!"# %#&'()*+,-.

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I read on a recent cinematographers website a comment that the lens is the brush that paints an
image on the canvas of the image sensor in the digital camera. This picturesque meLaphor acLually
capLures a reallLy noL ofLen undersLood. 1he clne lens ls Lasked wlLh lnLercepLlng a slgnlflcanL amounL of
Lhree-dlmenslonal scene lnformaLlon ln Lhe form of opLlcal wavefronLs lmplnglng on Lhe lens faceplaLe
and Lransformlng Lhese lnLo a Llny Lwo-dlmenslonal opLlcal represenLaLlon LhaL ls Lhen pro[ecLed onLo
the camera image sensor. In that optical transformation a multiplicity of footprints are indelibly
sLamped on many aLLrlbuLes LhaL collecLlvely descrlbe Lhe lmage quallLy of LhaL ouLpuL opLlcal lmage.
1he solld-sLaLe lmage sensor and lLs supporLlng elecLronlcs, ln Lurn, are Lasked wlLh Lhe opLoelecLronlc
LransformaLlon LhaL creaLes Lhe dlglLal represenLaLlon of LhaL lmage. 1here ls llLLle LhaL lmage sensor
can do Lo make any lmprovemenL upon whaL Lhe clne lens has dellvered Lo lL.
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One often hears in the cinematography world various discussions about the personality of cine lenses
LhaL can endear a given optical manufacturer to the worlds DPs and cinematographers. The intent of
Lhls serles on Lhe new Canon Clnema Lenses ls Lo convey a llLLle abouL Lhe comblnaLlon of deep opLlcal
Lechnologles and creaLlve expedlencles LhaL were moblllzed by our lens deslgners Lo brlng Lo markeL a
new series of lenses that would paint the best of cinematic imagery onto the many Super 35mm
image sensors that are central to the worlds contemporary digital cinema cameras. An attempt will be
made to portray the personality sought in the design of these lenses ln a serles of chapLers. 1he
opLlcal Lechnologles enLalled were drawn from a number of ma[or deslgn groups LhaL have formerly
worked falrly separaLely on opLlcal producLs LhaL served qulLe dlfferenL markeL secLors. CenLral Lo Lhls ls
Lhe subsLanLlal sLlll lmaglng world of Canon uSL8 cameras and Lhelr assoclaLed exLenslve Ll lens famlly,
and Lhe broadcasL lens group who, for more Lhan flfLy years, have developed generaLlons of sLudlo,
fleld, and porLable lenses for Lhe broadcasL and hlgh-end producLlon markeLs. Many of Lhe currenL
dlglLal clne cameras orlglnaLe 4k vldeo so Lhls became cenLral Lo Lhe Canon deslgn crlLerla.

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7 0#)-&*+ !#8"),8*+ 9):#&;,)),)4 -"# 2#4*8. (/ <#=#+(;1#)-' /(& >? 9@<!A
Some flve years ago Canon was requesLed by Lhe nPk 1echnlcal 8esearch Labs Lo develop a zoom lens
LhaL meL opLlcal speclflcaLlons for 8k (sixteen times the resolution of todays 1080-llne Pu1v) ln supporL
of Lhelr ongolng 8&u work on uPu1v (Lermed Super Plvlslon ln !apan).

3,45&# B !"# 67 89:8 ;,,/ 0#%1 2#<#0,4#2 => 5)%,% +% 1344,(* ,- *"# ?@A!B CDA 4(,E#.*
&+*"+% *"# F@7 !#."%+.)0 C#1#)(." G)=,()*,(+#1H F,*# *"# (#0)*+<#0> 1/)00 +/)'# 1+;# *")* 1+'%+-+.)%*0>
.")00#%'#2 *"# ,4*+.)0 2#1+'%H
1hls subsLanLlal deslgn pro[ecL requlred a reLurn Lo Lhe very fundamenLals of whaL ls presenLly feaslble
ln opLlcal Lechnologles, and from Lhls work was born a new opLlcal plaLform LhaL was Lo become cenLral
to Canons more recent developmenLs for Lhe 4k Clnema zoom lenses. An opLlcal plaLform ls many
Lhlngs LhaL lnclude Lhe deploymenL of Lhe very laLesL ln compuLer slmulaLlon deslgn Lechnlques, Lhe
use of many of Lhe laLesL glass maLerlals, developmenL of new opLlcal coaLlng maLerlals and reflnemenLs
ln deposlLlon Lechnologles, and Lhe moblllzaLlon of years of accumulaLed experLlse ln manufacLurlng,
assembly and preclslon allgnmenL.

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&#(# .#%*()0 *, *"# 2#1+'% ,- *"# .+%#/) 0#%1#1
2
%#&'()*+,-. (/ * 0,)# 2#)' D(E,+,F,)4 G#'(5&8#' *): HI;#&,#)8#'
Discourses on lens personality are probably best done at a bar because the conversation can
someLlmes become lengLhy and, aL Llmes, convoluLed. Cne cerLalnly does regularly hear abouL Lhe
lmporLance of opLlcal arLlfacLs and aberraLlons ln lmparLlng a cerLaln deslred look for some speclflc
scenes. AL Lhe same Llme, one also hears of Lhe endurlng lmporLance of sharpness, conLrasL, color
reproducLlon and oLher core aLLrlbuLes of hlgh quallLy lmagery.
1he ma[or Canon Clnema Lens developmenL pro[ecL LhaL has so far produced four dlsLlncL clne zoom
lenses and slx prlme lenses drew upon LhaL vasL accumulaLed Lechnlcal and creaLlve knowledge wlLhln
Canon. AmblLlous 4k performance speclflcaLlons were drawn up for Lhese lenses. 8uL, aL Lhe same
Llme, Lhere was exLenslve dlscusslon abouL lncorporaLlng aLLrlbuLes LhaL would asplre Lo address Lhe
cinematic look that was so passionately urged by many DPs.

3,45&# J I",&+%' *"# -3ll present lineup of Canons Cinema G#%1#1 )%2 *"#+( 1)0+#%*
,4#()*+,%)0 14#.+-+.)*+,%1
1he broadcast lens design group of Canon has serviced the worlds broadcasters, production studios,
and moblle producLlon faclllLles for many decades. 1hls long experlence speaks Lo a global dlalog LhaL
never ceases as Lhe huge number of pracLlLloners who use Lhese lenses consLanLly offer crlLlques,
suggesLlons and pleas LhaL unceaslngly propel our developmenLs. lrom very hlgh-end sLudlos Lo ma[or
sporLlng evenLs Lo mulLlple genres of Lelevlslon programmlng Lhe assoclaLed deslgn reflnemenLs never
cease. Cur opLical engineers have a vast experience in all of the nuances of subjective looks desired
by dlsparaLe creaLlve enLlLles wlLhln Lhe larger moLlon lmaglng lndusLry.
3
SeparaLely, Lhe Ll lens deslgn groups have seen some nlneLy mllllon of Lhe more Lhan slxLy dlfferenL Ll
lens Lypes LhaL Lhey deslgned over Lhe pasL LwenLy flve years spread lnLo Lhe hands of some of Lhe mosL
demandlng and creaLlve arLlsans ln Lhe global sLlll lmaglng world. 1hls Loo, has spawned a conLlnulng
vlgorous exchange LhaL consLanLly drlves new opLlcal lnnovaLlons. ln Lurn, Lhe exLenslve Ll deslgn
group has accumulaLed a Lremendous pool of lmaglng experLlse.
nor should lL be forgoLLen LhaL Canon long ago developed and manufacLured 33mm clne lenses for
moLlon plcLure fllm LhaL won an Lmmy back ln Lhe 1970s. 1haL was flanked by an even longer hlsLory
ln produclng lenses for 16mm and Super16mm moLlon plcLure fllm cameras.
Canons optical design teams spent a considerable time using powerful computer aided simulation tools
Lo explore Lhe posslblllLles ln reconclllng very hlgh 4k speclflcaLlons wlLh a varleLy of novel deslgn
sLraLegles LhaL would collecLlvely conLrlbuLe Lo a unlque 5)%,% J#(1,%)0+*> ln Lhe new clne zoom lenses.
1haL exLenslve exploraLlon examlned all aspecLs of lens lmage quallLy parameLers and lmage aberraLlons
and dlsLorLlons ln a prolonged search for an aggregaLe performance LhaL would speak Lo Lhe urglngs of
Lhose wlLh whom we had consulLed.

3,45&# J The personality of a given lens is bound u4 +% *"# )..3/30)*#2 +/)'+%'
)**(+=3*#1 ,- *")* ,4*+.)0 1>1*#/ *")* +1 -3(*"#( *#/4#(#2 => *"# (#1+23)0 )=#(()*+,%1 )%2 )(*+-).*1

0,)#1* 2#)' %#&'()*+,-. K)# L;#8,/,8 <#',4) L-&*-#4.
A parLlcularly lnnovaLlve, and lndeed qulLe eleganL, deslgn sLraLegy lncorporaLed lnLo Lhese clne lenses
was founded on an expressed desire by numerous DPs to have a lens that exhibited a desired high
sharpness LhaL was Lempered by a subLle sofLness. ln one sense, Lhls mlghL seem contradictory. DPs
and clnemaLographers regularly employ dlffuslon fllLers when cerLaln scenes requlre a requlslLe degree
of sofLenlng. 8uL, Lhere are Llmes when Lhe deslred balance beLween sharpness ln a reglon of Lhe scene
and a soughL-for sofLness ln a face wlLhln LhaL scene cannoL be sLruck.
4
Cr perhaps Lhere ls a deslre Lo sllghLly sofLen a faclal reproducLlon whlle malnLalnlng hlgh sharpness ln
the hair surrounding that face. In interviews with DPs such issue became a topic of some considerable
dlscusslon, parLlcularly when we spoke abouL our asplraLlons for Lhe hlgh sharpness of Lhese new 4k
lenses.
1o undersLand Lhe novel approach Laken by Lhe Canon opLlcal deslgners Lo seek Lhls parLlcular aspecL of
a clne lens personallLy Lhe slmple lllusLraLlon of llgure 3 should help seL Lhe sLage. 1hls shows a slmple
scene comprlslng a hlgh and sharp brlghLness LranslLlon beLween black bars and ad[acenL whlLe bars.
When Lhls ls lmaged by a lens havlng hlgh sharpness, Lhere ls an lnevlLable small degree of fllLerlng LhaL
wlll sllghLly slope LhaL verLlcal LranslLlon on Lhe lens opLlcal ouLpuL. 1haL may sLlll be Loo sharp for a
certain desired look so now resorL ls made Lo an opLlcal dlffuslon fllLer ln fronL of Lhe lens. 1haL wlll
produce Lhe opLlcal ouLpuL suggesLed aL Lhe boLLom of Lhe lmage. 1he fllLer has done a number of
Lhlngs here flrsL, lL has lncreased Lhe slope of Lhe LranslLlon, has rounded all corners, and has skewed
(or delayed) Lhe LranslLlons as shown. 1hese effecLs have been exaggeraLed ln Lhe drawlng Lo convey
Lhe concepL.

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)22+%' ) 2+--31+,% -+0*#(
1he comblnaLlon of Lhese effecLs has noL achleved Lhe deslred resulL. WhaL ls acLually soughL ls a
preservaLlon of Lhe fasL edge LranslLlons provlded by Lhe sharp 4k lens, buL a far more modesL roundlng
of all corners LhaL wlll lnLroduce Lhe subLle degree of sofLenlng LhaL ls soughL. lL ls noL posslble for an
opLlcal dlffuslon fllLer Lo do Lhls.
3
uslng powerful compuLer slmulaLlon Canon opLlcal deslgners explored Lhe posslblllLles LhaL mlghL
supporL Lhe fasL LranslLlons assoclaLed wlLh a full 4k opLlcal resoluLlon speclflcaLlon whlle also
lnLroduclng a modesL degree of roundlng of Lhose corners. 1hey ulLlmaLely came upon a powerful and
reproduclble meLhod Lo do so. 1hey moblllzed one of Lhe monochromaLlc aberraLlons whlch
LradlLlonally all opLlcal deslgners sLruggle mlghLlly Lo mlnlmlze ln a lens deslgn. 1here are four classlc
monochromaLlc aberraLlons LhaL are fundamenLal Lo all lens elemenLs Lhey are asLlgmaLlsm, curvaLure
of fleld, comaLlc, and spherlcal aberraLlon. Cver Lhe pasL cenLury and more Lhe arL of opLlcal deslgn has
progresslvely developed lngenlous ways Lo counLeracL Lhese aberraLlons by playlng one lens elemenLs
agalnsL anoLher (or groups of elemenLs agalnsL each oLher ln Lerms of shapes and dlfferenL glass
maLerlals. ln more recenL years Lhe lnnovaLlon of aspherlcal lens deslgn has produced powerful new
ways Lo mlnlmlze Lhls dlsLorLlon as ouLllned ln llgure 6.

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)01, ,%# ,- *"# 0#%1 +%%,<)*+,%1 31#2 *, .,/=)* *"+1
8y a LlghLly conLrolled deslgn, a small and preclse amounL of spherlcal aberraLlon ls lnLroduced lnLo
Lhese 4k lenses LhaL has preclsely Lhe sofLenlng effecL shown ln llgure 7

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,- ) 2+--31+,% -+0*#( ,% ) /,(# *>4+.)0 .+%# 0#%1
6
1hls ls lllusLraLed wlLh an acLual LesL conducLed on one of Lhe new clne zoom lenses. lollowlng
verlflcaLlon of Lhe 4k opLlcal resoluLlon and Lhe hlgh M1l achleved by Lhese lenses, Lhe LesL was
exLended Lo subsequenLly explore how Lhe lens dealL wlLh sharp conLrasL LranslLlons on real world
scenes. llgure 7 shows Lhe resulLs of Lhese LesLs. 1he prlnL does noL do [usLlce Lo Lhe subLleLy of Lhe
effecL buL on a sLudlo reference monlLor Lhe effecL ls sLarLllng and was acclalmed by Lhe u, Alfonso
arra, who conducLed Lhe LesL [1].


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=#*&##% *"# .)%20# -0)/#1 )%2 *"# <#(> 2)(L (,,/ +%*#(+,(
%#&'()*+,-. (/ -"# 0*)() 0,)#1* 2#)'#' * L511*&.
We have descrlbed one novel approach Lo lmbulng Lhe new Canon Clnema lenses wlLh an lmaglng
aLLrlbuLe LhaL, whlle descrlbed ln dlfferenL ways by dlfferenL clnemaLographers, dld pose a challenge
LhaL exclLed our opLlcal deslgners. We feel LhaL someLhlng lmporLanL has been achleved here. Whlle lL
ls sLlll relaLlvely early days for Lhese new clne lenses, Lhe experlences Lo daLe are mosL hearLenlng.
ln Lhe nexL ln Lhls serles on Lhese clne zoom lenses we wlll explore Lhe exLraordlnary measures Laken Lo
have Lhese lenses perform as credlble B)(+)=0# J(+/# lenses.
G#/#&#)8#'P
[1] hLLp://alfonsoparra.com/en/press/caL/research/234/Canon-Cn-L-14-3-60mm-12_6-
7