Canon has recently launched a new lens, the catchily named Canon CN20x 50 IAS H E1/P1.
Yes that’s right, a 50mm zoom with 20x magnification giving us 50mm – 1,000mm range. What’s more, it also has a built in 1.5x extender, so that’s 1,500mm at the tight end. Wow.
With a removable servo drive unit and the built in range extender, it looks like Canon have given us many of the benefits of the traditional broadcast lens, but in a S35 cine package ideal for 4K. Quite a feat.
Available with an EF mount (E1) or PL mount (P1) the weight isn’t too bad either, just 6.6kg. That’s all very impressive but there has to be a compromise somewhere… well it’s not the fastest lens around. T5.0 at 50mm rising to T13.35 at 1,500mm. It’s unavoidable physics… imagine how big and heavy a lens of this range would be if it was any faster.
So ideal for sports and wildlife, or any extreme close-ups from a long way away.
There’s no confirmed pricing yet, but it’s probably not going to be cheap. Rumours are mostly in the £45,000 – £55,000 range which sadly makes this something I’m going to have to hire rather than own!
Paul
| GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| Mount | EF (/E1 variant); PL (/P1 variant) |
| Focal Length | 50 – 1000mm (75-1500mm w/ 1.5xEXT) |
| Zoom Ratio | 20x |
| Image Size | Super35mm |
| Maximum Relative Aperture | T5.0 at 50-560mm T8.9 at 1000mm T7.5 at 75-840mm T13.35 at 1500mm （1.5x） |
| Iris Blades | 11 |
| Angular Field of View | 1.78:1 – 24.6×13.8mm 27.6°x 15.7° – 1.4°x 0.8° (1.5x) 18.6°x 10.5° – 0.9°x 0.5° 1.9:1 – 26.2×13.8mm 29.4°x 15.7° – 1.5°x 0.8° （1.5x）- 19.8°x 10.5° – 1.0°x 0.5° |
| MOD from Image Sensor | 3.5m / 11.5’ |
| Object Dimensions at MOD | 1.78:1- 24.6×13.8mm 139.3 x 78.1cm at 50mm / 7.3 x 4.1cm at 1000mm (1.5x）92.9 x 52.1cm at 75mm / 4.9 x 2.7cm at 1500mm 1.9:1- 26.2×13.8mm 148.3 x 78.1cm at 50mm – 7.8 x 4.1cm at 1000mm （1.5x）98.9 x 52.1cm at 75mm – 5.2 x 2.7cm at 1500mm |
| Front Diameter | φ136mm |
| Approx Size (W x H x L) | 175 x 170.6 x 413.2mm (EF mount) 175×170.6×405.2mm (PL Mount) |
| Approx Weight | 6.6kg |
| Pitch of Focus/Zoom/Iris Gear | Focus：0.8/0.5 Zoom：0.5 Iris：0.5 |
