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Canon focuses on 4K UHD Broadcast Lenses at NAB2018 - oh! and the C700 FF

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April 4, 2018 at 11:33:03 PM PDT April 4, 2018 at 11:33:03 PM PDTth, April 4, 2018 at 11:33:03 PM PDT

New UHDgc Series of 2/3-Inch Portable Zoom Lenses for 4K UHD Broadcast Cameras

Canon launched of three new portable zoom 4K UHD broadcast lenses1: the CJ24ex7.5B, CJ18ex7.6B and CJ14ex4.3B. These new additions are compatible with 4K UHD broadcast cameras that have 2/3-inch sensors. Flanking the existing UHDxs series of 4K portable broadcast lenses that deliver excellent optical performance, these three lenses usher in the newly launched UHDgc series that will broaden 4K UHD shooting options. These new lenses provide 4K UHD imaging quality at a price point that is more accessible to the majority of the broadcast market. Additionally, the new lenses provide impressive UHD optical performance while maintaining a compact and lightweight design to meet a wide range of needs for video productions that include documentaries, sports, events and news coverage.

The CJ24ex7.5B, CJ18ex7.6B and CJ14ex4.3B utilize Canon’s proprietary optical design technology featuring materials such as fluorite and Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) glass to achieve high 4K UHD performance across the entire zoom range. In addition, the lenses support the wide color gamut approved by the ITU-R BT.2020 UHD broadcasting standard2. These features are essential to HDR imaging. The lens ergonomics and digital servo operational controls are similar to previously announced Canon portable zoom lenses, providing users with maximum mobility in a variety of shooting situations. “As 4K UHD origination becomes more popular in television news, the need for affordable lenses that can deliver the necessary imaging performance has grown,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new UHDgc series of lenses provides the optical brilliance that makes Canon a leader in broadcast lenses, while at a budgetary level that will make them attainable to a large swath of the industry.”  

UHD-DIGISUPER 66

The UHD-DIGISUPER 66 (UJ66x9B) is our first 4K compatible medium telephoto broadcast lens, delivering 66x magnification and the operability of a 2/3” HD field lens, making it ideal for a wide range of long focal length applications in the field, in large studios, and in special venues. Featuring advanced design technologies, optical components and manufacturing processes, the lens supports 4K UHD broadcast cameras, helping to ensure high resolution from the center to edges of the screen, resulting in superb optical performance. The lens maximizes the output video image performance when used with the most sophisticated 4K UHD cameras. The UHD-DIGISUPER 66 broadcast field lens embodies state of the art optomechanical and electronic advances.  

Introducing Canon’s First Full-Frame Cinema Camera, The EOS C700 FF

The EOS C700 FF, the Company’s first full-frame cinema camera. At the heart of the camera is a novel Canon-developed CMOS image sensor having a total of 5952 (H) x 3140 (V) photosites with a digital cinema 17:9 aspect ratio, which gives it the same image circle size as the full frame EOS 5D camera series. This supports a wide range of shooting options. Available in both PL and EF Mount, the EOS C700 FF provides users with the same outstanding performance, operation and modular design as the EOS C700 (released in December 2016).

“Since the launch of Canon’s Cinema EOS line of products in November 2011, the goal was to one day develop a cinema camera worthy of being the ‘A’ camera on major Hollywood productions, and Canon met that goal with the introduction of the EOS C700,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “After listening to our customers and closely monitoring market trends, Canon set forth a new goal: to launch a full-frame cinema camera. With this introduction, we are very excited to see the C700 FF in the hands of industry professionals as they shoot their latest projects.”
Existing owners of Canon’s original EOS C700 cinema camera will be pleased to know they can have their Super 35mm sensor upgraded to the new Full-Frame sensor for a fee*.   The Sensor The newly developed sensor featured in the EOS C700 FF has an active image area of 38.1 x 20.1mm and supports readout at full size, as well as Super 35mm, Super 16mm and anamorphic modes. In addition to full-frame lenses, it can be used with conventional Super 35mm lenses to originate 4K / UHD standardized production formats and Super 16mm lenses (with an adapter) to originate 2K / HD production formats in crop modes. The sensor captures wide tonality exceeding 15 stops of dynamic range and a wide color gamut meeting ITU-R BT.2020 standards. This offers broad latitude when grading, providing outstanding effectiveness in HDR video production. Recording The EOS C700 FF embodies a choice of two high-performance codecs for on-board recording –Canon XF-AVC or Apple ProRes. Like other cameras in the 4K Cinema EOS family, the EOS C700 FF uses CFast cards to capture 4K / UHD or 2K / HD. A striking feature of the C700 FF is the Oversampling 4K Processing that processes a 5.9K image capture to produce 4K (DCI or UHD) having enhanced image sharpness, curtailed moire, and a lowered visibility of noise at the higher ISO settings. This is especially advantageous for on-board anamorphic image capture. Low-rate 2K/HD proxy data including metadata, can be recorded to SD cards, ideal for offline editing. The camera also allows high-frame-rate recording of up to 168fps in 2K crop and relay or simultaneous recording onto both CFast cards. In addition, the C700 FF can shoot at a Full HD high-frame-rate recording at a maximum of 168 fps. Additional formats are planned with future firmware updates. To further complement the features of the EOS C700 FF, Canon has turned to its trusted partner Codex to provide a fully integrated (no cables) recording and workflow option. The combination of the optional Codex CDX-36150 recorder docked onto the back of the EOS C700 FF enables 5.9K 60 fps RAW recording, 4K RAW up to 72 fps (in 24p mode), 4K ProRes up to 60 fps and 2K ProRes up to 168 fps (in Super 16mm mode). The C700 FF also supports the latest version (1.0) of the ACESproxy, the ACES (Academy Color Encoding System) color management transmission standard. HDR For users looking to create High Dynamic Range (HDR) imagery, the EOS C700 FF is an excellent solution, providing 15 stops of latitude (with Canon Log2 only), along with Canon’s proprietary Log Gammas (Canon Log3, Canon Log2 and Canon Log) and renowned color science. Canon Log2 is recommended when originating HDR imagery containing both highlight details and deep shadowed details. In comparison with Canon Log, Canon Log3 offers a wider dynamic range while retaining performance in darker regions. Additionally, these cameras seamlessly integrate with Canon’s latest professional 4K UHD Reference Displays for on-set review and color management that conforms to SMPTE ST 2084 standards of HDR display. The look of a cinematic production begins with the lens, and the EOS C700 FF offers both PL and EF lens mount options which are interchangeable at a Canon authorized service center. For full frame imaging, the EF lens mount version of the new EOS C700 FF is compatible with Canon’s family of seven Cinema Prime lenses, including the newly announced CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens, as well as the diverse lineup of over 70 interchangeable EF lenses. The EF mount supports Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology and Dual Pixel Focus Guide. The Focus Guide assists operators with a precision visual indicator in the viewfinder when pulling focus. Alternatively, for certain demanding shooting situations the reliable capabilities of Dual Pixel CMOS AF can be deployed. The EOS C700 FF PL mount version is also compatible with Cooke’s /i metadata communication technology.

New 20MM Prime Lens for 4K Cameras

A new addition to the Cinema EOS System: the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens - a full-manual 20mm Cinema Prime Lens for EF Mount cameras. A popular focal length, the 20mm lens delivers exceptional optical performance in a compact form factor. With the introduction of this new lens, Canon further enhances its EF Cinema Lens family to meet a diverse range of cinematic and video-production needs, further contributing to the world of cinematography.

“As Canon continues to expand its reach in the cinema space, we are thrilled to introduce the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens, further expanding a robust line up of Cinema Prime lenses,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “This new lens will provide users with an option in-between our 14mm and 24mm lenses, giving greater flexibility for their scene framing. Canon is excited to see the projects our users create with this lens and Canon Cinema cameras.” The new CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens can provide 4K resolution from the center of the images to the periphery, providing high image quality for Canon cameras that feature full-frame sensors such as the new EOS C700 FF digital cinema camera. In addition, the 11-blade aperture diaphragm alongside a T number1 of 1.5 allows the lens to provide beautifully soft bokeh. Like all Canon Cinema Prime lenses, the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens features warm, natural-looking tones, 300 degrees of focus ring rotation, and minimized focus breathing. Since the launch of the Cinema EOS System and EF Cinema Lenses in November 2011, Canon has greatly expanded the EF Cinema Lens offerings. The lineup—which includes the Prime, Zoom, Compact Zoom, CINE-SERVO and COMPACT-SERVO series of lenses—has become very popular for a wide range of users. With the introduction of the CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens, the lineup now boasts a total of 21 lens models. This expansive line of lenses provides cinematographers with even more options to choose from, which can support enhanced content creation for a variety of uses and shooting scenarios.  

Professional 4K HDR Reference Displays

two new professional 4K HDR Reference Displays: the 24-inch DP-V2421 and the 17-inch DP-V1711.

The new Canon DP-V2421 24-inch 4K professional reference display features a 12G-SDI terminal and delivers high luminance and high contrast, making it ideal for viewing 4K and HDR content in broadcasting studios and when producing on-location video. The 17-inch DP-V1711 features the same high-image-quality performance in a more compact design that not only makes it easy to transport for on-location shooting, but is also ideal for use in environments where space is limited, such as mobile production trucks. Featuring 12G-SDI terminals (four IN and four OUT), the DP-V2421 and DP-V1711 allow for the easy transmission of 4K 60p footage with a single cable compared to reference displays that are equipped with only 3G-SDI terminals that require four cables for transmission of footage. The reduced number of cables can benefit users in several ways, including reduced costs, quicker installation time and saving space while on-location. The DP-V2421 and DP-V1711 support industry standards, including Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) and Perceptual Quantization (PQ). Both new displays also support Canon’s proprietary log gammas—Canon Log, Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3— and feature convenient shooting assist functions for all HDR standards such as a built-in waveform monitor. The displays also feature built-in HDR metering, which overlays different areas of input images with colors depending on their luminance allowing for convenient review and confirmation of HDR images. Optional Upgrade for Canon DP-V1710 and DP-V1711 Canon will also allow customers to upgrade*, for a fee, their 17-inch models, the DP-V1710 and DP-V1711, increasing their maximum luminance** to 600 cd/m2. Raising the maximum luminance improves the displays’ ability to express greater detail in bright areas of the screen—useful when reviewing high-luminance video in such environments as bright shooting locations or inside studios and relay vehicles.