Meike is rumored to announce a new AF 85mm f/1.8 SE II lens for the Canon EF mount. This is a strange move when third-party lens manufacturers are trying really hard to get approval to produce mirrorless lenses for the Canon RF mount:

Viltrox is rumored to release new lenses for Canon RF mount

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In a recent interview with Nikkei, Canon’s Chief Financial Officer stated that the company is considering outsourcing the production of lower-end (entry-level) product models to external partners. Cameras and printers could be among the products affected. This is part of a broader review of manufacturing and sales structures aimed at improving efficiency and profitability. The ultimate goal is to raise the company’s Return on Equity (ROE) to 12%. This represents a notable shift from Canon’s traditional emphasis on in-house production in Japan. As of late 2025, it’s still in the consideration phase, with no specific partners, timelines, or affected models announced.

Further reports, primarily stemming from a January 2025 Nikkei Asia interview with Canon Chairman and CEO Fujio Mitarai, provide more context and confirm this strategic shift:

• Scope of Outsourcing – Canon is considering a “fabless” model (design in-house, manufacturing outsourced) specifically for lower-end digital cameras (e.g., compact/point-and-shoot models) and printers produced in Asia. This includes potentially outsourcing assembly processes to third-party manufacturers in other Asian countries.
• Reasons:
  • Become more “asset-light” by avoiding fixed costs of maintaining own factories.
  • Better respond to fluctuating demand (e.g., recent rebound in compact camera popularity driven by social media trends and younger users).
  • Reduce geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions.
  • Cut overall costs amid declining demand for traditional office equipment and entry-level cameras, impacted by smartphones.
• Background – Canon closed its Zhuhai, China factory in 2022, which produced compact cameras, limiting its ability to ramp up production for the recent compact camera surge quickly. Outsourcing would allow flexibility without reopening or building new facilities.
• What Remains In-House – High-end/flagship products, key components, design, development, and core technologies will stay in Japan (using Japanese factories as “mother factories”). Lenses and advanced sensors are unlikely to be outsourced.
• Potential Impact – This could enable Canon to increase production/sales of compact cameras (e.g., PowerShot series) and possibly introduce new affordable models. It aligns with industry trends where competitors already outsource more extensively.
• Financial Tie-In – The strategy supports broader goals of improving profitability and ROE, building on the CFO’s comments.

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Viltrox is rumored to release new lenses for Canon RF mount. I contacted Viltrox directly, and they responded that they recently officially launched new 1.33x anamorphic lenses for Canon RF-mount with an authorized approval. However, licensing for other RF-mount lenses has not yet been officially approved, but they are still working on it. Stay tuned for updates.

Here is an updated list of photo gear promo codes you can use during this holiday shopping season

What’s coming next from Viltrox?

Via CanonAddict

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Here are the latest Canon camera registrations that are not yet officially announced, courtesy of CanonAddict:

DS126936

• Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + Bluetooth
• What it might be: Canon EOS R7 Mark II.
  • • Reasoning: Registered shortly after the R6 Mark III. The “DS” prefix denotes an interchangeable lens camera. Like the R6 III, it sticks to the robust but standard Wi-Fi 5 to differentiate it from the flagship R1/R5 series.
  Best cameras

ID0179

• Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
• What it might be: Canon EOS C70 Mark II or XF605 Successor.
  • Reasoning: The “ID” prefix is historically used for Cinema EOS or professional camcorders. This registration has been active since early 2024, suggesting a long development cycle typical of pro video gear.

ID0174

• Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
• What it might be: PowerShot V10 Successor or VR Camera.
  • Reasoning: Another video-centric “ID” code. Canon is aggressively expanding the V-series for vloggers, which often use non-standard naming conventions internally.

New Wireless Patent Found
US Patent 12,114,054: Communication Apparatus (Wi-Fi 6)

• Description: A patent describing a camera capable of connecting to IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) networks. It details methods for managing power consumption while maintaining high-speed dual-band (2.4GHz/5GHz) connections.
• What it might be: Canon EOS R5C Mark II or High-End Cinema EOS.
  • Reasoning: Since the R6 Mark III and R7 Mark II are limited to Wi-Fi 5, this patent points to a future high-bandwidth camera that requires Wi-Fi 6 for professional monitoring or massive video file transfers.

Canon is rumored to register a new high-end EOS camera

Via CanonAddict

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Canon is rumored to be registering a new high-end EOS camera with dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The camera is currently undergoing wireless certification in Asia (China). This wireless system was previously used in the Canon EOS R1 and Canon R5 II (now $500 off). The following are some possibilities of what this new came may be:

• The new device could be a flagship-level model like the EOS R1 or R5 Mark II, but it might be the EOS R5C Mark II. Perhaps they’ll bring back the 8K oversampling to 4K 60p capability that was present in the original R5C?
• A lower-end model with newer wireless specifications. After all, Wi-Fi 6 (or even Wi-Fi 6E/7) isn’t particularly groundbreaking anymore. Given the recent release of the EOS R6 Mark III, it’s hard to predict which body will get the upgrade next – the R6C successor, R7 Mark II, or R8 Mark II.
• A video-specialized EOS R3C? The LC1720 sensor has a wide range of potential applications. They could combine it with the C80’s card-slot layout and encoding options while putting it in a C500/C300-style cinema body.

Source: E8M_8888

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