Articles

Canon: New Portable Telephoto HDTV Production Lens HJ24ex7.5B: 24x Zoom, 7.5-180mm Wide-angle

NEWS RELEASE

February 2015

Canon has launched the HJ24ex7.5B lens, which boasts an impressive focal length range as well as a Digital Drive Unit and enhanced optics…

A successor to the hugely popular HJ22ex7.6B, the lens has been updated using customer feedback and includes a number of new features, including a wider and longer focal range with enhanced image quality, as well as an improved design and user handling. A truly versatile lens, the HJ24ex7.5B is perfect for a diverse range of broadcast environments, including studio sets, live production and news gathering thanks to the unique combination of a high quality 24x zoom – the longest zoom in this class available today – an impressive 7.5-180mm wide-angle and a lightweight, portable design.

Advanced optical performance, both wide and far

Created specifically for the world of TV production, the HJ24ex7.5B’s enhanced optical design allows broadcasters and producers to go both wider and closer on their shoots, with the new 24x zoom giving added freedom whilst on set or location. Demonstrating Canon’s expertise in optical design, the lens’ 7.5-180mm focal range surpasses that of its predecessor and removes the hassle of mounting different lenses, enabling users to switch seamlessly between long distance, fast action shots, to close-ups. The HJ24ex7.5B’s revised optics also produce a sharper, more refined image throughout the entire zoom range, with the quality and clarity that’s required for HD productions.

Exceptional portability and professional performance

An enhanced ergonomic design and revised optical structure ensures operators can quickly and comfortably shoot on the go. The weight of the lens has been reduced down to just 1.78kg, allowing shooters to freely move around sets and locations, as well as keep pace easily with subjects. The lens has been engineered to be both lighter and better balanced than its predecessor, with an improved centre of gravity thanks to the weight distribution and optimisation of the optical layout and body structure. The lens can also be easily handled when shoulder mounted, with access to settings easily accessible in the palm of the hand, ensuring operators don’t have to move away from the camera’s viewfinder.

Designed to provide the best possible performance for broadcasters, the HJ24ex7.5B features the same Digital Drive Unit found in the latest HD high-end ENG line-up, which enables camera operators to select repeatable zoom positions and speeds, as well as focus and Iris settings as they wish. An absolute value encoder, built into the Digital Drive Unit, also allows operators to quickly commence shooting without any initialisation, ideal in newsgathering and sports environments. Also suited to virtual applications, the absolute value encoder improves the lens’ power consumption, helping operators to shoot for longer, as well as enabling the lens to automatically detect lens positions so the chromatic aberration compensation function on cameras works instantly.

The HJ24ex7.5B will be available from May 2015.

HJ24ex7.5B – KEY FEATURES

  • Class-leading portable telephoto HDTV production lens with 24x zoom and 7.5-180mm focal length.
  • Advanced optical performance with high resolution from centre to the edges in both close–up and telephoto.
  • Excellent aberration correction over the entire zoom range for sharper and clearer images.
  • Compact and lightweight with enhanced balance for improved handling and easy shoulder-mounted operation.
  • Enhanced operability with quick start-up and support for ALAC/CAC camera aberration correction.
  • Reduced power consumption.