While this power zoom adapter won't work with any lens right off the bat, they have designed it to work specifically with the new APS-C 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens. It gives better control for zooming while shooting movies (instead of doing it manually), so you can use the camera more like you would with any 1/3" or 2/3" handheld camera.
Here's a rundown on all of these announcements from B&H:
Canon 80D
First, here are the specs of the 80D, which doesn't feature 4K, but does have 1080p 60fps:
- 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor, 6000 x 4000
- DIGIC 6 Image Processor
- 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
- ISO 100-16000 (Extended Mode: 100-25600)
- MOV: 1920 x 1080p / 29.97 fps (90 Mbps) / 23.98 fps (90 Mbps)
- MP4: 1920 x 1080p / 59.94 fps (60 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (30 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (12 Mbps) / 23.98 fps (30 Mbps) 1280 x 720p / 59.94 fps (26 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (4 Mbps)
- 45-Point All Cross-Type AF System
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF
- Up to 7 fps Shooting
- Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC
- 1/8" Headphone, 1/8" Microphone, HDMI C (Mini), USB 2.0
- RGB+IR 7560-Pixel Metering Sensor
- Availability: March 2016
- Price: $1,200 Body Only, $1,350 with 18-55mm, $1,800 with 18-135mm
And the intro video from Canon:
PZ-E1 Power Zoom Adapter & New 18-135mm
Canon has given us a number of firsts alongside the 80D. The $150 Power Zoom adapter (coming out in June 2016) gives you zoom control on lenses that are otherwise manual. Canon has done this by adding a small wheel and some contact points underneath the new $600 18-135mm lens:
And here's another look at the adapter, with the lens already attached:
This is really something Canon has needed for a while. While Sony has put the zoom functionality into a few of their lower-end lenses, it makes sense that Canon wants to keep the lens small for when you don't need it. Obviously this isn't the best lens for cinematic imagery with its non-constant aperture, so it would be interesting to see if they release some newer L series lenses with the technology built in to handle the power zoom adapter.
The nice thing about the adapter is that it's not reliant on the camera in any way, as it is battery powered, and thus can work with any camera you put it on, even non-Canon cameras. Though you're not going to get quite the performance of a traditional zoom rocker, it is a huge step up from manually zooming for a lot of applications where a DSLR is needed for size and maneuverability.
More on the new 18-135mm lens from B&H:
This the first Canon lens equipped with Nano USM, a new type of focusing motor that combines the benefits of a ring USM (ultrasonic motor) for high-speed AF during still photo shooting and lead-screw type STM (stepping motor) for smooth and quiet movie AF, and improved AF speeds up to 4.3x (Tele) and 2.5x (Wide) faster than the previous model. The Canon EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens also provides up to four stops of optical image stabilization. A new lens hood, the EW-73D, is included with the new lens.
DM-E1 Directional Microphone
And here's a look at the new $250 shotgun mic, which unlike the power zoom adapter, should work with pretty much all of Canon's newer DSLRs:
Rather than using the camera's battery, this microphone incorporates its own power source to offer longer continuous recording times. The included CR2032 button-type lithium cell battery is easily replaceable and a power check lamp is featured on the mic body for checking battery level status. Additionally, when connected to a camera, the microphone will be automatically turned on or off in conjunction with the camera's own on/off switch.
Canon G7 X Mark II
The company also introduced a new PowerShot G7 X Mark II:
- 20.1MP 1" CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 7 Image Processor
- 4.2x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 Lens
- 24-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Tilting LCD Touchscreen
- Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
- Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC
- Expanded ISO 25600, Up to 8 fps Shooting
- Intelligent IS Image Stabilization
- Manual Control Ring, Time Lapse Movie
- Availability: March 2016
- Price: $700
All of the pre-order links are below.
Source: B&H
