Canon Intros First Professional Camcorders, New Lenses for HD, 3D

Canon U.S.A’s NAB stand features the new Canon XF305 and XF300 professional tapeless HD camcorders, the company’s first camcorders, new HD lenses, and more.

The new Canon XF305 and XF300 professional camcorders feature hot-swappable dual card slots and support UDMA CF cards and record using an MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps codec – Canon XF Codec – for capturing and recording native 1920 x 1080 video onto affordable, universally available Compact Flash (CF) cards. Uniting video, audio and metadata into a single file, the Canon XF305 and XF300 use an MXF (Material eXchange Format) File Wrapper, a widely supported open-source format, to maximize compatibility with existing industry infrastructure and non-linear editing (NLE) systems.

The Canon XF305 and XF300 professional camcorders include a Genuine Canon 18x HD L-series lens providing documentary filmmakers and news camera operators with the focal-range versatility required in the field. Each model includes three Canon developed and designed native 1920 x 1080 CMOS image sensors, and the new Canon XF Codec for extreme color detail required for accurate chroma-keying, color-grading and compositing for digital filmmaking. Canon’s XF305 model features industry-standard HD-SDI output, genlock, and SMPTE time code (in/out) terminals for multi-camera or 3-D productions.

Also new for NAB 2010 is Canon’s HJ15ex8.5B portable HD zoom lens featuring a built-in Optical Image Stabilizer to maintain stable images even when subject to jolts and vibrations. Designed for HD ENG/EFP cameras with 2/3-inch imagers, the new HJ15ex8.5B portable HD zoom lens weighs only 4.4 lbs. and addresses the need for effective image stabilization necessitated by the HD format’s greater picture detail and width. This new lens uses an improved version of Canon’s patented Vari-Angle Prism image-stabilizer (VAP-IS) to achieve image stability all the way from telephoto to wide-angle settings.

Another new lens is Canon’s KT17ex4.3B portable HD zoom lens, designed for the new generation of cost-effective HD ENG/EFP cameras with 1/3-inch imagers. Combining high optical performance and advanced features with affordable pricing, the KT17ex4.3B portable HD zoom lens is ideal for shooting assignments that require flexible creative control and a generous focal range (a 2x extender increases the focal-length range from 8.6mm to 146 mm). The KT17ex4.3B also features an ergonomically improved Digital Drive unit with advanced operational features for creative shooting.

Canon will also showcase what may be the longest telephoto portable HD lens in the world that can be used in compact 3-D camera rigs. While designed with sports in mind, at 5.5 lbs., this 18x, 28mm.-500 mm. EFP-style lens is both lightweight and portable. With 2X extender, its maximum focal length will be 1000 mm, offering extraordinary possibilities for 3-D sports and events imaging.

In addition to its newest portable HD zoom lenses and its telephoto portable HD lens for 3D productions, Canon will also exhibit its full line of broadcast-grade portable HD ENG/EFP lenses, as well as HD studio lenses and long-zoom HD field lenses (including models with Auto Focus and Canon Image Stabilization), and digital cinematography lenses. Canon’s BU-45H outdoor and BU-50H indoor remote-control robotic HD POV pan/tilt/zoom cameras will also be shown, as will the Canobeam DT-150 wireless HD video transceiver system using Free Space Optics.