NAB 2018: Canon Intros Four New Lenses for UHD Production Needs By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Monday, April 2, 2018 - 10:32 am
Print This Story
Canon took the wraps off its new lens introductions for NAB, including a new UHD-DIGISUPER 66x box lens and a second tier of UHD portable zoom lenses, the UHDgc line, that are designed to be a solid fit for 2/3-inch UHD lower-cost cameras that increasingly deliver UHD images. With 4K cameras at a remarkably low cost we wanted a second tier in 2/3-inch UHD portable lenses and that is similar to what we did when we launched the HDgc line of HD lenses [during that transition], says Larry Thorpe, Canon U.S.A, Senior Fellow, ITCG Professional Engineering and Solutions Business Planning Division.
Three new portable lenses from Canon give a new more affordable price point for those looking to enter the UHD production market.
The three new portable zoom 4K UHD broadcast lenses are the CJ24ex7.5B, CJ18ex7.6B and CJ14ex4.3B and they provide 4K UHD imaging quality at a price point that Canon says is more accessible to the majority of the broadcast market. They also maintain a compact and lightweight design to meet a wide range of needs for video productions that include documentaries, sports, events and news coverage.
There is still a lot of discussion within the broadcast industry and a lot of head scratching about the march to UHD and when UHD will start, adds Thorpe. And recognizing the uncertainty of the transition the concern is costs.
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. The lenses also support the wide color gamut approved by the ITU-R BT.2020 UHD broadcasting standard, an essential feature for capturing images in HDR. 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. The CJ24ex7.5B and CJ14ex4.3B 4K lenses are scheduled to be available in summer 2018, while the CJ18ex7.6B lens is scheduled to be available in the fall.
As 4K UHD origination becomes more popular in television news, the need for affordable lenses that can deliver the necessary imaging performance has grown, adds 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.
A new 66x UHD box lens from Canon will be introduced at NAB.
NAB attendees will also want to check out the new UHD-DIGISUPER 66 (UJ66x9B), a mid-range telephoto zoom lens for 4K UHD broadcast cameras. Providing 4K optical performance for cameras that feature 2/3-inch sensors, the UHD-DIGISUPER 66 features a 66x zoom ratio, making it ideal for sports and live event productions. Leveraging Canon's Optical Shift Image Stabilizer (Shift-IS), this new lens provides both handling and operational controls similar to existing field zoom lenses for HDTV broadcast cameras, offering stable imaging and comfortable maneuverability during indoor and outdoor sports broadcasting, medium-size broadcasting vans and more.
As Canon continues to put the time and thought into the R&D of Field Lenses, we are very pleased with how the new UHD-DIGISUPER 66 advances the DIGISUPER product line, says Ishizuka. The new lens delivers improved optical performance and operational enhancements that together meet the needs of 4K UHD production industry demands.
The UHD-DIGISUPER 66 provides outstanding optical performance, resulting in beautiful images with no loss of sharpness or color from the center to the peripheral areas of image field. This lens possesses a focal length range of 9mm to 600mm and features a built-in two-times extender that allows users to double the zoom range capabilities of the lens (up to 1200mm on the telephoto end). Additionally, Canon's proprietary Shift-IS technology delivers smooth imaging with minimal blur during 4K shooting: a scenario in which even the most minor vibrations can severely impact the image. The lens is also compatible with standard broadcast zoom and focus demands, allowing for easy integration into a production setup.
It has built-in corrections for focus breathing that are electronically controlled, making it really top of the line, adds Thrope. It also very respectable ramping characteristics.
The UHD-DIGISUPER66 will be available in the fall.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/04/2026
Designed for synchronized multi-stream playback, low-latency delivery, and real-time analytics, MATCH introduces a unified viewing experience for sports broadca...
07/04/2026
Berklee Students to Honor George Martin with Performance of Original Scores The orchestra, led by associate professor Xander Rovang, will perform several work...
06/04/2026
Michigan legends bring a new voice to the broadcast as TNT Sports and CBS Sports...
06/04/2026
From high school sports all the way up to the major leagues, building high-quali...
06/04/2026
Quickplay, an AI company for the media and entertainment industry, has been accepted into the Advanced tier of the TwelveLabs Ecosystem Partner Program. Quickpl...
06/04/2026
Grass Valley has announced the Future Playmakers Program, a global initiative to...
06/04/2026
El l der de operaciones impulsa la producci n en estudio mientras encuentra insp...
06/04/2026
The ops leader helps lead the charge in studio for the Spanish-language broadcas...
06/04/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
06/04/2026
The National Hockey League (NHL), in partnership with Verizon and the New Jersey Devils, today announced the opening of the NHL Innovation Lab powered by Verizo...
06/04/2026
Rock League, a new professional curling league, has announced that ESPN+ will stream its inaugural 2026 season for fans in the United States. The first Rock Lea...
06/04/2026
Advanced Systems Group has announced the appointment of Andrea (Andy) Cummis as Vice President of Systems Design and Engineering. In this role, she will lead de...
06/04/2026
Backed by Bolt Ventures, the venture brings Bryson DeChambeau, Grant Horvat, and...
06/04/2026
With this environment we can start that collaboration even earlier because we ca...
06/04/2026
Like the immortal lives of vampires, some stories never really end. That's t...
06/04/2026
As podcasting continues to evolve, growth increasingly means building beyond aud...
06/04/2026
Multiband dynamics plug-in enhanced
California-based developer FSK Audio have released a significant update for their innovative multiband dynamics processo...
06/04/2026
Share official & user-created full-rig presets
IK Multimedia's latest TONEX update makes it possible for users of the popular amp and effects modelling ...
06/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/04/2026
Dalet Showcases Dalia Agentic AI and End-to-End Media Workflows at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Dalet, a leading technology and...
06/04/2026
OpenDrives Shows Off Sports Expertise in Sports Business Hub located in NAB Show...
06/04/2026
Proton to Demonstrate 3D Application at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Yet further creative potential unleashed through innovation in ...
06/04/2026
Autoscript Highlights Voice-Driven Prompting and PTZ Solutions at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Experience Autoscript Voice, PTZ prom...
06/04/2026
Mediaproxy Highlights Significant Enhancements to its LogServer suite at NAB Sho...
06/04/2026
Wayne, N.J., April 6th, 2026 Phantom High-Speed announces the release of PCC 4...
06/04/2026
April 6th, 2026
TRIBECA STUDIOS AND LILLY ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF INAUGURAL VITAL...
06/04/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Expands Kids Entertainment Lineup With Playground App ...
05/04/2026
Tackles all reported bugs!
SoundBridge have just announced the launch of a new update that introduces a couple of minor changes to their remote collaboratio...
04/04/2026
The University of Arizona's Men's Basketball team has only loss twice th...
04/04/2026
1080p HDR arrives, a new generation of storytelling tools takes center stage, an...
04/04/2026
Michigan legends bring a new voice to the broadcast as TNT Sports and CBS Sports...
04/04/2026
Faster, cleaner and more intuitive than ever
The control software for Flock Audio's digitally controlled patchbay systems has just been treated to an up...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
DHD Introduces AI-Based Audio Noise Reduction to XD3 IP Core
Brie Clayton April 3, 2026
0 Comments
The accompanying image shows the rear panel of the ...
04/04/2026
Macnica Redefines ST 2110 Flexibility with Two Speeds on One Card
Brie Clayton April 3, 2026
0 Comments
New for NAB Show 2026, MEP100 SmartNIC now sup...
04/04/2026
Unified Media Workflows for Story-Centric Production
Brie Clayton April 3, 2026
0 Comments
Framelight X unifies field capture, editing and publishing ...
03/04/2026
Michigan's Fab Five will reunite for an alternate presentation of the Mich...
NAB 2018: Canon Intros Four New Lenses for UHD Production Needs By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
