Canon Novel Lenses Shine Among More Than 115 Canon Lenses at Winter Games

A team of broadcast engineers and experts dispersed across Northern Italy help broadcasters and still photographers keep shooting

OBS has put new imaging technologies - notably, FPV drones and 380-degree capture - at the center of its production strategy, and rightsholders, including NBC Olympics, are following suit. For Canon USA, that emphasis on imaging is just fine, giving next-generation lens technology a place to shine.

This is the biggest stage in the world, and everybody around the world is looking at it, says Canon USA Senior Specialist Josh Stoner. If have some new technology or something that's a little different and you can employ it here, it's not seen just by the U.S. audience or fans of a specific sport. For us, if something like the 122X lenses with the Novel look feature gets used, it puts a spotlight on the technology so everybody can see what it does.

Stoner and a team of 10 Canon broadcast engineers are spread across Northern Italy in support of NBC Olympics and other production teams.

Canon USA's Jamon Lomax (left) and Josh Stoner in the Milan MPC Canon support office, where repairs can be done and photographers can borrow Canon gear. We have two people in Cortina, two in Livigno, and six in Milano, says Stoner. Their primary role is to support NBC Olympics efforts, for which more than 115 Canon lenses are deployed in support of operations ranging from Cortina d'Ampezzo to Milan to Livigno to Bormio.

Our 10 engineers are split into teams because they have to be out in the remote locations, adds Stoner. They are credentialed so they can interact with anyone using Canon lenses, whether they are from the U.S., Europe, or Asia. The goal is to make sure the overall production looks good.

The 122X lens with the Novel look - the shallow-depth-of-field look captured from a long lens versus a handheld lens - tops the list of new Canon tools NBC Olympics is deploying. The broadcaster will use a total of four: one at the finish line of Women's Alpine in Tofane, one at the Snow Park in Livigno, and two at Figure Skating in the Milano Ice Skating Arena. Stoner says the new CJ27x73 ENG lens is deployed at NBC Olympics' main studio at the IBC in Milan.

Canon USA's Luis Ramos (left) and Canon France's Sidonie Renault are supporting Canon customers in Cortina d'Ampezzo.Every Games has its challenges (and, compared with the 2022 Beijing Games, anything is easier), and this edition's unique one is the long time it takes to get from one venue to another. Most trips generally take about four hours but can also take 10-12 hours.

For vendors, broadcasters, and production teams, that means a strong focus on deploying personnel properly and having backup solutions that can be handled without hours of travel. For Canon, it means having engineers at the venues to solve any issues that arise, along with a dealer in Milan who has a workshop and can solve any big problems.

We have backup box and ENG lenses in Milan, Stoner says, adding, Everyone has a car, and, if needed, a team can meet the other team member halfway to swap out the gear.

Canon USA's Ryan Antiono (left) and Canon Germany's Marcus Chessa support broadcasters at the Snow Park in Livigno.Each Olympics has a legacy, and Canon's hope is that the Novel lens gets more exposure and that, operationally, the team leaves with a better understanding of how to get the job done in a new era of Olympics (or the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico), where technology like fiber connectivity and IP allows venues to be farther apart.

Everybody here is in the same boat and learning about how to become more agile, Stoner points out.

That goes, too, for the Canon team of 75 supporting still photographers with more than 280 cameras and more than 800 lenses.

Like our colleagues in the broadcast team, the photo team's priority is to support photographers so that they can focus on capturing the remarkable achievements of the athletes, says Richard Shepherd, senior manager, product marketing, EMEA, Imaging, Canon. We are proud to have a dedicated team of experts on the ground across Milan, Cortina, Tesero, and Livigno, backed by more than 280 cameras and 800 lenses. Whether photographers need equipment cleaning, repairs, or access to loan kit, we are here to keep them shooting and to help them deliver unforgettable images.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/02/10/canon-novel-lenses-look-to-shin...
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