Designed for use in a wide-range of applications in broadcast, education, house of worship, sports, and corporate environments, Canon U.S.A., Inc., is excited to introduce the company’s first line of 4K UHD PTZ cameras – the CR-N500 and CR-N300 for indoor live-streaming and the outdoor CR-X500.
This new line of cameras capitalizes on Canon’s digital imaging and operational expertise from both professional camcorders and network cameras. This enables the cameras to not only deliver brilliant 4K imagery thanks to Canon’s CMOS sensors, DIGIC DV 6 Image Processor, and optical zoom lenses, but also smooth pan, tilt and zoom functionality that allows for on-air camera movement.
The new indoor PTZ cameras support various video interfaces, including HDMI, IP, and 3G-SDI, and are also compatible with popular live production protocols like NDJ|HX, RTMP and more. The new outdoor PTZ camera supports 12G-SDI, and includes a durable, IP55 rated weather-resistant housing. In addition to the cameras, Canon has also introduced a new remote camera controller, the RC-IP100, which supports IP and serial connections and can operate camera functions such as pan, tilt, zoom, focus, and iris.
The Vivid CR-N500 4K UHD PTZ Camera
When combines, the 1.0-inch CMOS sensor, 3.2um pixel pitch, and DIGIC DV 6 image processor featured in the CR-N500 4K UHD PTZ camera provide users with the capability to capture images with high sensitivity, low noise, and a minimum subject illumination of approximately 1.5 lux.
Utilizing a 15x optical zoom 4K UHD lens, users will also experience cinematic images with shallow depth-of-field and beautifully blurred backgrounds with brilliant image quality. The 1.5x optical zoom covers a 35mm equivalent focal range of 25.5-382.5mm, and the camera is capable of a variable pan and tilt speed from 0.1° – 100° per second to support smith on-air movement or fast preset transitions.
An independent, built-in-three-density ND filer and nine-bladed iris and nine-bladed iris create natural bokeh effects, with diffused, diffracted light. The CR-N500 features Dual Pixel CMOS AF with dual pixel focus guide, as well as face detection and tracking. The CR-N500 also supports Canon Log 3 for color grading and wide dynamic range gamma of 800%, along with image quality mode and adjustment functions to enhance an operation’s image customization capabilities form capture to post-production.
The Versatile CR-N300 4K UHD PTZ Camera
The CR-N300 4K UHD PTZ camera uses a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, DIGIC DV 6 image processor, and a 20x optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 29.3-601mm. The camera features Canon’s Hybrid AF system that combines high-precision contrast AF and high-speed phase-difference AF, allowing operators to gain focus and lock-in subjects even in dim or dark situations. The variable pan speed of the camera clocks in a 0.2° – 300° per second and the variable tilt speed is 0.2° – 170° per second. The CR-N300 can also be used as a webcam via a USB connection.
The CR-N300 is equipped with four unique scene modes:
- Portrait Mode: achieves sharp focus while blurring the background.
- Sports Mode: enhances the ability to capture moving objects
- Low-Light Mode: brightens images when in dim or dark shooting situations
- Spotlight Mode: allows users to capture beautiful images in brightly lit situations
The All-Weather CR-X500 4K UHD PTZ Camera
The Canon CR-X500 4K UHD PTZ is rated IP55 for water and dust resistance, and is designed for outdoor users including sports, news/weather coverage, and television production. The camera features a 10-inch CMOS sensor that captures 4K UHD images in 60p/4:2:2/10-bit. The sensor’s 3.2um pixel pitch combined with the dual DIGIC DV 6 image processors produces improved signal-to-noise ration from previous HD models and a minimum subject illuminance of 3 lux.
The camera features a 15x4K UHD lens with an optical 35mm equivalent zoom range of 25.5-382mm. When the camera is in FHD mode, operators can use the camera’s 4K multi-pixel sensors for up to a 30x advanced zoom. Dual Pixel CMOS AF, Canon’s renowned and popular autofocus system, allows for superb tracking performance and successfully captures 4K scenes where outstanding accuracy is required. The camera also supports Canon Log 3 for color grading and a wide dynamic range gamma of 800%, as well as image quality mode and adjustment functions to enhance an operator’s image customization capabilities.
The Canon CR-N300, CR-N500, CRX500 are scheduled to be available in the Summer of 2021.