At NAB 2025, Canon showed its new optical unit, which can be integrated into UHD-DIGISUPER 122 and UHD-DIGISUPER 111 field box lenses to help create images with a shallow depth of field.
Canon states that the demand for footage highlighting the subject with a shallow depth of field continues to grow in the sports and live production industries. However, keeping focus using a fast aperture at a live event can be challenging since subjects can move rapidly and unpredictably.
To solve this issue, Canon’s unique optical unit produces video with a shallow depth of field when shooting at higher f-stops, and it is easier to focus due to the extended focus range.
Lenses installed with this optical unit allow camera operators to shift between traditional broadcast and enhanced shallow depth of field looks. The optical unit also maintains a consistent color tone with existing field lenses. The whole premise of this optical unit was to give users the ability 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 cannot reach. Those already working with the UHD-DIGISUPER 122 and UHD-DIGISUPER 111 field box lenses can install the new optical unit via a paid customisation service. Versions of the UHD-DIGISUPER 122 and UHD-DIGISUPER 111 with the optical unit pre-installed are planned for future release.
