Super 35mm is back in the game, as more manufacturers develop cinema lenses that are compatible with that sensor size. Canon has just announced two new Super 35mm cinema lenses dedicated to ultra-high resolution capturing: the CN-E14-35mm T1.7 L S wide-angle zoom lens and the CN-E31.5-95mm T1.7 L S telephoto zoom lens. Details are below.
Super 35mm is sexy again
It appears that there’s an urge to develop more cinema glass to Super 35mm sensors. That’s mainly to elevate the cinematographic options for TV projects and live events, as those broadcast lenses can be paired with large sensor cameras for a more immersive cinematic experience. Now, Canon has just announced two new FLEX cinema lenses: the CN-E14-35mm T1.7 L S wide-angle zoom lens and the CN-E31.5-95mm T1.7 L S telephoto zoom lens. Read on.
Addition to the FF FLEX Zoom cinema lenses
Canon announced today the launch of two new additions to the FLEX ZOOM LENS series of EF Cinema lenses — the CN-E14-35mm T1.7 L S wide-angle zoom lens and the CN-E31.5-95mm T1.7 L S telephoto zoom lens. In addition, four new relay kits have been announced — the RL-S1, RL-S2, RL-F1, and RL-F2, as well as a relay kit exchange service for switching between cameras with full-frame and Super 35mm compatible sensors. The two FLEX ZOOM LENS series models, released in 2022, support digital cinema cameras equipped with full-frame sensors. Now, Canon is expanding its product lineup with the addition of a wide-angle zoom lens and telephoto zoom lens designed for Super 35mm sensor cinema cameras.
Design for S35 cinema cameras
As stated by Canon: “The new lenses make possible natural background blur, thus helping to create powerful visual imagery. Canon now provides zoom lenses that cover the same range as its six existing prime (single focal length) lenses. In addition, Canon’s four FLEX ZOOM LENS series models are compatible with the new relay kit exchange service. The lenses are compatible with EF or PL lens mount exchange and support each transmission protocol, providing flexible support for video production work that serves a variety of cameras and shooting styles”.
Capturing 8K resolution
Furthermore, Canon adds that: “Designed for the pursuit of cinematic beauty, these new wide-diameter lenses achieve superb optical performance compatible with 8K cameras while maintaining the style and ease of use of Canon’s EF Cinema lens series. As a result, they can be used with Super 35mm sensor cameras to shoot movies, TV dramas, commercials, and a wide range of other video content. Moreover, the lenses maintain a bright T1.7 aperture2 across their entire zoom ranges, enabling operators to create powerful, shallow depth-of-field shots”. Additionally, by removing the various aberrations present, the CN-E14-35mm T1.7 L offers ‘exceptional’ image quality from the center to the edges of the frame.
Lens metadata
Data can are transmitted via the EOS System EF mount between the camera and the lens. Furthermore, the lens supports Cooke’s /i Technology communications protocol and ZEISS’s eXtended Data communication protocol. When connected to a camera that supports this protocol via the PL mount, information from the lens can be recorded and displayed.
Specifications
Explore the tech-spec tables below (press the image for a full-resolution view):
Relay kit
A relay kit is an optical component that changes a lens’ image circle. With the RL-S1 and RL-S2 relay kits, wide-angle and telephoto zoom lenses that have been available as of 2022 which are compatible with full-frame sensor cameras, can be used with Super 35mm sensor cameras. On the other hand, the RL-F1 and RL-F2 relay kits enable lenses used with Super 35mm sensor cameras to be compatible with full-frame sensor cameras.
Price and availability
The lenses and relay kits will be available at the end of this year, As for the price, it was not mentioned yet. We expect a price range of $16,000-$18,000 per lens. Update (5/4/2022): The price is $22,000 USD for a lens. Explore the Product List at the end of the article.
Initial thoughts
It’s nice seeing that Super 35mm gets some love, by developing high-quality cinema glass for S35 sensors. These lenses have decent advantages by being more compact, and affordable as compared to their FF brothers. The Super 35mm CN FLEX can be paired with the RED Komodo, C70, ALEXA 35, RED V-Raptor 8K S35, and many more, as a perfect companion for broadcast and documentary productions. Let’s know your thoughts. Would you use those new lenses when S35 imagery is needed?
Product List
Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- Canon CN-E Flex Zoom 14-35mm T1.7 Super35 Cinema EOS Lens
- Canon CN-E Flex Zoom 31.5-95mm T1.7 Lens Super35 Cinema EOS Lens
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Canon is making a serious statement here! T1.7 aperture, aggressive zoom ranges, electronic metadata, less than $20K per lens. We’ll have to see how they actually render images, but on paper, WOW!