Camera and lens rumors don't just speculate over what a certain brand is working on – these rumors often carry hints towards what gear photographers are hoping to see next. And if new rumors swirling around a brand called "Vistilen" are any indication, it's clear what Canon shooters are craving: Third-party, full-frame autofocus lenses.
The Canon RF mount has a long and storied history of allowing third-party optics. Back in 2021 and 2022, multiple manufacturers stopped selling their RF Mount lenses. The RF mount has gradually gained a small number of third-party optics since then, with Tamron and Sigma launching officially licensed RF lenses in 2024. But most of these lenses are for APS-C cameras, and the lenses made for full-frame sensors tend to be manual focus.
In a recent interview with French publication PhotoTrend, Canon executives said that "collaboration with new third-party lens manufacturers will intensify in the future, but there may be some restrictions related to our business strategy." Canon then added that adding that the company doesn't "differentiate between full frame and APS-C," hinting that fans had just assumed because third-party lenses are currently only in APS-C that Canon was the one not allowing full-frame.
But, with the limited availability of third-party lenses, rumors surrounding third-party full-frame autofocus lenses are gaining a lot of attention. There’s been buzz recently about a third-party manufacturer called “Vistilen” that’s apparently selling autofocus prime lenses for Canon's full-frame RF mount – at least from a website in Vietnam.
What’s more, because the lenses look identical to existing Meike lenses for full-frame Sony E-mount, some people are suggesting that Meike is behind Vistilen, running it as a “shell brand.”
Outside of the existence of the store listing in Vietnamese, no facts have been established but, I think that the buzz that the store listings have created speaks to how many Canon users are craving more lens choices.
After translating one of the lens product pages, the shop, 1994Sstore, openly states that the lenses are Meike, but “for the Canon RF mount, it [the lens] will be named ‘Vistilen’ to circumvent Canon's regulations.” Not only that, 1994Sstore even claims that the lenses are covered by “Meike’s official warranty.”
Watch: A YouTuber reviews a full-frame RF lens he claims to be made by Meike
Whether or not Vistilen is its own operation, a sub-division of Meike, or something else is yet to be confirmed.
Regardless of whether there’s any truth to this story, I think the rumors speak to a few different points. First, the buzz around the rumor suggests that many Canon RF mount shooters would love to see more autofocus full-frame lenses from third-party brands.
But another point these rumors bring up is that not all third-party lenses are created equal. The third-party brands that are building optics through a license agreement with the original brand are often built using the first-party communication between the lens and camera body. Brands that create optics without the license agreement are often reverse-engineered instead and may perform behind first-party and officially licensed third-party lenses.
Either way, I’ll be keeping a close eye on any developments.
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If you’re looking for a bonafide lens for your RF camera, then check out our expertly-reviewed list of the best Canon RF lenses.
