There is already no shortage of standard zoom (opens in new tab) options, although lens manufacturers keep insisting on redefining the all-purpose lens. Now if patents and rumors are to be believed, Canon might be considering throwing in another option to the mix with the world's first Canon 24-105mm f/2.8 lens.
Canon Watch has received a tip (opens in new tab) (although a low-rated one) that Canon has explored developing a new Canon 24-105mm f/2.8 lens, which on its own might not catch our eye, however, recent patents (opens in new tab) for a number of similar optical formulas from Canon match this proposed new lens. However, Canon is a prolific patenter, with the majority of lens designs never making it to production.
For any readers familiar with the Canon lens lineup, you will already be aware that Canon makes several 'standard zoom' lenses. Standard zoom lenses typically cover all the focal lengths that most general-purpose photographers need, from wide angles for landscapes and street photography up to mid-telephoto lengths for portraiture.
In the classic 24-105mm focal length, we already have the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, and the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM (opens in new tab) meeting both the professional and enthusiast ends of the spectrum. If you need a wider aperture, Canon also makes the professionals' go-to lens – the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM (opens in new tab).
With the release of the new RF mount, Canon promised a whole new world of lens design was now possible, and kicked off with the Canon 28-70mm f/2 USM which is optically brilliant but an absolute behemoth of a lens. Since this lens was released we haven't been treated to nearly as many boundary-pushing lens designs as we'd have hoped.
A new standard zoom might be a response to third-party lens manufacturers' increasingly impressive designs such as Tamron's 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD (opens in new tab) or 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (opens in new tab), which have captured a lot of photographers interest who are not interested in carrying multiple lenses.
If Canon really is planning a 24-105mm lens with a constant aperture of f/2.8, it would most likely be an L series lens, which begs the question of how big will this lens be. Canon has not yet shown its ability to match L series quality with small-sized optics.
The current 24-105mm f/4 is not a particularly small lens, and with wider apertures adding additional diameter, you can expect it to become a lot larger if expanded to a constant f/2.8 aperture. Standard zoom lenses are meant to be workhorse lenses and easily carried around.
You can check out the latest Canon rumors (opens in new tab) in our hub. You can also find our guides to the best Canon lenses (opens in new tab) and the best Canon cameras (opens in new tab).
