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[Wednesday at NAB]
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Lens Makers Address the More Affordable Camcorder
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by Craig Johnston,
~ April 16, 2008
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TV TECHNOLOGY
Great video images depend on high technology in the imagers and processing section of a camera, but to the same degree the camera’s lens is critical for taking good pictures. After developing the highest quality high-definition lenses in years past, several lens makers have developed a second tier of HD lenses, designed for some of the more affordable camcorders sporting 1/2-inch and 1/3-inch CCD and CMOS imagers.
Canon is showing a new addition to the company’s HD lens line, the Digisuper 27 (model XJ27x6.5B IE-D) It rounds out the HD studio line and features a focal length of from 6.5 mm to 180 mm. The lens is available with the optional BWA-271 0.9x Wide Attachment to enable users to shift between wide and telephoto shots without experiencing negative light transmission effects. The lens also features an improved maximum servo zoom speed of 0.5 seconds, and remotely controllable macro focusing.
Carl Zeiss, displaying at the Band Pro booth, is showcasing the first production models of its new DigiPrime 135 mm T1.9 and 52 mm T1.6 lenses. These electronic cinematography lenses join the DigiPrime family of prime lenses purpose built for 2/3-inch 3-CCD HD cinematography cameras. Other lenses in the DigiPrime line are 3.9 mm (T1.9), 5 mm (T1.9) 7 mm (T1.6), 10 mm (T1.6), 14 mm (T1.6), 20 mm (T1.6), 28 mm (T1.6), 40 mm (T1.6), 52 mm (T1.6) 70 mm (T1.6) CF. DigiZoom and DigiPrime lenses offer film-style features such as standard-pitch zoom, focus and iris gears, brightly marked oversized windowed cine scales, and highly-accurate, individually calibrated focus scales.
The company is also displaying its DigiMutar 1.4x Tele-Extender, designed to extend the focal length of Zeiss DigiPrime and DigiZoom lenses as well as other high-quality 2/3-inch HD lenses.
Zeiss will also show a new DigiDiopter.
Fujinon is introducing the newest member of its 2/3-inch HDTV Studio/Field product line, the XA88x12.5BES. It is designed to provide many of the same proven features and capabilities as other lenses in its class, including Fujinon’s DIGI POWER digital controls, which feature F number limit, Quick Zoom, two-shot presets, a 2x extender, and other precision digital functions increasing production flexibility. The lens also employs optical encoders that increase reliability and provide extremely high positioning accuracy in virtual environments.
The company is also debuting its HA23x7.6BE HDTV lens, a Premier Series lens offering advanced optical technology. It includes updates to its predecessor, the HA22x7.8BERM, and is designed to support a wide range of demanding, high-end applications, including HDTV broadcast news, sports, special events, commercial, and network television production. The new lens is also designed for use in feature film shooting, documentaries, and government production, as well as high-end HD field production.
Innovision Optics is introducing its new tubular lens system for popular HDV and DV camcorders such as Panasonic’s AG-HVX200 and Sony’s HVR_Z1U. The Innovision’s DV Probe offers superior optics and light transmission, utilizing high resolution glass elements and relay optics that have been computer designed to produce edge-to-edge sharpness, flat field, and extreme depth of field. Multiple coatings provide sharp, low dispersion images. Two interchangeable straight and 45-degree attachments enable a low perspective and provide an aid for extreme close ups. The lens tube is waterproof to a depth of 17-inchs. The DV Probe features a 19-inch long lens barrel with a diameter of 1.4-inch, and attaches directly to the front of the camera via an easy to install support bracket. Three lenses, 4 mm, 8 mm, 12 mm and a wide-angle attachment are interchangeable at the front mount. The unit’s 72 mm rear threads are compatible with popular DV camcorders.
Schneider Optics is introducing the Century Pro Series HD set of lens accessories for Sony’s PMW-EX1. They allow the videographer to shoot wider, at greater distances and also to focus closer than with the camera’s built-in lens alone. The new add-ons for the PMW-EX1 include the 0.6x HD wide-angle adapter, 0.75x HD wide-angle converter, 1.6x HD tele-converter, Super Fisheye HD adapter, and the Extreme Fisheye HD adapter.
The company is also showing its Century 4x4 Filters for DV/HDV Cameras, including five new four-inch square precision filters, selected specifically to meet the unique needs of DV/HDV cinematographers. These include the Century Neutral Density 0.6 Solid Filter, ND 0.6 Soft Edge Graduated Filter, Century Polarizer, Black Frost 1/2 Diffusion Filter and Skintone Enhancer Warming Filter.
Thales Angenieux is featuring the company’s latest generation Digital 26x7.8AIF High Definition (HD) and High Resolution (HR) series of Tele Super Zoom Lenses, designed to provide an extended focal range to news and sports field production crews. The zoom lens features a focal range of 7.8 mm to 203 mm and an aperture of f1.8 for the HR version, and f2.2 for the HD version.
The company is also showcasing its line of 19Xx7.3 AIF general-purpose ENG/EFP lenses, available in SD, HD and economically priced HD-E versions. They feature lightweight design, and offer digital features including memorized focus and zoom positions, an anti-backlash system, auto cruise zoom function, serial communication, optional built-in focus (SSD version) and an optional 16-bit serial digital connection for zoom and focus (SSDE version).
Cooke Optics, displaying in the RED booth, is introducing its ‘RED Set’ of lenses designed for the RED 4K electronic cinematography camera. The set is made up of four standard Cooke S4/i lenses with focal lengths spanning 15mm through 100mm, and specially engraved with red lettering. The lenses incorporate /i metadata capture technology that can be read directly by the /i contacts of the RED camera lens mount. They are equipped with technology that enables film and digital cameras to automatically record key lens and camera data for every film or video frame, which can then be provided digitally to post-production teams.
Tiffen is showing its Digital Filter Suite Software, which expands and complements the creative control that Tiffen optical filters bring to imaging. The company’s Dfx filters provide effects simulating Tiffen’s optical filters.
Also showing is the line of Digital HT (high transmission) multi-coated photo and video filters. They provide the strength of a titanium coating combined with the quality optical glass. The HT titanium coating reflects less than one percent of the imaging light hitting the front surface of the filter, while transmitting nearly 99 percent.
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