers to engage the panning mode manually).

hm. I didn't know that.

Many older L-series lenses lack weather sealing (or only partial sealing) and having more complete weather sealing is an improvement, isn't it?

well, I guess going from nothing to something is an improvement . I just don't think any lenses had partial sealing, and you made it sound like some did. or maybe the superteles did, but I know nothing about those.

toxic, your knowledge continues to impress. Just sayin'.

all the more disappointing that skill doesn't increase with knowledge

 

[nutmac]

really? I'm pretty sure it was the AF sensor in the camera that's comparing images for optimal contrast...

The camera bodies have AF sensor. But that does not mean the lenses do nothing intelligent toward the overall autofocus efforts. Here's the blurb from Canon's EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM page:

Retaining the impressive optical performance and large aperture of the original EF 85mm f/1.2L USM, this new medium telephoto lens uses a Ring-type USM, high-speed CPU and optimized algorithms to achieve an autofocus speed approximately 1.8x faster than the original.

well, I guess going from nothing to something is an improvement . I just don't think any lenses had partial sealing, and you made it sound like some did. or maybe the superteles did, but I know nothing about those.

Actually, many Canon's L-series lenses have either no sealing or just partial sealing. Most new L-series lenses, however, are highly weather resistant and often pointed out as such.