Any news on the Canon CN-E 18-80mm?

[Mark Dobson]

Just wondering anybody knows when this much publicised lens is going to hit the shops?

Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 COMPACT-SERVO Cinema Zoom Lens (EF Mount)

Still to make my mind up about it and will probably hire one to try out before purchasing. Just wish it had a longer throw.

From all accounts this one is going to sell well.

[Jim Martin]

We're still being told the 1st of December......

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com

[Jim Martin]

And, for those in LA, we are getting the production run lens back here tomorrow from noon until early afternoon on Friday...so come on down to EVS!

Jim

[Mark Dobson]

Thanks Jim! I'll book my flight now.

[Nick Fotis]

Just saw the price.
With a bit more than half its price, you could get a Sony EA50 *and* a 18-105/4.
I know, it is parfocal etc.
But I was hoping for something like the Sony 18-105/4 instead...

N.F.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Nick Fotis

But I was hoping for something like the Sony 18-105/4 instead...

What about something like the Sony 18-105 were you hoping for?

[Mark Dobson]

There are now numerous large sensor camcorders with impressive specs and built in zoom lenses such as the Panasonic HC-X1 4K Ultra HD Professional Camcorder with a 20x zoom lens (24-480) for half the price.

I have to say I'm sometimes tempted to sell my entire set of lenses and the C300 and C300Mk2 and go for a far easier life. Whats stopping me? They just don't have the Canon look.

I'm dithering over the 18-80, I know I'll probably end up buying it but I'd just wish they had produced a higher spec lens for the price, say F2.8, with a longer throw, 18-130 maybe.

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Mark Dobson

There are now numerous large sensor camcorders with impressive specs and built in zoom lenses such as the Panasonic HC-X1 4K Ultra HD Professional Camcorder with a 20x zoom lens (24-480) for half the price.

I have to say I'm sometimes tempted to sell my entire set of lenses and the C300 and C300Mk2 and go for a far easier life. Whats stopping me? They just don't have the Canon look.

I'm dithering over the 18-80, I know I'll probably end up buying it but I'd just wish they had produced a higher spec lens for the price, say F2.8, with a longer throw, 18-130 maybe.

They have it already, almost exactly, the 17-120 f/2.95. But it's more than twice the weight, three times the size, and about 6x the price.

[Mark Dobson]

Thanks Jon,

yes - i'd forgotten about that one - bit out of my budget zone without taking out a second mortgage.

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Mark Dobson

Thanks Jon,

yes - i'd forgotten about that one - bit out of my budget zone without taking out a second mortgage.

Same here!

[Jim Martin]

It's 237.45 + tax on a 24 month 0% lease from Canon USA......

[Dan Brockett]

Just received one of these for evaluation and articles from Canon. Am going to be shooting with it this week but initial impressions are good. It's smaller than it looks, built well and has many of the best features of both a cinema lens and a still EF lens. Wish it was faster but for a lot of users who shoot exteriors or on lit sets, this looks pretty tasty.

[Nick Fotis]

Originally Posted by Gary Huff

What about something like the Sony 18-105 were you hoping for?

Price-wise, I mean.
Parfocal is nice, but the price of this lens is nearly two time a Sony EA50, including the Sony 18-105/4 (and has lower reach)...

N.F.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Dan Brockett

Wish it was faster but for a lot of users who shoot exteriors or on lit sets, this looks pretty tasty.

If it was faster it would be larger and heavier for a single stop, the difference of going from 800 to 1600 ISO.

[Barry Goyette]

Originally Posted by Gary Huff

If it was faster it would be larger and heavier for a single stop.

I know this is the "reason of choice" on this lens, but the reality is that the t/4.4 designation probably has more to do with protecting the "real" cinema zooms that cost 6x more.

The difference between f4 and 2.8 in a zoom in terms of the size of the elements isn't that huge. Canon certainly makes a variety of still zooms in 2.8 that are compact. Sure there would be an increase in weight, but in a short zoom like this, it's not going to be substantial. See the 17-55 or the 24-70L 2.8 lenses for relative diameter and weight of glass.

Certainly there's no criticism of Canon from me in protecting those expensive lenses. Although we need to realize that the price of a cinema zoom has less to do with the magic components and more to do with the size of market for them --10 years ago -- before the unwashed masses started shooting video on large sensors.

Canon's new low-cost zoom category is an experiment in finding a mid-point on price. I have no doubt that canon could produce a 2.8 zoom lens of comparable weight and cost to the 18-80 t4.4, but is getting it's feet wet with this one to see if it will be profitable. Had they produced it in a t/2.9, it would have been a runaway hit, but then they'd have killed a very high profit category in the process.