Canon announces seven EF Cinema lenses

[dots]

Canon announces seven EF Cinema lenses: Digital Photography Review

 

[Big Mike]

Pricing and availability
Both the Canon CN-E14.5–60mm T2.6 L S (EF mount) lens and the Canon CN-E14.5–60mm T2.6 L SP (PL mount) lens are scheduled for late January 2012 availability for an estimated list price of $45,000 each. The Canon CN-E30–300mm T2.95–3.7 L S (EF mount) and Canon CN-E30–300mm T2.95–3.7 L SP (PL mount) lens are scheduled for late March 2012 availability for an estimated list price of $47,000 each.

 

[Ulriksen]

that is insane! :O

 

[Derrel]

The new lens line's design ethos looks very un-Canon-like, and as a result, very elegant and stylish...those black,not white barrels!!! Beautiful,classic design, that ought to appeal to cinematographers who prefer black lenses to any other finish.

The new uniform gearing and uniform filter size across the line sounds great. I noticed the price on the 24mm,50mm,and 85mm primes is $6,800 on each lens...wow...

THe one thing I noticed was what appeared to be a manual aperture control ring at the rear of the 30-300mm zoom lens linked to at the dPreview site; that seems like a VERY interesting development, and I think there might be something underlying that; I am wondering about that red-finished, rear-most segment of the lens,and wondering how Canon is going to approach f/stop control; we know that EOS bodies can control f/stop electronically, through camera body control, but when used outside the system, Canon's gelded, aperture-free lenses have always presented a problem for use on "other system" cameras, both still and cine...kind of wondering if that red item might be some type of aperture control interface for NON-EOS use.

 

[Overread]

Those prices are --- well - lets say it will be a long long while before they drop low enough for my wallet to open wide enough for them; but I have to agree with Derrel - I do really like that new lens design - even the rear red section!

 

[Village Idiot]

They're for the new $20,000 cmeras they released. Vincent Laforet reported amazing iq with no moire at 1080 on a 60' screen. Check out the Möbius video he shot for Canon.

 

[Derrel]

The Canon 30-300mm lens, in either EF or PL mount, is scheduled for March 2012 availability. Cost for a lens in either mount fitting is estimated at $47,000 US dollars, according to Canon's press release.

"These aren't your father's Canon zooms lenses," to paraphrase the Oldsmobile commercials.

 

[shootermcgavin]

Wow they forgot to convert Yen to dollars. I'd love to see a shot from a $40,000 lens it must add smell or taste too.

 

[bentcountershaft]

Cinema equipment is crazy expensive but they put a lot of demands on their stuff that still photographers would never need.

 

[dots]

Sorry chaps..i didn't see the jaw dropping price tag. I naively thought these could represent an alternative stream of glass for DSLR shooters. Obviously not

Food for thought though, eh!

 

[Nikon_Josh]

Wow, it really seems like Canon are getting their act together.. highly impressed once again! They are really working hard it seems to push boundaries and will kill the video market it seems yet again, lets hope Nikon pays attention and ups the ante.

I wonder what they will do though to match Sonys new video performance on the A77?

 

[Village Idiot]

AFAIK, Nikon doesn't make video cameras do they?

 

[Derrel]

Cinema equipment is crazy expensive but they put a lot of demands on their stuff that still photographers would never need.

As one commenter said in that link, he figures these lenses are aimed at producers, and not at the level of independent or stock cinematographers. Also, a great deal of high-end motion picture equipment has ALWAYS been "rented". Like the Panaflex cameras and associated equipment--that stuff was never allowed to be "sold", but was always rented to production companies for each film project. For a big Hollywood rental house, the price of a set of these lenses would be recovered after a reasonable period of renting out. These are of course, "lifetime" type lenses. Another commenter in the thread above was kind of disappointed that Canon did not address the market of cinema lenses geared toward independent videographers; he pointed out that the high-end cinema lens market is already pretty crowded with offerings from other makers, but that these new offerings are wayyyyyy above the price point that the majority of independent videographers can hope to afford.

 

[Overread]

Canon has slightly addressed the DSLR video market with their new supertelephoto lenses with the construction of their MF rings being more suitable to external motor drives; but their new 70-200mm f2.8 didn't come with that feature (far as I can recall from the marketing blurb) and wasn't parafocal either (though its darn close).

So I'm not sure if canon want to be fully behind the DSLR video - oh yes they give it a good chance for certain, but I get the feeling that unless they have a big turn around they might keep it a little hobbled just to defend their other market in video

 

[Big Mike]

Not related to the new Canon gear...but I just watched a cool video blog post (facebook) from Peter Jackson as he's shooting 'The Hobbit'. (I'm a total Tolkien Geek).

The post was mostly about the cameras and technology they are using to shoot the film (in 3D).

Peter Jackson | Facebook