Canon U.S.A. Intros New 4K UHD Portable Zoom Lens with Wide Focal Range; New EOS C70 Digital Cinema Camera Debuts
Canon U.S.A. has launched a new addition to its UHDxs series of 4K UHD broadcast portable zoom lenses, the CJ20ex5B, as well as its first-ever RF mount Cinema EOS camera, the EOS C70 4K Digital Cinema Camera. Both are designed to give production professionals a new level of flexibility for capturing the action with as much quality as possible.
The new CJ20ex5B lens simultaneously extends both extremes of the focal range – a wide 5mm and a telephoto 100mm – a game-changing focal range that is tailor-made for coverage of modest-sized sports venues such as basketball, boxing and more.
Canon’s new CJ20ex5B portable lens has a focal range suited for sports production.
“As the demand for high-quality 4K UHD lenses for sports and newsgathering continues to grow, Canon strives to develop and implement the best possible optical design technologies to meet the needs of end-users,” says Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “The new CJ20ex5B lens provides the optical excellence that makes Canon a leader in broadcast lenses, and helps to round out a seamless lineup of 4K UHD portable broadcast lenses. We look forward to seeing the multitude of ways professionals will use this versatile lens.”
The new lens, which is designed to be used with broadcast cameras that have 2/3-inch sensors, delivers outstanding 4K UHD image quality in a lightweight (4.76 lbs.) and compact form factor (9.9 inches long) that empowers agility in shooting. The lens also features a built-in 2x extender that can expand the zoom range up to 200mm. The ergonomics and digital servo operational controls of the lens are similar to Canon’s current lineup of portable zoom lenses, providing users with maximum mobility in a variety of shooting situations.
The CJ20ex5B lens achieves a high-level 4K UHD performance across the entire zoom range thanks to Canon’s proprietary optical design technology and coatings, which incorporate materials such as UD and Super-UD lens elements, and a fluorite coating, that help to reduce chromatic aberration and minimize ghosting and flaring. Focusing fluctuation has also been decreased due to an improved inner focusing system that improves resolution in the periphery areas of the screen. In addition, the lens supports the wide color gamut approved by the ITU-R BT.2020 UHD broadcasting standard – all features that are essential to HDR/WCG imaging.
The CJ20ex5B lens also boasts enhanced operational control over its previous models. The quick power-on button allows the value encoder to initialize at the same time the lens is turned on, enabling users to operate the lens more quickly. The lens also features an on-board display that provides users with the ability to access and adjust various settings rapidly. It is also compatible with Canon’s recently announced G-Series zoom and focus controllers, which deliver increased control of zoom and focus speeds and range.
The Canon CJ20ex5B 4K UHD Portable Zoom Lens is scheduled to be available early in 2021, subject to change.
Canon introduced the EOS C70 4K Digital Cinema Camera.
In other Canon news, the company introduced its first-ever RF mount Cinema EOS camera, the EOS C70 4K Digital Cinema Camera. The unique design of the EOS C70 camera puts a significant emphasis on operational convenience for the end-user. The small form-factor, weighing only 2.6l-bs., allows the camera to be easily handheld and dramatically enhances a videographer’s mobility, providing a seamless bridge between the EOS and Cinema EOS families for cinematic applications.
The camera features a slim, motorized ND filter unit – having a mere 6mm depth – that is built into the short flange back of the RF mount. The motorized 10-stop ND filter provides users with the flexibility to control exposure while keeping the desired depth-of-field and capturing images that feature the desired level of bokeh. Thirteen customizable buttons allow users to select from more than 80 functions to be assigned based on individual preferences.
“The Canon EOS C70 camera is truly a special tool that will undoubtedly satisfy and delight a variety of users on the search for a high-powered piece of video equipment,” says Kano. “In today’s fast-moving, ever-changing world of filmmaking and content
creation, versatility is key, and the EOS C70 will provide a familiar form and feature set to our entire spectrum of imaging customers. We are eager to see how creatives use this tool and the projects that come from it.”
The camera features Canon’s innovative and next-generation Super 35mm DGO Sensor that further extends the high dynamic range and lowers noise levels by reading out each photodiode with two different gains. One gain prioritizes saturation (protecting detail in highlight areas) while the other suppresses noise in the shadows. The result is an image with up to 16-plus stops of total dynamic range, clean, rich shadows, and vibrant highlights in up to 4K/ 60p or 2K/120p in Super16mm Crop
mode.
The EOS C70 camera also features Canon’s recently developed DIGIC DV7 image processor that collects the extensive information captured from the DGO sensor and processes it into exceptional HDR imagery while offering choices between Canon Log 2 and 3, in addition to PQ and HLG gamma functionality. The C70 camera can also record 4K DCI or UHD up to 120fps and 2K DCI or HD up to 180 fps – with an important flexibility in the choice of codecs.
The camera supports XF-AVC format (in variable bit-rate) – both Intra and Long GOP with MXF file format. The intra-frame format compresses the data after analyzing each frame separately, while Long GOP format compresses data at a higher rate, creating an even smaller file size. A secondary choice is Long GOP 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 MP4/HEVC (a next-generation HDR video recording compression standard) with an MP4 file format – a first in the Cinema EOS line.
The camera’s independent air intake system is separated from the electrical systems to protect the sensor from water, sand, and dust. In addition, the camera also features two air outlet vents that allow uninterrupted recording for extended periods of time.
The Canon EOS C70 4K Digital Cinema Camera is scheduled to be available in November 2020 for an
estimated retail price of $5,499.00. The Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R 0.71x is scheduled to be
available in December 2020 for an estimated retail price of $599.99.