Canon announces new full-frame Cinema Lenses and new broadcast glass

In the lead up to NAB, Canon has made several announcements of optics as well as updates to existing products.

Most significant to our Redshark readers will no doubt be the first two lenses of what Canon calls a Flex Zoom Lens Series of EF Cinema Lenses for full frame. Both of these lenses have a constant T2.4 aperture across the entire zoom range.

Specifically, the first two products in the line are the CN-E20-50mm and its telephoto companion the CN-E45-135mm. While designed for 4K shooting, the placement and internal lens types are designed to reduce color smudging and chromatic aberration with high performance from center provide sharp 8K imagery.

The lenses will be available with an interchangeable PL or EF mount and will transmit metada based upon the mount. PL mounts will deliver Cooke-I information while the EF mounts will transmit EF-mount data.

While Canon indicates the mounts could be user interchangeable, they were quick to point out that many users might prefer the change be done via your rental house or experienced technician.

Both are priced at $21,999. The wide angle 20-50 is scheduled for early June 2022 shipping while the telephoto model should ship in early September. They are purchased mount-specific with the optional mount at extra charge.

Image: Canon.

Broadcast lenses 

The broadcast segment is not to be left out in the new product line up. Canon has also introduced a UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF 4K broadcast lens for 2/3” sensors along with two focus demand accessories--- the FDJ-S31 and FDJ-S41.

With a zoom range of 8.2mm to 1000mm, it has the widest angle angle and longest zoom focal length of comparable box lenses. And a built-in 2x extender doubles that range. Canon also touts rapid autofocus and ability to track fast moving subjects. So this is clearly a product for the sports market, while also having versatility for a wide range of broadcast productions.

No price was specified and it should be available in early July 2022.

Canon also has announced two firmware updates for its DP-V1830 4K/HDR reference monitor, one free and one paid. The free upgrade will provide additional color tools for checking HDR video in particular along with a chromaticity diagram showing color info for each pixel and a gamut checker. The image can be split between 4 windows for specific viewing.

The paid upgrade provides an additional switch-out function which activates a Multifunction.SDI.Out terminal already on the display rear. This can take the monitor display to more precise measuring equipment such as in a control room or broadcast truck without needing a switcher dedicated to the monitor.

No price was specified for the paid upgrade, and both will be available in July.

PTZ camera updates

Canon’s PTZ cameras will add support for the increasingly-popular SRT Protocol as well as the FreeD Protocol used of late in the virtual production space. This is in addition to Canon’s XC Protocol and NDI|HX.

And finally, Canon will release free Windows software which will permit PTZ cameras to be used as webcams and extend its PTZ network search capabilities for IP cameras to Mac with the introduction of a Mac OS Search Tool application. Both of these updates are free and will be available in June 2022.