New XL Series HD 6X Wide Angle Lens

[Jos Svendsen]

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/200...ml?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.

[A. J. deLange]

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

[James Swirsky]

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

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/co...12152&pageno=0

[A. J. deLange]

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.

[Wayne Joy]

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/templatedat...hd_zoomxl.html

[Chris Hurd]

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

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by A. J. deLange

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-

[Thomas Smet]

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.

[K. Forman]

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

[Chris Hurd]

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

[Robert Sanders]

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! :-))

[Jon Bickford]

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

[Pete Bauer]

Originally Posted by Jon Bickford

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

Me 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.

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Keith Forman

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-

[Meryem Ersoz]

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