I peeked arround on canon.jp. And there was a wide lens for H1. Here is Babelfished edition of the press release - http://cweb.canon.jp/newsrelease/2006-07/pr-xl-x6.html?jp=pr-xl-x6


As for CANON, 6 time zoom lens "the CANON HD video lens 6 time zoom XL 3.4-20.4mm L which" makes photographing in wide angle possible the HD video camera "XL H1" which can do digital hi-vision photographing and so on, as a interchangeable lens for the video camera which adopts the "XL mount", is sold late from November.

With the current forecast of the value of the Yen this thing will go for right around $3K in the late fall time frame.

The Wide Angle Lens is also officially listed on the Canon USA site:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelFeaturesAct&fcategoryid=175&modelid=12152&pageno=0

Manual iris ring? Will this be another pulse generator or a real, direct iris control (don't see how it could be and be compatible with auto exposure modes)?

This announcement also makes it clear what HD compatible means and it seems to mean capable of supporting auto focus when hooked to an HD camera, capable of supporting still mode, capable of reporting focus distance etc. Resolution compatible with HD isn't mentioned. Wonder if the 3X short zoom distant focus problem has been solved.

Lost among yesterday's announcement of new Canon cameras is an announcement of a new 6X Wide Angle HD XL series lens that I found on Canon's web site.

http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20060726_hd_zoomxl.html

My apologies for neglecting this yesterday. There was a post from Jos S. in the News forum, I've moved it here and merged these two topics together into one thread.

The price amazes me... under $3K.

By the way, here's the press release: http://www.dvinfo.net/canonxlh1/articles/article21.php

Manual iris ring? Will this be another pulse generator or a real, direct iris control (don't see how it could be and be compatible with auto exposure modes)?

The iris ring on my Fujinon HD lens is mechanical/servo. This could be the same design. What I mean is that in manual iris, i can mechanically move the ring. If I flip the switch to auto iris, the servo engages and I can't move it due to the motor holding current. Well, I suppose I could force it but I'm not anxious to burn up the servo on that lens just yet.

-gb-

It is interesting that this lens has three rings just like the built in lens on the XH-A1 and XH-G1. I wonder if this is the new way the lens options will go in the future. Perhaps there will be a new 20x lens for the XL-H1 or a new lens that comes with a perhaps XL-H1s model in the future.

What kind of mount do these new Canon HD lenses use? Will it mount on, say... a JVC???

No Keith, it's the proprietary Canon XL mount, for Canon XL series cameras only.

I'm really surprised by the price. Canon knocked this one out of the park. My personal prediction was that Canon was price the lens at $4999. Considering that Fujinon's wide angle HD zoom for the JVC is $12,000.

Now I just need to find a pre-order list! :-))

i do have to say that i'm very disappointed to see that it's a servo lens... any leaks on a 16x manual hd lens or the like??? i DESPISE the functionality of the 20x HD lens, damn sharp though. I also wish it could have been faster like an f1.2 and i wish it would hold that stop all the way through.

that said, i like the price and will buy one when available. of course, for an extra 33 percent i could buy an A1 as a 2nd camera and get a wider angle of view.

-Jon

I also wish it could have been faster like an f1.2 and i wish it would hold that stop all the way through.

that said, i like the price and will buy one when available. of course, for an extra 33 percent i could buy an A1 as a 2nd camera and get a wider angle of view.

-JonMe too...and I wish I had a million dollars, too. ;-) To get what you're asking would at LEAST double the price of the lens. Who knows, maybe more HD lenses at higher price points (like the full manual everyone keeps begging for) will be added to the XL line in the future.

In 35mm photography terms, the XH cameras will go about 32.5mm so you'd have to put additional glass (the WD-72 0.8 adaptor) in front to even get close to the 24.5mm equivalent of the XL's upcoming 6x lens.

What kind of mount do these new Canon HD lenses use? Will it mount on, say... a JVC???

Canon is supposed to be making a version of this lens for JVC. At least that's what they were showing in the JVC booth at NAB. We'll just have to wait and see.

-gb-

this 6x is the best argument i've seen yet for picking the H1 over its new baby cousins....choices choices choices

this 6x is the best argument i've seen yet for picking the H1 over its new baby cousins....choices choices choices

"Plus, the Camkote will fit the H1", he said, as if to gently nudge Meryem over the edge to fall haplessly into the arms of a brand new XLH1. (grin)

Sorry, must be the heat. Send rain, please!

-gb-

Are they selling the camera body only, without the 20X lens? If so, the camera and this new lens would be one of the best things on the market. The 24mm-147mm range (in 35mm terms) is about as perfect as I could ever want.

greg, yer a nut! i'm thinking that with the all-72mm lens mount fleet of cameras that i'm on the verge of owning, that the camkote will get its well-deserved workout. ski season is right around the bend in these parts...and there's that trip to hawaii which has been on my mind, i could use some sand and salt protection...

Just remember Mereyem, the HD100 is a great cam too... Come to the Darkside Luke-Um..Mereyem ;)

heh. i've been inches away from that tempting HD100, too, actually. i would lie awake at night pondering my next HDV camera question. saved at the bell by the always-late-to-the-party-but-never-disappointing minions at canon.

here's a good one. i'm madly trading canon stock to pay for the next canon cameras. so far i'm $3000 closer to my purchase. only $10K away from my babies. run, canon, run.

Meryem,

Well, for you this time...patience is a virtue.

ken, some timeless wisdom from "the tao of poker"--

"money flows from the impatient to the patient"

now, where *is* that BODY-ONLY option??

ken, some timeless wisdom from "the tao of poker"--

"money flows from the impatient to the patient"



That's a good one. If you're waiting for the body only, does that mean you're not on the waiting list for the XH? I figured that might be your next move.

my current plan is to get one of each of the new cousins. but if canon were to offer a body-only H1, i might have to re-think it....

$8,000 (XL H1+20x lens)+3,000 (6x lens)+3,000 (accessories?)=$14,000.

i'd hate to see all those get stolen at a moment's notice =\.

Does anyone know which thread mount the 6x zoom will have?

It's an XL lens.

Sorry, maybe I was indistinct.

It's an XL lens, but at the other end... is it a 72mm filter thread mount?

Sorry, maybe I was indistinct.

It's an XL lens, but at the other end... is it a 72mm filter thread mount?

Yes, I think it is 72mm.

According to Creative Video in the UK it has 82mm thread mount for filters!

According to Creative Video in the UK it has 82mm thread mount for filters!

http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=canon_xl-6x

http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=tiffen_uvp-82

I honestly thought that it was 72mm like all the previous lenses. It would be strange that it is 82mm as this would mean that all those screw-in filters and attachments for the 72mm threads on previous XL 3X, 16X 20X and 20X HD wouldn't fit (at least without a step-up filter).
If it is 82mm then possibly this was chosen by Canon to help avoid corner vignette problems at the widest lens setting when filters etc are used.

Isnt this supposed to be released soon? has anyone heard anything else about it? I've been on two shoots in the past week where I would have loved a wide lens but it still hasn't come out yet. IS it still held up by the fcc thing?

Disappointment! The specs at Creative Video make it clear that all three rings are encoder types. I guess the solid feel and repeatability of mechanical rings is a thing of the past.

whoa... so... $9k for the XL H1 and $4k for this... not including accessories. whoa =). is it me or are modern tech. hobbies getting more and more expensive =).

is it me or are modern tech. hobbies getting more and more expensive =).

[hitches pants]

"Well, that's your problem, right there, buddy. You're buying more or less pro gear and calling it a hobby"

Near F900 quality for less than $14 grand and people are COMPLAINING about it.

Just to confirm, YES the filter thread diameter is 82mm.

YES all three control rings are the servo type without hard stops.

Just like the stock 20x HD lens, there is a focus distance display (meters or feet) and a "zoom number" display (on a scale of 0-99) in the viewfinder, and a focus distance / focal length preset switch on the side of the lens.

I don't see how anyone can complain about the price of this gear -- it's either one of two things. It's a business tool or it's a luxury item. If you're making money with it, then it's a business tool. If you're not making money with it, then it's a luxury item. In either case, buy what you can afford.

Back to an earlier question: Isn't this supposed to be released soon? Anyone have an update on ETA?

First part of November is what I'm hearing.

Jim Martin at Birns & Sawyer just said first week of November.

Just spoke to one of the sponsors and they said the 25th and also said their will be a body only xl h1 as well around then... I was hoping he met the 25th of this month...

... will be a body only xl h1 as well around then...

At long last! Sounds very promising.

Ok so here's the enxt question, what mattebox can we use with this that won't vinette? My math may be wrong but it would have to support something like a 24mm lens in 35mm world. which I believe is a wide angle. So what works with that?

I asked the same question a few days ago! Have a look at the last page in the thread "Which mattebox do you have for your XL H1?" for some answers!

All the best!

yeah I saw the responces, seems like they were all pretty vague, then chris hijacked the thread with his 10,000 post (some people...) I had mroe or less accepted that it wouldn't work with 4x4 filters (my filters are 4x5.65 anyhow) I'm more worried about the mattebox itself showing up in the frame (as I've seen happen with other lenses and matteboxes) but it is handy to know that none of the 4x4 frame boxes will work. Are we just limited to the wideangle ones?

My Cinetech matte box worked fine with XL-1 and the 3x lens. It does use 4x5.65 filters. I sold the 3x when I got the H1, so I can't check the 3x with the H1 and Cinetech matte. Will the new HD 6x have the same angle of view as the 3x?

i sure would love to see this added to the dvinfo.net's articles comparing diff. lenses =).

i sure would love to see this added to the dvinfo.net's articles comparing diff. lenses =).Good idea, or maybe Chris could start a main section on the subject of lenses for the XL-H1, now that it will be available soon as a body-only option :)

Barry thanks, I've been kicking around the idea of the cinetech mattebox or the chrosziel one. Did you get the swing away version?

I'm working on an XL H1 Lens Options article and hope to have it ready pretty soon.

;-)