Canon’s New 35mm Lens Will Kill Chromatic Aberration

Canon pulled back the curtain on a new lens and a new lens technology that it says will banish chromatic aberration.

The lens in question is the new EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM, a wide-angle EF-mount lens. The tech in question is Canon’s new Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics (BR Optics). According to the company, BR Optics offer superior chromatic aberration correction thanks to the use of organic material with “unique anomalous dispersion characteristics.” Specifically, it refracts blue light to a higher degree than existing optical technologies such as UD glass, Super UD glass and Fluorite. (The technically curious can get a deeper dive here.)

The lens also incorporates Canon’s Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating (SWC) to reduce flare and ghosting. You’ll enjoy a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches. The lens is weather sealed with a fluorine coating on the front and rear lens surfaces to make it easier to clean.
The new Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens is compatible with 72mm filters.

It ships in October for $1,800 and is available for pre-order now.

Canon also outed a new member of its mirrorless EOS-M family today, the M3.

The EOS M3 sports a 24-megapixel APS-C-sized CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 6 processor. It delivers a native ISO range of 100-12,800 that’s expandable to 25,600. It features a new 49-point Hybrid CMOS AF III autofocus system that’s six times faster than the system found on the original EOS M, Canon said.

The M3 offers a 3-inch tilting touch screen, front and rear control dials, Wi-FI and NFC. Shutter speeds reach 1/4000 sec. and continuous shooting clocks in at 4.2 fps. The buffer can store up to 1,000 JPEGs or five RAW images. On the video front, the M3 records 1920x1080p30 video with a maximum bit rate of 24Mbps. Battery life measures in at 250 shots per CIPA standards.

It will ship in October for $680, body only. An EOS M3 EF-M 18-55mm IS STM lens kit will set you back $800. A two lens kit with the EF-M 18-55mm IS STM lens and the EF-M 55-200mm IS STM lens will sell for $1,049.

Three new EF-M lenses are also slated for October:
• EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM wide-angle zoom lens for $400
• EF-M 22mm f/2 STM compact prime lens in silver for $250
• EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM telephoto zoom lens for $350