Where Were the Big NAB Lens Announcements?

[Steve R]

I was pretty sure (and many seemed to share the opinion) that this was going to be the NAB when lens makers, OEMs and others would announce some really cool new cine-style lenses to support the new breed of large-format cameras such as the AF100, GH2, F3, FS100 etc.

But I haven't heard a peep about lenses here from anyone who attended.

Was there NOTHING new this year from Zeiss, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony......anyone?

The only thing I've seen so far has been Zeiss bundling some of the existing ZF.2's in a case. Yawn.

Anything?

[mcgeedigital]

Sony announced a wide and a wide to tele e mount zoom for their F3.

[yoclay]

Canon introduced a couple of expensive zooms.

Zeiss announced a plastic carrying case for their lenses.

[Kolor-Pikker]

Yawn +1
Was expecting more lenses with OIS or some sort of AF system like Fujinon's precision focus system, just not incredibly expensive.
Canon's new PL cine zooms are probably going to be $25~30k a piece if their HD-EC line is anything to go by. Since the kj20x8.2b irsd is an HDgc lens I'm guessing it's going to be around 17k.

What I would have really liked as an announcement? price drops across the board! Camcorders are getting very cheap and fast, it's getting rather funny now that many high-quality lenses cost as much or more as the camcorder you're putting it on.

[Jan_Crittenden]

I would expect that the smaller, less expensive lenses that have these features that have a cross-over from the stills world to be announced more at a photographic show vs. NAB. There is a big one in June or July.

Best,

Jan

[Kolor-Pikker]

Cross-over lenses... but it wouldn't be something designed specifically for 1/3" or 2/3" cameras then, right? What I mean are ENG zooms at a lower cost, there is already an ocean of affordable manual lenses suitable for large-sensor video, but anything that isn't a kit zoom in the ENG realm starts at 10k or so.

[evero]

I would expect that the smaller, less expensive lenses that have these features that have a cross-over from the stills world to be announced more at a photographic show vs. NAB. There is a big one in June or July.
Best,
Jan

Will be exciting to see what's coming around the corner. I really hope panasonic releases a faster MFT zoom lens with smoother/stepless aperture (at least in video mode), compared to the 14-140mm (and also making the fokus ring more predictable when using focus pullers). Fingers crossed

[KINOKS]

What happened with the PL zoom lens for the F3? Was the release of this lens postponed or was it never meant to be revealed at NAB?

[Danielvilliers]

What I think was the best lens new tech on the show is in fact not a lens but the Birger mount. I heard things on it before but did not see the fuss. Now that I have seen it in some video interview, I am seeing it having a profound impact in the cine lens industry. The reason is that it seems (in my humble opinion) that it will reduce the great divide between cine and photographic lens. The Nikons and Canons are covering twice the size of Super 35 and resolving more than 20 mega pixel. In therms of image quality they are very good. What has been the main differentiating factor has been the mechanics. Remove the mechanics and they will be much closer at 1/5 to 1/10 the price of cine lens. Seeing the smoothness of the focus etc is really extraordinary. I am not sure if they will carry the auto-focus and image stabilization of the lens. Perhaps I am mistaken, but if it works as good as it seems it will be a true game changer. I forgot to say that it will give wireless follow focus also.

[derbrocks09]

What I think was the best lens new tech on the show is in fact not a lens but the Birger mount. I heard things on it before but did not see the fuss. Now that I have seen it in some video interview, I am seeing it having a profound impact in the cine lens industry. The reason is that it seems (in my humble opinion) that it will reduce the great divide between cine and photographic lens. The Nikons and Canons are covering twice the size of Super 35 and resolving more than 20 mega pixel. In therms of image quality they are very good. What has been the main differentiating factor has been the mechanics. Remove the mechanics and they will be much closer at 1/5 to 1/10 the price of cine lens. Seeing the smoothness of the focus etc is really extraordinary. I am not sure if they will carry the auto-focus and image stabilization of the lens. Perhaps I am mistaken, but if it works as good as it seems it will be a true game changer. I forgot to say that it will give wireless follow focus also.


I agree 100%!