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Camcorders

Canon Outs Camcorders, Cinema Gear Ahead Of NAB

Two lenses and two camcorders, all for pros.

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With NAB 2014 just around the corner, Canon has tipped its hand. Ahead of the annual broadcaster's convention, the imaging titan announced a 17-120 cine-servo zoom lens, two high-end camcorders, and an ENG zoom lens for HD reportage.

First off, the two high-end XF200 and XF205, are designed to replace the XF100 and XF105. These compact camcorders feature 20x optical zoom, and share their imaging stack with the XA25 so they should be sharp shooters.

The only major difference between the 200 and 205 is that you get a studio-ready I/O suite with the 205, including HD-SDI and timecode ports. Both camcorders can record in MXF format, so either might appeal to broadcast stations. No matter which one you choose, you get a LAN-ready camcorder with wireless and wired connectivity built in. The XF200 will be $3,900.00 and the XF205, with its extra ports, will ring the till at $4,400.00. Both are scheduled for availability in mid-July.

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The new Cine-Servo 17-120mm T/2.95 is designed for Cinema EOS cameras. A fast, constant aperture paired with an 11-blade iris should make for some great low-light shooting and pleasing bokeh across the zoom range. The servo-operated zoom can be used with the ENG-style Digital Drive handgrip to achieve greater accuracy or detached for cinema-style manual operation. This precision lens will be available in August for $33,000.00.

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If you're into news gathering, the HJ18ex7.6B ENG lens is made for you. It's designed to be a versatile zoom lens for HDTV, made for 2/3-inch cameras. Its 7.6mm-274mm range is incredibly useful, especially with its minimum object distance of 0.56 meters. A redesigned Digital Drive grip should be more ergonomic and more precise when used with a virtual studio system. The HJ18ex7.6B will be available in July with a starting price of $20,700.00.

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