Canon announces the company’s 27x portable broadcast zoom lens and next-generation digital drive unit, the CJ27ex7.3B, featuring, according to Canon, “superb optical performance” and classified as a UHDxs lens, offering Canon’s highest image quality rating for broadcast optics. The lens spans a focal range of 7.3mm to 197mm. With a built-in 2x extender, the lens’ maximum telephoto reach increases to 394mm. Its “class leading optical zoom” has no match, as Canon states, “among portable lenses for 2/3-inch 4K cameras with ENG-style design.”
“Canon is committed to providing the best equipment possible to enhance visual storytelling,” said Brian Mahar, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new lens we are introducing will result in strikingly sharp video footage for audiences watching news, entertainment, sports and more.”
The CJ27ex7.3B lens is designed to be portable, with the mobility of a conventional ENG (Electronic News Gathering) lens. The 27x zoom ratio, typically only available in 2/3” box lenses, is now offered in a portable lens with the introduction of the CJ27ex7.3B. The versatile focal length lens is equally at home in hand-held news, live sports, and broadcast studios. The 7.3mm wide angle helps set the scene for viewers, while the 197mm telephoto end delivers tight shots of the subject. If you’re looking for a lens to shoot high-quality video for live broadcast, such as a big sporting event where you want to zoom in on the action or capture a wide view of the game, the CJ27ex7.3B has you covered.
The new lens also features Canon’s next-generation drive unit, the e-Xs V. The new drive unit features an angled 20-pin connector and a built-in USB-C connector, giving users a better experience with equipment setup and maintenance and improving operability with an updated display menu. Also, Focus Breathing Compensation, a feature for ENG lens which helps minimize image distortion when racking focus, and Automatic Restoration of Illumination Attenuation (ARIA) technology is supported to help minimize the effects of f-drop/ramping as the lens zooms. ARIA is a camera function established by Sony, and the ARIA name was determined by Sony.
The CJ27ex7.3B broadcast lens is expected to be available for purchase in August 2024, and will be on display at NAB 2024 at the Canon booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center. For interest or inquiry about the lens, please contact your local Canon representative. Follow the link to learn more about Canon broadcast lenses.