Canon announces wide-angle portable zoom lens designed for 4K Broadcast Cameras
New CJ15ex4.3B Lens Offers Best-in-Class(1) Focal Range of 4.3-65mm
MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch of the CJ15ex4.3B, the latest addition to the Company’s UHDxs series of high-end, portable zoom lenses for 4K broadcast cameras with 2/3-inch sensors. Delivering the high optical performance of the UHDxs series, the CJ15ex4.3B possesses an industry-leading2 wide-focal length of 4.3mm and best-in-class1 maximum focal length1 of 65mm (130mm with built-in 2X extender), making it ideal for producing high-quality video for a variety of needs including sports broadcasting and electronic newsgathering.
Through the optimal placement of fluorite, UD3 and Super UD3 lenses in a multi-group optical configuration developed by Canon, the CJ15ex4.3B possesses excellent correction of situations such as color bleeding and chromatic aberration. In addition, Canon’s proprietary Air Sphere Coating (ASC) helps reduce flaring and ghosting and provides great visual expression with rich gradation, which is ideal for HDR and WCG shooting. The CJ15ex4.3B is the first portable broadcast lens to feature Air Sphere Coating, which originated with Canon’s EF-mount photography lenses.
The CJ15ex4.3B delivers 4K-quality performance while achieving a weight of only approximately 4.8 pounds in a compact body measuring approximately 6.4 inches x 4.2 inches x 9.8 inches. The lens also helps reduce the burden on camera operators by providing excellent optical performance in an ergonomically optimized package that is demanded by professionals in fields such as broadcast journalism and documentaries.
The first usage of this lens in the United States was at the recent NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. The performance of the CJ15ex4.3B lens in the challenging environment of fast cars and flying debris left NHRA Technology Executive Mike Rokosa enthusiastic about the lens’ capabilities. “When producing a drag-racing telecast, one of our most important shots is a wide-angle shot on a jib arm to capture the pageantry and tension at the starting line, where the driver’s reaction times are measured in thousandths of a second and mean the difference between winning and losing a race that only lasts for a few seconds,” said Rokosa. “I respect the fact that Canon likes to place their products in extreme conditions and our 11,000 horsepower dragsters are all of that. To bring an untested new design, unveil it at our event and for it to perform as it did was impressive. With cars traveling over 300 MPH, it is easy to lose focus or tracking on the cars. Not only was the lens able to capture the shots exactly as our director envisioned, but the added zoom range let us bring viewers even closer to the action.”
The Canon CJ15ex4.3B Portable Zoom Lens is currently scheduled to be available in the beginning of 2020*. For more information, please visit pro.usa.canon.com/broadcast.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2018† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2018. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.
† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
1 Among portable-type lenses with 2/3-inch sensors and wide-end focal lengths under 5.0 mm as of September 5, 2019.
2 Among portable-type lenses with 2/3-inch sensors as of September 5, 2019.
3UD refers to “Ultra Low Dispersion” lenses. Super UD lenses further improve on the advancements of UD technology.
* Product availability subject to change