Canon U.S.A. Adds Nine New Portable HD Lenses To The Cost-Effective HDgc Line at NAB2007

Consistent with its industry leadership position and in-step with the proliferation of lower-cost portable High Definition television (HDTV) cameras designed for the production of news and other programming, Canon U.S.A., Inc. has introduced nine additional models in its HDgc line of cost-effective portable HD lenses, offering a broad product line to best meet a wide range of customer needs. This new line of Canon HDgc lenses will be featured at the Canon booth #SU 3020 at NAB2007, the annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters, held April 14-19 in Las Vegas.


An established leader in high-end HD lens technology, Canon has leveraged the advanced image quality and superior operational capabilities of its eHDxs line of portable lenses to engineer its new line of HDgc lenses for 2/3,“ 1/2” and 1/3" video camera imagers. First introduced at last year’s NAB, the HDgc line now includes a total number of 16 lenses in both ENG and remote-control versions with the addition of these latest models.

The higher-end eDrive Series of HDgc lenses includes three models - the KJ16ex7.7B IRSE, KJ21ex7.6B IRSE and KJ10ex4.5B IRSE lenses - which are designed for cameras with 2/3-inch imagers. All three of these lenses feature a built-in 2x extender and Canon’s digital eDrive feature, which enables users to easily program such functions as zoom and focus settings into the lens for precise, automated repeatability. The three new additional HDgc lenses that comprise the Economical Series include the KJ13x6B KRS (for 2/3“), KH13x4.5 KRS (for 1/2”) and the KT20x5B KRS lenses (for 1/3“). The third category of new HDgc lenses is the Remote-Control Series, which includes the KJ20x8.5B KTS (for 2/3”), KH20x6.4 KTS (for 1/2“) and KT20x5B KTS lenses (for 1/3”).

“Canon’s HDgc line was very well received at last year’s NAB,” stated Gordon Tubbs,
director, Broadcast and Communications division, Canon U.S.A. “Smaller, more affordable portable HDTV cameras for news and other applications are increasingly popular and are being made available to broadcasters and program producers by all the major camera manufacturers. Canon has conceived and engineered its entire line of HDgc lenses to match the different imager sizes these new cameras employ at correspondingly affordable price points. We can now offer a lens model to suit every one of these new portable HD cameras, with equally attractive features and pricing.”

All 16 HDgc lenses combine the best characteristics of Canon’s world-leading optical expertise and engineering innovations, including a well-controlled Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) profile over their entire respective image planes. Furthermore, the HDgc lenses feature excellent contrast performance, reduced chromatic aberration, compact size and weight (in direct response to the equally compact new affordable HD camcorders), and eDrive, which is featured in Canon’s eHDxs series portable lenses. In addition, these lenses incorporate special elements, including “Flourite” with extraordinary dispersion characteristics and the newly developed high index ultra low dispersion (Hi-UD) glass.

The Canon eDrive technology included in the HDgc model KJ16ex7.7B IRSE, KJ21ex7.6B IRSE and KJ10ex4.5B IRSE lenses is a feature previously found only on Canon’s eHDxs line of high-end portable HD lenses. Canon eDrive represents an advanced way to control portable lenses. Utilizing three Canon ultra-high-precision, microprocessor-driven digital servos with miniature 16-bit optical encoders, eDrive enables users to easily program such functions as zoom and focus settings into a lens for precise, automated repeatability via an easy-to-use display menu, assignable “soft” function buttons and the rocker switch built into the lens grip. Users can program multiple settings or none at all, depending on their personal needs and preferences.

Among the lenses in Canon’s HDgc Economical Series, the KJ13x6B KRS lens (2/3“) features a wide angle of 6mm, for a focal length of 6-78mm. The KH13x4.5 KRS lens (1/2”) has the same 13x zoom ratio, but with a wide angle of 4.5mm and a focal length of 4.5-59mm. The KT20x5B KRS lens (1/3“) has a longer (20x) zoom ratio, with a wide angle of 5mm and a focal length of 5-100mm, joining its counterparts for 2/3” and 1/2" imagers.

The three models in Canon’s Remote Series of HDgc lenses feature servo-controlled zoom, focus, and iris to allow for remote-controlled operation. Each of the three lenses has a 20x zoom ratio and offers the same viewing angle for all imager formats.

All HDgc lenses feature new, smaller ergonomic drive units with grip support and a ribbed surface that is tilted at an ideal angle to achieve optimum balance and comfort to reduce operator fatigue.

Canon’s HDgc portable lenses combine high picture quality, ease of use, sophisticated operation, lighter weight, compact size, performance and pricing that is appropriate for the new HD cameras that manufacturers such as Grass Valley Group, Hitachi, Ikegami, JVC, Sony and Panasonic are making for the expanding universe of cost-effective HDTV production.

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About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The company is listed as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies in America and is on the BusinessWeek list of “Top 100 Brands.” Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2006†, with global revenues of $34.9 billion. For more information, www.usa.canon.com.