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From the world of interesting concepts
I received an email from someone claiming Canon has video dslr lenses on the horizon. How many? They didn't say.
The concept is this; the lenses will have the manual controls a lot of videographers want… i.e. an aperture ring.
CR's Take
Other than being a cash grab, I'm not sure why Canon would do it this way over a firmware update. Perhaps an adaptor with an aperture ring? A nice $200 accessory Canon can bilk you for!
I'm filing this under “unlikely”.
This IS a rumors site. I'm going to give you most of the information I get. With the new ratings system, it's up to you to decide how viable it is.
cr
That would be a real kick in the nuts having to duplicate a lens collection for video. I’m sure lots of people would still go for the adapter plus nikon/M42 manual glass route.
i hope the adapter has a direct print button. Otherwise I am not buying one.
Wise up Canon. We want Full Manual Direct Printing!
Me too. hahhahaha
IF it is true, that would end the credibility and loyalty of many customers…
“Full Manual Control” consists on the ability to set the 3 (three) values: Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO.
Only aperture is NOT enough. To achieve that customers are already using Nikon lenses. But the Shutter and ISO settings remain unreliable (the camera doesn’t show them accurately in video)
And that is technically and completely possible with just a Firmware Update.
There is no need for dedicated lenses with aperture ring, if Canon want they can build and sale them, but offering that INSTEAD of a Firmware Update would be UNFORGIVABLE and will certainly damage the loyalty of too many customers…
Just check:
http://5dmark2.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/frustration-is-growing-answer-required/
What would ALL those customers with expensive L lenses do? Indeed, IF it is true, Canon would make a VERY WRONG move.
We hope Canon is working hard on a Firmware Update, as all loyal customers deserve. And also for the benefit of Canon.
I think the only real benefit to this which couldn’t be achieved in firmware would be if they gave the lenses a continuously variable aperture such as the new video lenses for the panasonic G1. This eliminates the stepping of exposure which occurs with the current lenses.
i dont think its that crazy of an idea for canon to produce a video lens similar to what panasonic came out with for the gh1. yes we all want full manual for pro work, but a silent motor zoom designed for video would probably be a hot seller especially in the consumer market.
Canon make video lenses for their XL video cameras. These lenses have power zoom but no aperture ring. If Canon were to make EF video lenses, they would probably follow what has been done in the XL line. Add power zoom, video optimized IS and maybe in lens ND filters. Aperture control would stay on the camera body.
Actually, the newest Canon XL H1S and XL H1A have an aperture ring. There are three rings on the Video L series lens … focus, zoom, and aperture control.
Wow instant Canon hate..
Why WOULDN’T you want specialized video lenses if video is so important to you that you would jump ship to nikon for manual settings?
No one from canon’s side has ever mentioned this and the conjecture that they would somehow use this as the way to put in aperture control over firmware is PURELY Speculation by you the posters and a side note by the author.
I never knew Canon users were such drama queens….
BTW Video lenses have much bigger focus throws that makes fine adjusting focus a lot easier compared to also the variable aperture like a poster above mentioned…
argh reading these comments are frustrating at times.
by the way I love the new rating system :)
If they do this instead of a simple firmware update……….
Aperture ring? Sonds cool. I would like to have it on all lenses.
A “video lens” does make sens if it has motored zoom and maybe even an AF motor that is adapted to video needs. 5D II and other DSLRs with video function can be made work with it via a firmware update.
Aperture ring is plain nonsens with the canon concept.
I would thought if anything the purpose of those lenses would be to have auto-focus during video recording
To be honest, if video is that important then one should do it properly and use a properly-designed video camcorder, not some half-hearted bolt-on function to a camera that’s optimised for stills.
I may be persuaded on a $200 adapter but dont see myself buying a new set of lens just to take davantage of manual control for video. I would rather buy a set of Nikon lens with a Canon adapter for video manual control and if or when Nikon brings out a fullframe dSLR that has full video manual aperture control I can easily switch over because I would already have a set of Nikon lens.
And tell me, where can you can get digital Vistavision – i.e. full frame 35mm? Also, 5d mark ii has the best noise characteristics of all digital video cameras.
I think the lenses will probably have a focusing system similar to that used in the xl series (for contrast detection), and compliment a new Canon video camera that has an EF mount.
This isn’t just about apature. Movie lenses really are a different beast.
Ok just a couple things for fyi from the film world.
Major differences between Movie Camera Lenses (Arri, Panavision) and Film/digital Camera Lenses (Nikon, Canon)
T-Stop vs F-Stop
All nikon/canon lenses are measured in fstops or “Formulaic Stop” this is based on a mathmatical fomulation and is an estimate of where the lense should be at in relation to markings on the barrel.
Movie lenses are measured in tstops or “Transmission Stop” this is an actual measured marking. The lense is put on a special machine and light is projected through it in order to determine where exactly each marking should be made on the lens.
Production Scale
It’s simple math there are more dslrs than movie cameras in the world. So when there may be 100 movie lenses there will be 10,000 film lenses.
Prime vs Zoom
All professional cinematographers use prime lenses. Unless a shot specifically calls for a zoom movement they will use a prime.
Autofocus & Image Stabilization
Doesn’t exist in the professional movie world. There’s a dude on set who’s entire job is to move the focus ring. For a reason.
Focus
Another note on focus all professional movie lenses have a mechanical focus ring with hard stops on either side. This is done so that specific markings and measurements can be made and won’t change if you accidentally go past the end of the focus ring’s range of operation. Small detail but hugely important.
Costs
Because of the incredibly high grade materials, low volume, hand assembly and bechmarking movie lenses are considerably more expensivem usually on a magnitude of 10x. A 50mm canon L lets say for demonstration sake is $1200 that same lense for an Arri will be in the neighborhood of $8-10,000 if not more.
So in closing canon releasing “movie” lenses for dslrs isn’t that rediculous of a thought. If they were “true” movie lenses this could be an interesting market for them. They’d be up against some rediculous compitition, but it’d be cool to see. I truly hope canon see’s what it has infront of them and jumps on this market.
IF there was going to be a manual aperature ring on new video oriented EF lenses it would be an electric control ring to easily change aperature on the fly while recording. Why would you not want that as an option?
The current L lenses are not made for video recording. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few EF lenses with electric zoom and perhaps a smooth switchable focus/aperature ring?
If Canon is thinking about this isn’t that a good thing for videographers that they are taking the HD video capability seriously and planning to improve it with some specially designed lenses?
Yeah no kidding. This forum is filled with whiners and Canon bashers. Maybe they can be fixed with a firmware update too?
This is the stupidest rumor I have heard yet. That is all.
Why dont you just switch to Nikon already? Nikon is basically a Sony with Nikon wrapping, and Sony makes good video cameras so you know they will have a 1080p DSLR camera coming soon and you can stick all those manual focus manual aperature lenses on that. God knows it would suck to have video friendly designed lenses available for your DSLR…
Careful, you might get wholloped for “lecturing” around these here parts.
My thought is Canon is not trying to compete for the movie industry market with DSLR’s. Canon’s entire video line uses f-stop even on their XL series.
Canon does make some HD broadcast lenses such as the XJ27x6.5B IE-D and XJ27x6.5B AF HD Studio Lenses, but these are not designed for Arri or Panavision cameras.
Once DSLRs gets up to speed video feature-wise the “pro” uses will be event/wedding, commercial/corporate production, student/budget indie movie, porn, and perhaps some news/documentary or location TV type of stuff – basically limited to what is going to be delivered or viewed on HDTV or computer with rare exception (such as Blair Witch being shot on 8mm video).
RED on the other hand seems to be gearing up to go after film makers.
If so, its for a new line of video cameras that use full frame, and may also be used on DSLR. Seems very unlikely.
God you are right! Having more options really kicks me in the nuts and makes me hate Canon even more! We should all go back to shooting film, on full manual with no auto features, with only prime lenses not zooms, and we should all wear bellbottoms, butterfly collars, disco suits, love beads, mini dresses and medallions too! BRING BACK THE 70’s DAG NABBIT!!! Let’s all go back to the mighty days of real photography before Canon ruined it with that EOS nonsense.
Wasn’t my intention to lecture, just trying to explain basic differences between to two worlds. Give people a better understand as to why this isn’t “completely” crazy.
I do know a wildlife docu maker that shoots on arri 16mm and 35mm with canon lenses remounted for arri bayonet. He only uses the older ones that still had mechanical focus rings.
But your statements on use of the camera are spot on. I don’t see any dslr being used for feature films, but as an indie filmmaker I’d love to be able to shoot on something like this.
Totally. And please know I have no problem with you explaining such things, just seems to be an issue for some.
35mm movie film is beautiful, and given battery/power issues in the wild, humidity/moisture issues, not to mention 35mm film is still much better than HD video for such applications I can totally see why he’d still use that for wildlife documentaries.
I agree about DSLR indie film uses. DSLR HD opens the door for more indie creativity and projects that might otherwise not have been feasible or cost effective.
Simple : Ain’t gonna happen.
The $200 aperature ring adapter is the stupidest rumor I have heard.
The aperature is controlled on the camera body, and will be when Canon finally provides that for the video feature, but losing a stop of light and the additional optics involved to separate the lens from the body would make it more than $200 – the 1.4 tele is $290 and that is just an electric pass-through of aperature control. But why have two diffent aperatures anyway? The whole idea of an aperature adapter is nonsense.
However, a few video oriented EF lenses is not a stupid idea, unless you think Panasonic is stupid for doing exactly that for the GH1, and that Canon should not bother to compete with their competition, in which case I’d have to question your definition of stupid.
Now if they made 50-300mm f/4 IS with stepless aperture, that would be nice. I would love to have this lens
David- Idisnt mean the lecture comment like that, sorry to offend
None taken Zac.
But I do think we should start a Manual Camera Society, like the Flat Earth Society, in which we would deny the existence of autofocus, autoexposure, digital imaging, and don’t even get us started on video in the sacred SLR…
Long live the Manual Camera Society!!!
Ok, I’ll shoot all manual, without my nice AF system for sports, or a good exposure meter, don’t need that, my eyes, which process light logarithmically will surely be as useful for estimating exposures on a linear scale as a photo reactive chip with selectable reading areas that samples the light the camera is seeing through the lens. And Digital! don’t get me started on that rubbish, Provia 100F forever, my clients don’t mind waiting a week and a half for processing. And you’re completely correct about video, i was never a fan of those ‘moving pictures’ from the beginning, always preferred the motor drive from my speed graflex to that stuff, it was just too close to reality. of course the graflex naturally succumbed to the amazing SLR, the golden child of all visual arts, and those can be wound with the thumb much faster than the graflex could have the film holder reversed.
Yes David, a truly superb idea count me in 100%
:)~
???Nikon’s are Sony’s with a different wrapping? I think you don’t quite understand the importance of the sensor: it isn’t very significant. Most sensors have a somewhat similar design anyway, and the fact that NIkon often uses Sony sensors does not mean that they are bad. The D3x, for example, easily has a two stop noise and dynamic range advantage over the A900, and the D300 has far better noise than the Sony equivalent. The fact that Sony will make a 1080p camera does not mean Nikon will; as Nikon only uses their sensors and nothing else. It is quite easy to make a 1080p camera with any sensor; you just need the right components and a fast enough processor. The sensor is one of the least significant things in camera design; you need the bayer filter, anti-alias filter, an image processor, circuit board and other components, different ergonomics, etc. That a BMW might use a V8 design engine does not mean it will perform like a V8 in a Porsche.
IMO, the largest problem with Nikon is the jello effect, and then the terrible compression. 1080p is not high on my list, but it will probably be the first to be addressed.
Exactly. There is no such thing as auto. It was all faked by NASA.
video lenses would be cool. I’d just like to get the same image characteristics out of the lenses I already have but for video without spending more money. Being able to frame up a shot and decide to get some video of the same shot and settings would be great.
People with opinion that differ to mine really tick me off.
maybe firmware update coming to add electric zoom to existing defective lenses? ha i just want fstop shutter control for video so i wait
Wasn’t that faked on a sound stage too? everyone knows only alien technology can actually go into space, so it seems sensible….
Who has more dynamic range today might not be the one who does tomorrow. But hey, which is better, jello effect or jerky 20fps? lol I’m sure they will get better on the next round despite the still photo-purists shouting “buy a camacorder and stop messing up out cameras”.
I’m already using FD lenses with an adaptor and getting amazing results. We should boycott any movie lens until we get a firmware update
Yeah just stop taking pictures too. That’ll learn em.
That’s called Photo I XD
i ll wait one more month and then if the new firmware doesn t come out (25p and manual control) i m going to sell my 5D.
thank you canon!
anyone interested?