Canon Patent Application for a 11-440mm f/2.1-4.1 Cinema Zoom lens

Canon Patent Application
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Canon patent application (US 20180143412) for what looks like a 11-440mm f/2.1-4.1 Cinema Zoom lens.

From the patent literature:

Conventionally, four-unit zoom lenses are often used as zoom lenses for television cameras because it is relatively easy to achieve a wide angle of view, a high zoom ratio, and size and weight reduction. Such a four-unit zoom lens includes, in order from the object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power that does not move for zooming, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power that moves during zooming, a third lens unit for correcting variation in the image plane caused by zooming, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power for imaging.

In recent years, there have been proposed zoom lenses for television cameras including three, four, or more movable units as zooming units with functions as a variator and a compensator.

[…]

Thus, the present invention has an objective to provide a zoom lens including three or more movable units as its zooming units and simultaneously achieving a wide angle of view, a high zooming ratio, size and weight reduction, and particularly high performance in the focal length range from the wide-angle end to the zoom middle position. The present invention also aims to provide an image pickup apparatus having such a zoom lens.

To attain the above objective, a zoom lens according to the present invention includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power that does not move for zooming, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power that moves during zooming, a third lens unit having a negative refractive power that moves during zooming, a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power that moves during zooming, and a relay lens unit having a positive refractive power and being located closest to the image side that does not move for zooming. The second lens unit moves to the image side from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. When a focal length fx determined based on a focal length fw of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end and a zoom ratio Z is fx=fw×Z0.38, the zoom lens satisfies 0.05<L2min/L2w<0.98, where L2min is a minimum distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit in a zoom range from the wide-angle end to the focal length fx, and L2w is a distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit at the wide-angle end.

Patent literature is a hard reading. If I got it wrong or if you have additional intel, please feel free to sound off in the comment section.

canon patent application

Canon will showcase the new EOS C700 Full Frame Cinema Camera at Cine Gear Expo 2018

Canon Eos C700 Ff
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Canon EOS C700 FF at a glance:

  • 5.9K Full Frame CMOS Sensor with DAF
  • EF-Cinema Lock Type Mount
  • Dual Pixel AF, Triple DIGIC DV 5
  • XF-AVC and ProRes Recording to CFast 2.0
  • Internal Full-Frame up to 60FPS
  • Internal 4K/Super35 Crop up to 72FPS
  • Internal 2K/Super16 Crop up to 168FPS
  • Selectable Gamma and Log Curves
  • ACES Support
  • External Raw Recording Option

Canon will showcase the company’s new EOS C700, a professional full frame Cinema camera announced March 2018. The Canon EOS C700 can be pre-ordered for $33,000 at B&H Photo and Adorama.

New Canon Full-Frame Cinema Camera to be Showcased at Cine Gear Expo 2018

The company will offer hands-on demonstrations with its latest products and host panel discussions

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 31, 2018 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, will showcase its newest digital cinema products in Booth #12 at Cine Gear Expo 2018 in Los Angeles.

Visitors to the Canon booth will have the opportunity to experience the full range of Canon Cinema cameras and lenses, 4K reference displays, and DSLR cameras and lenses, including the recently announced EOS C700 FF Cinema Camera. Available in EF or PL mount, the EOS C700 FF features a 5.9K full-frame sensor with built-in anamorphic de-squeeze capabilities and RAW capture. The camera will be on display paired with the CN-E20mm T1.5 LF F lens, the latest addition to Canon’s line of CN-E prime lenses. Canon’s newest 4K HDR reference display, the 24-inch DP-V2421, will also be available for hands-on demonstrations, showcasing on-set HDR functionality.

Cine Gear attendees will be able to learn more about Canon’s CarePAK PRO Extended Service Plan, which recently expanded to include professional video and cinema products. Canon CarePAK PRO offers coverage from accidental damage such as drops, spills and power surges, protecting customer investments from unforeseen repair costs and excessive downtime. Conditions and restrictions apply*.

In addition to showcasing products and professional service and support offerings, Canon will host a series of panel discussions and educational seminars. On Saturday, attendees** will have the opportunity to see the new EOS C700 FF in action with a screening of Dishful of Dollars, a short film directed by Nigel Dick and shot by Nancy Schreiber, ASC. The full panel schedule is as follows:

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The History of Canon’s CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 Lens (video)

Canon CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm
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At a glance:

  • Covers up to Super 35mm Sized Sensors
  • 50 to 1000/75 to 1500mm Zoom
  • ENG-Style Zoom, Focus, Iris Servos
  • For Broadcast or Cinema Shooting Styles
  • 180° Focus Ring with Knurled Grip
  • Double Focus Markings in Feet and Meters
  • Detachable Drive Unit
  • Zoom Speed: 1.5 to 180 Seconds
  • Programmable Zoom, Focus, Iris Positions
  • 11-Blade Aperture Design

We are talking about a lens that costs $70.000, the Canon CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 (available in EF and PL mounts).

Cinematographer/filmmaker Ivo Norenberg approached Canon in 2010 with a request for an extreme lens. He challenged Canon to produce a long zoom 4K Super 35mm lens tailored to the diverse needs of wildlife video production.

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

4k
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Canon press release:

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

Three New Lenses Deliver High Image Quality and Mobility

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 2, 2018 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch 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.”

Availability

The Canon CJ24ex7.5B and CJ14ex4.3B 4K Portable Zoom Lenses are scheduled to be available in summer 2018, while the CJ18ex7.6B lens is scheduled to be available in fall 2018*. In addition, the lenses are being shown publicly for the first time at the Canon booth (C4325) at the NAB Show 2018 in Las Vegas from April 9-12.

For more information please visit, usa.canon.com/provideo.

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Canon announce a new 20mm prime lens for 4K cameras (CN-E20mm T1.5 L F)

CN-E20mm T1.5
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CN-E20mm T1.5 L F at a glance:

  • Covers Full Frame & Super 35 Sensors
  • T1.5 Maximum Aperture
  • 11-Blade Iris
  • Breathing Minimized Virtually to Zero
  • Dual Focus Markings
  • Stepless 300° Focus Rotation
  • Standard Cine Gears
  • Same Gear Positions as Other CN-E Models
  • Dust- and Water-Resistant Housing

The CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens can be pre-ordered at B&H Photo.

Canon press release:

Canon U.S.A. Expands EF Cinema Lens Lineup With New 20MM Prime Lens for 4K Cameras

MELVILLE, N.Y., March 28, 2018 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch of 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.

The CN-E20mm T1.5 L F lens is scheduled to begin shipping in fall 2018. For more information please visit usa.canon.com/provideo.

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