Photokina 2014: What does Canon have lined-up?

It's only a week until Photokina 2014, and there are already a lot of rumours regarding new kit to be unveiled at the show. As a Canon shooter, I'm most interested in the 30 plus rumoured EF lenses, as well as the official specs for the 'EOS 7D Mk II.'

Towards the end of last year it was reported that Canon would be releasing a "flurry of new lenses in 2014" with "as many as 8 " to be released before the end of 2014. So far we've seen two of these new lenses, the EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, and EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM. It's been 'confirmed' that three more lenses will be announced at Photokina, these are a 400mm telephoto, budget walk-around, and an APS-C wide angle prime.

In addition to these, here are three more lenses I'd like to see announced before the end of the year:

1. EF 11-24mm f/2.8L - a full-frame equivalent to the new EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM. 
2. EF-S 15-85mm f/4 IS STM - an update of the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM which was released around the same time as the EOS 7D. 
3. EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS II USM -  an updated of the EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

An EF 11-24mm f/2.8L would be the full-frame version of the new '10-18mm,' the main difference being that on a Canon APS-C body the 11-24mm focal range translates to ~18-39mm [1]. In comparison the actual zoom range of a '10-18mm' is ~16-29mm. So the rumoured EF 11-24mm f/2.8L would have more reach than it's EF-S counterpart, be faster/ brighter, and offer L-series build and optical qualities. The only downside is the loss of ~2mm on the wide end, and a price tag that will likely be nearly 10x that of the 10-18mm. 

There haven't been many rumours regarding a new '15-85mm,' but quite a few folks seem to want an updated version of the lens. Many prospective buyers are asking for either a fixed aperture of f/4, or the addition of the STM focussing system. The latter seems more likely due to more of Canon's bodies featuring high-definition video recording capabilities. Regardless, we probably wont see an updated '15-85mm' any time soon, although I'm hoping we do, as that will likely result in a price drop in the original '15-85mm,' which is currently my dream lens.

I currently have an EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM for my telephoto requirements. A while back I was looking to upgrade to either the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM or EF 70-200 f/4L USM, but ultimately I couldn't decide which suited my needs better, so I figured I didn't need either. My '75-300mm' lacks image stabilisation, which is one of the reasons I was considering the '70-300mm' as a replacement. After reading a few forum discussions, I discovered that the '70-200mm' was similarly priced, had a constant aperture, and offered better image quality. The compromise is that it doesn't have the desired image stabilisation, and is 100mm shorter on the long end. These are pretty big compromises considering I almost always use my telephoto hand-held, and zoomed in beyond 200mm. The EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM would be a better option, but it's double the price of the '70-200mm' and the non-L '70-300mm' above. 

Canon's next lens in the telephoto zoom range is the EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS USM. This lens is currently the same price as the L-series '70-300mm,' and features image stabilisation. Apart from the variable aperture, it's everything I was looking for in a replacement telephoto, with an added 100mm on the long end! The downside is that the image quality of the '100-400mm' doesn't quite match that of the previously mentioned L-series lenses [2].

Depending on what new products Canon announces at Photokina will determine which lens I intend to purchase next. I'm leaning towards a combination of the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 70-200 f/4L USM, which together cost only about 10% more than the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. I'll also wait to see if any good deals are announced for the 2014 Canon S.A Expo. Last year I picked up a battery grip, cable shutter release, and 'nifty fifty' for less than the regular price of the lens. If I'm lucky at least two of the three lenses pictured will see a remarkable drop in price before the end of the year. 

Notes

1. Canon's multiplier factor for the 35mm equivalent on APS-C bodies is approximately 1.62x

2. I included the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM in the comparison as there isn't a lens profile for the non-IS  f/4 lens on DxO Mark. Here 's a comparison of the three 70-200mm lenses that do have profiles-link

Help Luke attend Photography Classes

I've been wanting to enrol in a digital photography course for some time now, but time and financial constraints are holding me back. Ideally I would like to attend the 10 week introductory DSLR I course offered by the Cape Town School of Photography (CTSP). Unfortunately I can't afford to spend 10 weeks in Cape Town, as I need to be in Johannesburg in order to work. 

CTSP however also offers an 'intensive' version of the DSLR I course, which can be completed in only a week. While this is an appealing option, I don't think it's a viable one, as there wouldn't be too much time to complete the various assignments. I like the idea of having as much time as possible to complete the assignments, especially if the weather isn't ideal during the week I take the course. I'd rather be able to wait out the weather for a day or two, or use the time to look for an alternative location/ subject to shoot. 

Thus an even more appealing alternative to the CTSP's intense course is a course run by the New York Institute of Photography (NYIP). The Fundamentals of Digital Photography is entirely web-based, looks to cover the same content as the CTSP courses. Major advantages of the NYIP course is that I'd be able to complete it in my own time, at my own pace, over a much longer period of time than either of the CTSP courses. The disadvantages are that I would only be able to interact with lecturers and classmates over the internet, and that the NYIP course is 12-30% more expensive than the CTSP courses.

This has led me to set-up an online, crowd fundraising project via Go Fund Me in an attempt to raise the $399 needed for me to enrol in the NYIP's Fundamentals of Digital Photography course. While I'm not expecting to attain the full amount required, every little bit would help me get a little closer to enrolling.

I'd really appreciate it if you could simply share my Go Fund Me page, but if you're feeling extra generous towards a stranger, a small donation to my 'Photography Class Fund' would be even better.

Thanks for reading :)