Canon Goes Long with Announcement of 50-1000mm Cine-Servo Lens

Canon this week announced the imminent arrival of the massive new Canon CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 lens. The lens accommodates both broadcast or cinema style shooting with it's removable digital servo drive, can cover Super 35mm, and has an integrated 1.5x extender which increases focal length to 75-1500mm.

 

According to Canon, the lens delivers "the world's longest focal length (75-1500mm with its built-in 1.5x extender) and highest (20x) magnification among super 35mm zoom lenses as of October 16, 2014."

Available in either EF or PL mount, being a lens this long and slow, the Cine-Servo will most likely find homes with shooters using large sensor cameras such as the C500 or Sony F55, but the crazy reach of the lens will be of huge appeal to those shooting long-zoom field productions, such as sports, racing or nature. The ultra-telephoto 50-1000 lens can be used to shoot 4K video for any of these types of subjects while maintaining a safe distance. Canon's top notch optics and daytime shooting obviously make the lower speed less of an issue.

 

The Cine-Servo can be used with major brands of single-sensor Super35mm cameras and conforms to industry-standard camera-to-lens communication protocols including 12-pin serial communication (common to major broadcast camera brands) and Canon EOS technology.

 

With Canon's usual robust build quality, the Cine-Servo's removable Digital Drive unit allows for broadcast-style operation with a convenient zoom/rocker switch, programmable zoom and focus settings, and data connections for use with broadcast-type field/studio zoom and focus servo-demand controls. Removal of the Drive unit enables Cinema-style operation, with help from engraved barrel markings, an 11-blade iris (hello, smooth bokeh), and compatibility with lens-support rods, matte boxes, and other cinema accessories.

 

http://youtu.be/-5R9dDwKsSg

The specs of Canon’s 50-1000mm EF PL Servo Lens is as follows:

EF or PL Mount
    Focal Length: 50 – 1000mm (75-1500mm w/ 1.5xEXT)
    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
    Front Diameter: ?136mm
    Size: (W x H x L) 175 x 170.6 x 413.2mm (EF mount) 175×170.6×405.2mm (PL Mount)
    Weight: 6.6kg (14.5 pounds)
    Gear Pitch — Focus: 0.8/0.5 Zoom: 0.5 Iris: 0.5
    Availability: First Quarter 2015
    Price: $78,000 (List price)

So there it is. Start saving up now. Q1 of 2015 is just around the corner!

Russ Fairley
Russ Fairleyhttp://www.productionworld.net
Russ Fairley is a producer, editor and motion graphic designer. He also writes for Videomaker and several other publications.

Related Content