The new CN-E 70-200mm T4.4 L IS KAS S is a compact and lightweight 4K lens for ENG, documentary and budding filmmakers. Canon says the new lens is going to be affordable.

The new lens joins the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 L IS KAS S and will create, for those interested, “a nice pair”, covering everything from wide-angle to telephoto. That’s the idea behind the announcement of this lens, which represents a bridge between traditional Canon EF lenses and CN-E cinema lense. In fact, it has developed to be the ideal choice for filmmakers and documentary shooters who want the control and quality of cinema optics with the lightweight, compact design and features of Canon’s EF lenses.

The second in a new class of Canon lenses, the COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens is a cinema-style lens that includes a servo drive unit as a standard feature. Additionally, the lens incorporates Image Stabilization, Autofocus, and Auto Iris functionality (with newer models of Cinema EOS), three extremely useful features not commonly found in cinema lenses, but are popular in EF lenses. The lens also provides high image quality that supports 4K image productions and was designed to be utilized in a variety of shooting styles including, hand-held, shoulder mounted, and tripod mounted.

Image Stabilization, Autofocus, and Auto Iris functions are enabled with the following compatible camera models only: Canon’s Cinema EOS C100 Mark II, EOS C300 Mark II and EOS C700.  To enable these features, these camera models will require a firmware update that is scheduled to be released in the second half of 2017.

“Canon prides itself on turning the ideas and thoughts from filmmakers about equipment into reality,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We are very excited to expand our line of COMPACT-SERVO lenses, providing a variety of creators with an extremely versatile and affordable lens that features the outstanding build-quality and excellent optical performance that professionals have come to expect from Canon. We are excited to continue to build the COMPACT-SERVO line of lenses, and can’t wait to see what the imaging community creates.”

The new COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens is a 4K lens and features autofocus and optical image stabilization (with compatible camera models), resulting in high-resolution imagery, with the ability to assist filmmakers in capturing the shot they envisioned. Compatible with EF-mount Super 35mm large-format cameras, the lens maintains brightness across the entire focal range at T4.4 (equal to f/4.0). The lens is also compatible with both the Canon EF 1.4x III (expanded focal range of 98-280mm) and EF 2x III (expanded focal range of 140mm-400mm) external extenders, expanding the focal range of the lens for additional versatility when the shooting situation calls for it.

For added convenience, cinematographers can control many of the features of the lens in a variety of ways through the EF-mount communication, including Dual Pixel CMOS AF, push auto iris, record start and stop and remote lens control via the camera with an optional remote control, compensation for chromatic aberration (these features will not be available on the EOS C100 Mark II camera)  and peripheral illumination, metadata acquisition, and selection of T-number display (again, not available on the EOS C100 Mark II).

The COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens features a nine-blade iris aperture diaphragm to help give footage a truly artistic and beautiful look and feel, providing the much desired “bokeh” effect in the out-of-focus areas.

The lens comes equipped with a Servo Drive Unit, which provides seamless switching between servo and manual modes, allowing videographers motorized control of focus, zoom, and iris settings. The Servo Drive Unit is compatible with broadcast style industry-standard lens controllers including Canon’s ZSD-300D zoom demand and FPD-400D focus demand.

Like the Canon COMPACT-SERVO 18-80mm Zoom Lens, the ZSG-C10 accessory grip will be compatible with the new COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Telephoto Zoom lens, further enhancing ease-of-use for ENG and “run-and-gun” style shooters. The grip connects to the lens through a 20-pin cable, allowing a variety of lens functions to be controlled from the grip, including zooming via a rocker switch, one-shot AF and the starting and stopping of a recording. When the lens and grip are being used with the EOS C100 Mark II, EOS C300 Mark II and EOS C700 Cinema Cameras, users will also have the ability to control the zoom and iris from the camera’s grip unit.

The Canon COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Zoom Lens is scheduled to be available later in 2017. In addition, the ZSG-C10 accessory grip is currently available for an estimated retail price of $499. The Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 COMPACT-SERVO Cinema Zoom Lens costs $5,225.00. Canon has not yet revealed the price for the CN-E 70-200mm T4.4 L IS KAS S, but it will be interesting to see what it meant by using the word affordable when announcing the new lens. Both lenses will be on display at NAB 2017.