The development of a successor to the "RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM"—the bestselling snapshot lens that marked the dawn of Canon's mirrorless era—has been spotted. According to a recent patent application (Publication No. 2026-090068) released by the Japan Patent Office (JPO), Canon is researching an optical design featuring a new focusing method. This is the second patent related to a 35mm F1.8 le..