F&F Adds Fujinon Lenses to New OB Truck

F&F Productions in Clearwater, Fla. has outfitted its new 53-foot GTX-16 HD truck with Fujinon lenses. The lenses are paired with 12 Ikegami HDK-79EC CMOS cameras as well as two HDL-50 POV cameras that offer flexibility by allowing for both fiber and triax operation.

A total of 21 Fujinon lenses were purchased, including the HA14x4.5BERM Premier Series HD ENG Super Wide Angle lens. “The new wide angle lens, the HA14x4.5BERM, is definitely a distinctive tool for production,” said Bill McKechney, vice president of engineering at F&F Productions. “It's the widest lens FUJIFILM has had so far. It’s a good clean picture with no distortion on the edges.”

Also purchased were the XA101x8.9ESM super telephoto and the XA88x8.8ESM telephoto field lenses, which feature an exclusive anti-fogging design to minimize lens fogging on location. “These new lenses are going to enhance the way the camera people work,” said McKechney. “They are able to go wider without sacrificing image quality.”

The new Fujinon lenses are also full servo zoom and focus. “We bought enough of the additional gear to convert the hard lenses from servo to manual operation,” said McKechney. “Some cameramen prefer to do it the old-fashioned way. The lenses can be converted quite easily for manual or servo operation.”

The GTX-16 will be used for sports and entertainment contracts. It was built with an entertainment and 3D infrastructure, including 3G compliance, with 24 prewired cameras and 25 prewired VTRs.