Canon to unveil advanced optical unit for 4K field box lenses, bringing a new visual look to sports and music event broadcasts

London, UK, 2 April 2025 – Canon Europe today announces its new optical unit for 4K broadcasting. The new optical unit can be integrated into UHD-DIGISUPER 122 and UHD-DIGISUPER 111 field box lenses to help create captivating images with a shallow depth of field. These lenses, in combination with the new optical unit, provide high-magnification zoom and video expression that make focusing easy and help enhance the subject even in fast aperture.

The demand for impressive footage that highlights the subject with a shallow depth continues to grow in the sports and live production industries. However, keeping focus in fast aperture at a live event can be challenging since subjects can move rapidly and unpredictably. This unique optical unit produces stunning video with a shallow depth of field even at fast apertures and is easier to focus due to the extended focus range.

Lenses with this optical unit installed, allow camera operators to effortlessly shift between traditional broadcast and enhanced shallow depth of field looks. Additionally, the optical unit maintains a consistent color tone with existing field lenses. This design enables users to capture high-quality visuals in a familiar shooting environment, without requiring new cameras, lenses, workflow or additional operating equipment.

The optical unit and lens combination covers a long focal length that larger format lenses are unable to reach, and provides greater versatility in various shooting situations. Any teams who are already working with the UHD-DIGISUPER 122 and UHD-DIGISUPER 111 field box lenses can get the new optical unit installed via a paid customisation service¹. Versions of the UHD-DIGISUPER 122 and UHD-DIGISUPER 111 with the optical unit pre-installed are planned for future release.

The UHD-DIGISUPER 122 'Novel Look' lens will be on display for the first time at NAB, an exhibition of broadcasting and video production equipment, in Canon’s booth #N2103, held in Las Vegas, Nevada from April 6-9, 2025.