Canon announces 16-35mm f/2.8L III, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II lenses; 7D II kit with bundled Wi-Fi card

16-35mm 24-105mm 7d ii 7d mark ii canon canon 7d ii canon 7d mark ii lens lenses wi-fi wireless wireless lan sd wireless networking

by Mike Tomkins

posted Thursday, August 25, 2016 at 12:00 AM EDT

Alongside the launch of the new Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, the company has today made several other announcements that will be of interest both to prospective 5D IV buyers, and to those using the company's other DSLRs. Among the new products are updated 16-35mm f/2.8L and 24-105mm f/4L lenses, Canon's first Wi-Fi equipped SD card, and a new bundle for the Canon 7D II featuring both the new Wi-Fi card and 18-135mm lens.

We'll start off the rundown with a look at the new lenses, and first of all, with the new EF 16–35mm f/2.8L III USM zoom. Compared to the earlier II-variant of the same lens, the -III has a modified optical formula. It now has one less group than the earlier design, for a total of 16 elements in 11 groups. As before, these elements include a large-diameter glass mold dual surface aspherical lens and a ground aspherical lens. The durability and level of weather-sealing are said to have been improved from the earlier version, as has edge sharpness. Size and weight have both increased, with the new lens being 0.6 inches (14%) longer and 5.3 ounces (23%) heavier than before.

Moving on to the EF 24–105mm f/4L IS II USM, the optical formula here too has been modified. In this case, there's now one less element, for a total of 17 elements in 12 groups. And again, size has grown by 0.5 inches (12%) in length, and weight has risen by 4.4 ounces (19%). But for this extra heft, you'll now get four-stop image stabilization, a full stop better than the three-stop rating of the earlier version. And as well as that improvement, the new lens should also be more resistant to ghosting and flair thanks to the use of air sphere coatings to reduce gaps between elements inside the lens.

And that's it for the lenses. The final new product is available either separately or in a bundle with the Canon 7D Mark II, and it's Canon's first in-house Wi-Fi equipped SD card. Interestingly, unlike competing cards from Eye-Fi, Trek2000 (FluCard) and Toshiba (FlashAir), Canon's W-E1 Wi-Fi Adapter card doesn't feature any built-in memory. Instead, the cameras' CompactFlash card slot is used for storage, and the SD card slot is exclusively used to transfer data via Wi-Fi. As well as the 7D II, the new card is also compatible with both the Canon 5DS and 5DSR camera bodies. All three cameras will need a firmware update to enable use of the card, unless you're purchasing a 7D II with the card already included in the bundle. Once you've installed the card, you'll be able to use it to transfer both still images and MP4 movies, and to control the camera remotely from an Android or iOS phone or tablet using Canon's Camera Connect App. The card supports 802.11 b, g or n networks, but only on the 2.4GHz band.

Pricing for the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM zoom lens is set at US$2,200, with availability from late October 2016. The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM zoom lens, meanwhile, will be priced at US$1,100 when it ships from late October. And the W-E1 Wi-Fi adapter will cost US$50 if bought separately, with availability slated for early September. You'll also be able to buy it in a kit with either the Canon 7D II body by itself for U$1,850, or with the body and EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens for a total of US$2,450 from October 2016.

Want to get your hands on either (or both!) of the lenses, the 7D II Wi-Fi kits or the new Wi-Fi adapter card? If so, you can reserve your place in line and help support our site at no cost to you by ordering through our affiliates at the links below!