One really cannot beat the speed of a B4 lens on a 2/3-inch sensor. If you have worked in the news, then you know how fast the combo can be used to capture a developing scene. The ability to cover an event with this combo is incredibly fast. I talked to Larry Thorpe at Canon about the less expensive, and portable CJ18ex7.6B KASE

The portable CJ18ex7.6B KASE is an important 4K UHD telephoto zoom lens that is part of the 2/3-inch UHDgc series. Its compact size and low weight support the high mobility shooting often entailed in documentary and many other genres of television field production.

For those seeking a new lens for contemporary HDTV production – while also anticipating a future shift to 4K production – this lens enhances current HDTV optical imaging performance while potentially future-proofing for the longer term. The 18x zoom ratio supports a focal length range of 7.6 – 137mm. 4K resolution is maintained over this total focal range and across the 16:9 image plane.

New design strategies have extended the optical dynamic range to meet contemporary HDR imaging requirements. The lens also supports the wider color gamut specified in the international standard ITU-R BT.2020. An advanced digital drive unit deploying 16-bit encoders is fully compatible with the zoom, focus and iris controllers used with established broadcast 2/3-inch HDTV cameras. Three 20-pin connectors on the drive unit interface with these controllers (such as ZSC-300D and FPD-400D) while also providing a 16-bit interface to virtual systems. The unit empowers a variety of operational capabilities that are set up using the on-board display.