No news in South Africa yet but… 

Canon have released specs and international pricing for updates and improvements to their standard 24-70mm f2.8 zoom and two primes a 24mm and 28mm, both f2.8’s.

Little has been said locally but I’ve contacted Canon and will add any updates as soon as I get them. In the mean time, I’ve waded through the hyperbole to find the highlights.

The new EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM professional zoom lens is an update to the popular EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, while the new EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM are the world’s first wide-angle prime lenses to feature optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology.

New EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom. The highlights:

* Completely redesigned optics

* The mechanical structure of the lens has been improved to offer enhanced zoom durability and greater shake and shock resistance within the lens barrel.

* The size of the lens has also been reduced by 10mm compared to the previous model

* A new Zoom Lock lever also enables photographers to lock the zoom position at the extreme wide end to prevent damage to the lens in transit

The world’s first image stabilised wide-angle lenses.

The EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM wide-angle lenses. The highlights:

* World’s first 24mm and 28mm fixed wide-angle lenses to feature optical IS technology – enable sharp results when shooting handheld or in low light conditions

* Advantage of up to 4-stops over lenses without IS

* Canon’s advanced IS technology is able to detect intentional panning movement and automatically switch from Normal IS mode to Panning IS mode

* Silent, high-speed AF performance is provided by the inclusion of a ring-type USM and additional features including optimized AF control. Full-time manual focusing also ensures adjustments can be made even when AF is engaged, while a minimum focusing distance of 0.20m (EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM) and 0.23m (EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM) allows photographers to get even closer to smaller or more detailed subjects.

* Redesigned optics

* Design similarities with Canon’s professional L-series lenses, with a similar coating on the barrel and a similar design on the focus ring. A distance scale is also included to assist with landscape photography, while the compact design makes these lenses an unobtrusive addition to any kit bag

Key features in a nutshell

EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM – key features
    • All-new optical design delivers exceptional sharpness
• Ultra-low dispersion (UD) and super UD elements
• Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture
• Sealed against dust and moisture
• Fast, silent ultrasonic autofocus
• Manual focus override
• Nine-bladed circular aperture

EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM – key features
    • 24mm wide angle lens (38mm equivalent on APS-C sized sensors)
• Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture
• Up to four-stop Image Stabilizer
• Ultrasonic autofocus mechanism
• Circular aperture for soft background blur
• Super Spectra coatings reduce flare

EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM – key features
    • 28mm wide-angle lens (45mm equivalent on APS-C sized sensors)
• Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture
• Up to four-stop Image Stabilizer
• Ultrasonic autofocus mechanism
• Circular aperture for soft background blur
• Super Spectra coatings reduce flare

Price and Availability?

Full Press release here