Non-video guy here, but I have a question:
If this rumor is true, and that a cinema to RF adapter is being offered, does that mean:
a) A cine line of RF lenses is never happening?
b) Canon will not make an RF cine body?
c) Canon is just being wise and maximizing the RF platform's appeal to sell more R mount bodies?
d) Canon just wants to sell more PL lenses and this is a way to do it?
e) Canon would rather monetize mount conversion into a product (adaptor) rather than a service (an actual physical mount conversion)?
I don't know if such adaptors were expected or a very big piece of news. Which is it, and why?
- A
F: none of the above (maybe partly C)? Baffled by E: why would any company want to tear apart bodies and lenses for permanent mount conversions?! Also the mounts are not just physically different but have different power and data capabilities that require the physical space of an adapter to solve to house the circuits and the physical mount conversion. Canon could never do permanent mount changes to most products directly for this reason. Adapters are the best solution until native products are pervasive, and also sure, maybe they make a few bucks on them during the transition. There have been some pretty innovative things already like the filter drop ins and control ring that make these cooler than just adapting lenses.
I'm 100% sure a cine line of both lenses and bodies IS happening. The RF mount has more data and power pins and a better flange distance for optics. The RF glass is turning out smaller and sharper than EF by slight to decent margins, and is the line getting all the new nano focus motors. Canon offers a de-click service to remove audible clicks for the control rings which shows you they are thinking pro video use. There is no chance they will not apply RF to cinema cameras and lenses, it would be an insane waste of developed technology and marketability. The rumors are all over it, the patents too, and of course it just seems common sense that they will do this.
Canon is making all these high quality lenses and adapters early with their first big R mount cameras to give us lots of easy choices to transition from EF to RF as quickly as possible while not having any customers feel compromised while Canon transitions their incredible EF lens lineup to the new RF mount. The adapters also will cover development and release cycles of specialty lenses. I'm not going to have any issue shooting a 5D4 and R5 side by side, for example, using all EF glass and an adapter at first, or continuing for as long as I need/want to. No pressure to upgrade now, but I have the option of both EF/RF worlds. Down the road when I have enough RF lenses, which I'm sure I will gradually add one at a time, I can get a second R5 or EOS R or whatever and maybe ditch the EF cameras, EF adapter and EF glass unless there is a good reason for still keeping it by then.
Canon will need to begin filling in specialty lenses to really replace the EF mount, or get third parties to start making RF sooner than later. One area Canon is weak is astro capable landscape lenses. The EF 16-35iii was steller for coma and sharpness to the corners and could have been perfect, but had over 4 stops of vignette wide open. So I have to carry 3 different third party EF lenses to get the best night images at 14, 24, and 15-30mm (Two Samyang/Rokinon manual primes and the Tamron 15-30mm are about the best night astro landscape lenses you can get at any price). Tilt shift and a few other specialties lenses will also take a while to develop on RF.
No, I don't think Canon is playing any games, they are being more open and wise than certain past market choices to make lens and body options and combinations so easy to choose that all kinds of gear will sell, while gradually bridging the gap to RF tech.
With the 24-105, the 15-35, and the 100-500 RF glass, and a few other classic focal lengths many of us will be able to switch away from adapters sooner than later. Much different approach than Sony and others, who rolls out really expensive glass slowly on an old mount way behind their cameras, leaving many shooters using adapters for years. I'm pretty sure these adapters are a well designed and easy to cross bridge in time for EF to RF until the RF line and cameras are so mature that EF is left in honored history.