We had heard of Canon’s UHD-DIGISUPER 122 which was announced recently, but we got an opportunity to see one in action at Inter Bee 2018 in Tokyo, and it was indeed very impressive.
Technically, the optical range of this lens is nutty: it can go from 8.2mm to 1000mm. 1000 divided by 8.2 is a factor of 121.05, hence the 122X optical zoom number. It has a f/1.7 to f/5.0 aperture. Oh, and it weighs 26Kg!
The bulk and weight of broadcasting cameras are one of the reasons why such zoom capabilities are needed. Because the equipment remains fixed at one location during an event, the formidable zoom reach allows the director to focus on small details such as a ball, or small details that would fit in one’s hand from half a football field away.
Seeing this lens in action is awe-inspiring and fun to play with. Canon had a couple of cameras equipped with the lens, and we could zoom in and out at will to check on the superb image quality.
The DIGISUPER 122 is the latest evolution of the product line that included the UHD DIGISUPER III (8.3-925mm), DIGISUPER 86 (9.3-800mm) and DIGISUPER 90 (9.3-810mm).
The DIGISUPER 122 will start shipping in “Late April 2019” according to Canon, and there’s also a DIGISUPER 111 that will come out in Feb 2019. We’re not sure about the pricing, but they sure cost a pretty penny, and it’s not something that you’ll get on Amazon. You can watch the official Canon video below:
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