The Canon XL HD Lens Wishlist
 

If Canon was your slave and they had to make whatever kind of lens you told them to make for your current/future XL-H1.....
What kind of lens with what kind of features would you ask for?

My Wish....

A 5-set of T1.4 HD DigiPrimes with feet markers on the ring, follow focus gears and 360 degree focal wraps specifically designed for the XL-H1:

16mm prime
32mm prime
50mm prime
85mm prime
100mm prime

Ofcourse these are equivalent to 35mm specs. All 5 lenses come in a single set for $2800.00 bucks

First, a high quality, fast aperture Manual Servo wide angle zoom lens (equivalent angle to approx 20mm-150mm in 35 SLR format) with a separate macro mode similar to the 16 X manual servo. Built-in ND filters, and a non-rotating front element. Screw-on hood with ability to use slot-in square grad filters or polarizer and not vignette at corners. Built in improved IS for run-and-gun work on land, or working from a boat, plane etc.

An ultra high quality fixed wide-angle lens (equal to a 15mm full frame in 35mm SLR format). This lens must have a special lens hood to help avoid flare when shooting directly towards the sun – and must be able to accept a polarizer filter and not vignette at the corners.

Both lenses should have manual iris control. Both lenses should also be very sturdily built.

I thought they already were haha...

I like your idea Shannon but I would also like a really wide angle with OIS support and full manuel focus, zoom, iris, macro with glow in the dark green text for the f-stops, focal lengths etc

I guess across between the black 16x manuel and a Canon / Fujinon HD broadcast lens - Maybe around the $3,500 - $4,000 AUD price point

One thing I might add is the lens has got to be able to go from full wide to full telephoto in the space of 1.2 seconds or so... With the kinda work I do having to wait for a stupid slow zoom servo to think about the job at hand is not very helpful, Most pro lenses do the job nice and fast so I can't see why they cannot put a faster servo in a quality lens!

Anyway thats my wishlist (so far ;) )... now to go whip the canon tech guys *smile*

*EDIT* - A 2x extender built in would be a nice touch as well.

I like the primes idea but make them SLR format with built-in 35mm adapter.

EDIT: 150mm prime would be nice too.
ANOTHER EDIT: Dude, you missed 75mm, it a classic!

20mm 1.2
35mm 1.2
50mm 1.2
85mm 1.2
135mm 1.2
manual zoom 1.6

all lenses color matched

why stop there...why not all 5 lenses for $2.80 to cover a handling fee

i have been asking for primes since 1997 ...the number one reaseon given to me why canon won't make primes...

"there is no market for primes" i laughed then i gave up

There clearly is a market for primes, like you say, but by the time you factor in the cost of hiring or buying a set, you could probably afford a better (2/3" or film) camera.

If they made the lenses affordable, they would loose the advantage due to quality compromises.

That would be my thoughts anyhow. A little like the HD100 for 5K and the decent lens for 12K - For most, the costs are unbalanced.

If they could do it for $2800, I think they would sell though, especially as the XLH1 is in a league above the previous XL range. We should do a poll and let Canon know the results!

I think that manufacturing a quality prime set for this camera would cost way more than any of it's owners would want to pay for them.

I however would spend another $10K on a good manual lens that doesn't have all the quality issues that the current lens has.

What a shame Canon and JVC didn't get together and use the same lens mount, doubling the potential market for add-on lenses, enabling both to share the costs of development etc. etc. If it wasn't for SSE I could be tempted by the HD100 but only because it's lens mount dosn't foul with the zoom rockers on broadcast lenses like the Canon does. Maybe someone will bring out an adapter for one or the other.