CBS Television City selects Canon lenses for HDTV series


Canon’s HJ11ex4.7B WRSE/WASE wide-angle HD portable lens is being used on Sony HDCAM cameras to shoot the new season of “American Idol.”

CBS Television City is making the transition to HD production for a number of its clients, including FOX Television's hit reality series “American Idol.” It has selected Canon HD lenses as part of a production package upgrade.

Marc Hurd, Director of Technical Operations in the Technical and Production Department at CBS Television City, said they conducted side-by-side tests before choosing four Canon XJ25x6.8B IE-D HD studio lenses and one Canon HJ11ex4.7B WRSE/WASE wide-angle HD portable lens for use with Sony HDCAM cameras on the new season of “American Idol.”

Hurd said he anticipates that CBS Television City’s transition to HD will prompt more HD production in the 1080i digital format. Canon added a customized feature to the XJ25x6.8B HD studio lenses that CBS Television City purchased. Hurd asked for dark shrouds on the lenses so they would be less visible in studio wide shots. Canon came back with studio lens housings that are painted a very dark gray.

The XJ25x6.8B IE-D HD lens, also known as the Digi Super 25xs, uses Canon’s Power Optical System design technology — including the new optical “X-Element.” With a zoom ratio to 25X and a focal length from 6.8mm to 170mm, the Digi Super 25xs can be used for SD productions as well.

The Digi Super 25x’s digital servo system offers several new functions, such as a constant angle of view while focusing (also known as the “Constant Angle Focusing System”) and a digital memory selection for a variety of servo pre-sets. The Digi Super 25xs also offers 13-bit zoom-and-focus repeatability as well as bi-directional serial-data communication for accurate and smooth movement.

For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.

Back to the top