Canon News: Pair of wide-angle lenses announced

In what has been billed by Canon as the 'year of the lens' (we're still waiting, but perhaps another reason to look forward to the World Cup!), Canon have announced two new wide angle lenses into their extensive line-up of EF lenses for EOS DLSRs.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

• High performance L-series ultra-wide zoom lens in a compact design and Optical Image Stabilizer for up to four stops of correction*.
• Three aspheric lens elements, including a large-diameter aspheric lens, help correct aberration.
• Two UD lens elements help reduce chromatic aberration from the center to the periphery throughout the entire zoom range for excellent image quality with high resolution and contrast.
• Optimized lens coatings help provide excellent color balance while also helping to minimize ghosting.
• Highly resistant to dust and water intrusion, enabling shooting even in harsh conditions**.
• Inner focusing and ring USM for silent, fast and accurate autofocusing.
• Circular aperture (9 blades) delivers beautiful, soft backgrounds.
• Minimum focusing distance of 0.92 ft/0.28m across entire zoom range.
• Full-time manual focus allows manual focus adjustment while in AF Mode.

* Based on CIPS (Camera & Imaging Products Association) standards. Testing performed using EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera at focal length of 35mm (35mm equivalent).
** Requires a Canon PROTECT filter (sold separately) to be mounted.

I'm lucky enough to have the f/2.8 version of this lens (which doesn't have image stabilisation), and found it a really useful focal range - 35mm is useful as a walkaround lens, and 16mm really does give an impressively wide persepctive (on a full-frame body, at least).

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

Designed only for cameras with the APS-C sensor (cropped), this lens creates an incredibly wide perspective.

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

• EF-S ultra wide zoom lens with an impressive starting focal length (16mm in 35mm equivalence).
• Compact design made possible by a new 4 group zoom optical system.
• A stepping motor (STM) and newly-designed focus mechanism support the Canon EOS Movie Servo AF function to provide smooth and quiet continuous AF during video recording, as well as when shooting photos.
• A large diameter element and an aspherical lens element help correct aberration to achieve higher image quality
• One UD lens element helps reduce chromatic aberration throughout the zoom range for excellent image quality with high resolution and contrast.
• Optical Image Stabilizer for up to four stops of correction*.
• Enhanced lens coatings help ensure outstanding color balance while minimizing ghosting and flare.
• Circular aperture (7 blades) creates beautiful, soft backgrounds.
• Rear focusing system, high-speed CPU and improved AF algorithm allow high speed autofocus.
• Full-time manual focus allows manual focus adjustment while in AF Mode.

*Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) standards. Testing performed using the EOS 7D Digital SLR camera at a focal length of 18mm (29mm in 35mm equivalence).