6x at DV Expo
 

I got to mess around a little with the 6x today at DV Expo in LA. I think they have 3 available mounted on cameras and ready to try.

killer lens! the sony monitors they had hooked up didn't have over/under scan switching so I couldn't see to the very edge of the frame.

definetely very clean optics and smooth operation, a MAJOR improvement over the 3x lens! perfectly sharp to the corners of the monitor and almost no distortion. from the little i could do in the display it appears to be a superior hunk of glass to the 20x, no CA or ghosting that i could cause in that environment.

one interesting point: a firmware update to the camera is necessary to allow the aperture ring to work. (you can use the dial on the camera body as well) the camera that i was using hadn't had the firmware update done yet so i watched while one of the Canon guys performed the task, took about 8 minutes and apparently they will package an SD card with the 6x lens so you can perform this operation yourself.

Everyone at the Canon booth seemed to think that the lens was available now or some time this week.

Wow,
Thanks for the Update !

I got to play with the 6x lens at HD Expo and was very much impressed by it. I'm really looking forward to adding it to my kit soon.

Spent about 15 solid minutes with the new 6X at the booth after the firmware update was complete - wow!

I was specifically looking for barrel edge distortion by bring top to bottom framing of vertical lines to the right/left edges of the frame. I could notice no distracting bending of the vertical line such as a wall that bends as it nears the frame edge. I did notice a slight widening of objects such as the mad scientist's bottles which became just a tad wider at the edge of the frame.

What was wonderful was the tight confines of the Mad Scientist set they'd used for their subject at the booth could now nicely covered in a wide angle shot. This lens finally resolves what we've all been asking for in covering room shots. I think it will also prove itself for getting wide vistas.

Nice job Canon!

wait, abide, bide, continue, endure, last, linger, pause, persist, remain, rest, sojourn, stay, stop, visit, delay, falter, hesitate, hinder, impede, lag, linger, loiter, pause, prolong, protract, retard, slacken, temporize delay, detainment, holdup, interval, lag, pause, poke, stall, straggle, trail...

...when will it be on my XL H1?

Hej Jonas,
I met a Canon representative this Wednesday at the Scandinavian Photo Video Tour. He said he had no idea when it should be available on the Swedish market and he had none to demonstrate either (but he had all the Canon camcorders) so I guess the only answer can be: It is still not Christmas. You have to wait and survive to get your new toys!
I have also subscribed at B&H to get an automatic mail when they get the lens in stock. No reply so far. /Regards Johan

When Canon released the H1 last year it just kinda happened, I didn't hear a thing about it and it was just on the shelves all of the sudden so it could happen any day now, (theoretically)

According to Creative Video in UK they expect to ship in two to three weeks!

if your thinking of buying it from them, take a look at the uk sponsor, www.productiongear.co.uk

they seem to be cheaper selling it at £1600 + VAT (£1880)

compared to creativevideo.co.uk selling it at £1995 + VAT (£2344)

i have spoken to productiongear and they confirmed the price to me.

Thanks a lot for the tip, Charles!

Waning days of Nov and still no sign of the 6x which we thought was due at the end of Oct and then beginning of Nov ....

Oh how I wish I could get my hands on my own 6x - was really nice glass and design when I played with it at the DVExpo a couple weeks ago.

SHIP IT !