VALHALLA, N.Y.—Fujifilm this week unveiled the Fujinon GF19-35mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR (GF19-35mmT3.5), adding a second Fujinon cinema power zoom lens for the GFX System.

With a native G-mount, the GF19-35mmT3.5 provides the widest angle of view available in the GF format, offering filmmakers at all levels of production a large-format cinema zoom with expanded cinematic versatility and exceptional optical performance in a compact, lightweight design, Fujifilm said.

GF19-35mmT3.5 pairs with the Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55 camera, particularly alongside the Fujinon GF32-90mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR lens. Those lenses have identical exterior dimensions, allowing for shared accessories for seamless rig setups.

The two lenses also have standardized zoom and focus functions. This enables a streamlined filming style that minimizes equipment requirements and crew workload, enhancing production efficiency and expanding creative flexibility.

“GF19-35mmT3.5 not only continues Fujinon’s legacy in optical design, but as the first expansion of the GF cinema zoom line, it emphasizes Fujifilm’s commitment to products designed specifically for filmmaking,” Fujifilm Holding America Director of Brand and Product Marketing John Blackwood said. “The expansive large-format angle of view helps preserve natural perspective across the frame, allowing filmmakers to anchor their vision for cinematic storytelling.”

Designed for immersive, location-based storytelling involving scale, movement and reliability, the GF19-35mmT3.5 pairs an ultrawide 19-to-35-millimeter focal range (equivalent to 15–28 mm in 35-mm film format) with purpose-driven optics, consistent geometric rendering and minimal focus breathing.

Purpose-built for G-mount, the compact lens is about 8.74 inches (222 mm) and weighs 4.6 pounds (2.1 kilograms).

The Fujinon GF19-35mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR lens will be available beginning July 23 for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $5,499.95.

More information is available on the company’s website.

VALHALLA, NY—Fujifilm North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division has launched its new Fujinon LA30x7.8BRM 4K broadcast zoom lens (“LA30x7.8”), and will showcase it at the 2025 IBC Show, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam.

LA30x7.8 is a portable zoom lens for 2/3-inch sensor broadcast cameras. It boasts a highest-in-class 30x zoom, covering the focal range from 7.8mm-234mm and its compact (190mm), lightweight (1.7kg) design enables high mobility and versatility for production. When receiving auto focus commands from the camera, the lens shows minimal focus breathing and operates quietly, made possible by the rear focus mechanism design2. LA30x7.8 also features a newly developed drive unit with high resolution 16-bit encoders designed for extremely accurate position detection and control in virtual and remote production, helping to streamline production operations.

“In recent years, due to the rapid expansion of video streaming platforms, the amount of video content, such as news, documentaries, sports, music concerts being produced have increased,” said Stosh Durbacz, vice president, Sales, Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm North America Corporation. “As a result, there is a growing demand for equipment that can streamline filming operations without compromising on image quality or functionality within limited production budgets.”

A newly developed drive unit for the LA30x7.8 features high resolution 16-bit encoders for extremely accurate position detection of zoom, focus and iris in virtual and remote production, which contributes to the streamlining of production operations. The lens achieves maximum speed of 1.0 sec and minimum speed of 120 sec when zooming from wide to tele end. This versatile range helps to capture a fast-moving subject during live sport broadcast, while enabling ultra-slow zooms during live music to deliver creative capture of the footage.

By utilizing the latest optical simulation technology and suppressing various types of aberrations, the lens achieves 4K optical performance across the entire zoom range. In addition, Fujifilm’s unique multi-layer coating "HT-EBC (High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating)" boasts high light transmittance and accurate color reproduction.

A single button on the lens provides electronic flange back adjustment. The system provides faster and more efficient adjustment as compared to the manual process. The macro function allows for closer than M.O.D. focus up to 5cm from the front of the lens by sliding the unique focus ring forward. It enables the operator to film the extreme close-ups without letting go of their focusing hand. When receiving auto focus commands from the camera, the lens shows minimal focus breathing and quiet operation which is made possible by the rear focus mechanism design.

The Fujinon LA30x7.8 is available for order now at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $7,299. Initial orders of LA30x7.8 are expected to begin shipping to customers by the end of October 2025.

Fujifilm will be in Stand 12.B20 in the RAI Amsterdam.

For more information about the lens, click here.

VALHALLA, N.Y.—FUJIFILM North America Corporation’s Optical Devices Division announces the availability of its new FUJINON Duvo HZK24-300mm Portable PL Mount Zoom Lens (”Duvo 24-300mm“). 

This native PL-mount, dual format lens supports two types of largeimage sensors, and specializes in shallow depth of field that produces a beautiful cinematic bokeh while maintaining ease of broadcast lens operation, the company said. Fujifilm expects to begin shipping initial orders of Duvo 24-300mm to customers at the end of March, 2024.

The portable lens can be used with a tripod, shoulder-mounted with a Steadicam2, or for high-angle shooting, using a crane. The shallow depth of field allows for cinematic image expression with beautiful bokeh effect, making it ideal for bringing the desired cine look to sporting events, live concerts, house of worship, reality shows, and other live broadcasts, the company said.

(Read: Cinematic: Blurring the Lines Between Live Sports and Hollywood)

Complementing the previously released FUJINON Duvo HZK25-1000mm F2.8-F5.0 PL Mount Cinema Box Lens (“Duvo 25-1000mm”)—Fujifilm’s first Duvo Series lens—Duvo 24-300mm delivers 12.5x zoom, covering the frequently used 24-300mm focal range. Use of Duvo 24 300mm's built-in expander3 shifts the focal length by 1.5 times, to 36-450mm, allowing users to capture far-away subjects in desirable fields of view. Duvo 24-300mm is just 10.65 inches (270.5mm) in length and 6.5 lbs (2.95kg) in weight, making it a compact, lightweight lens with high mobility.

“Cameras equipped with a large-image sensor are frequently used by broadcast professionals amidst the growing needs for immersive cinematic expressions featuring the use of shallow depth of field, cinematic bokeh and high dynamic range,” said Stosh Durbacz, national sales manager, Optical Devices Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “The cinema lenses commonly used for these applications are optimized for shooting scripted production, and therefore have a smaller zoom magnification ratio than that of broadcast lenses. They also often require a specialist in focus operation, which is uncommon in the broadcast industry. It is in response to this that Fujifilm has created the Duvo Series of lenses that simultaneously achieves the signature Fujinon filmic look and the ease of broadcast lens operation.”

The newly released Duvo 24-300mm will be showcased by Fujifilm at the 2024 NAB Show at Booth #C5325. Fujifilm’s third Duvo Series lens, a portable, wide angle zoom lens covering a focal length of 14-100mm, will also be on display.

Full product features and specifications can be found in the September 2023 development announcement.

Duvo 24-300mm is available at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $31,999 USD. Duvo 24-300mm is available for order now and will be shipping soon. For more information about the Duvo Series of lenses, please visit https://www.fujinon.com/duvo.

Broadcast lens makers have long worked to marching orders from large venue live sports and concert producers wanting longer and (still) longer focal length telephoto zoom lenses. This year the camera at the center field fence can frame a head and shoulders shot of the batter; next year it will inch in a bit to a head only shot.

But now those lens makers are hearing a second voice. It’s asking them for a more cinematic look, not to replace the mega-telephoto zooms, but for use on the sidelines and locker rooms.

There are a number of elements to that cinema look. The most easily identifiable is a shallow depth of field. At the risk of oversimplification, depth of field in still or motion picture photography is the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. The more shallow the depth of field, the less of the image is in focus, and the more is out of focus. 

This shallow depth of field has long been the province of photography and motion pictures, where it is said to be eye catching. But now it no longer is just restricted to pros—with average consumers using the “profile” feature on their smartphones, even the average joe understands its appeal.

How to Do It
There are three ways to reduce the lens’ depth of field:

• Increase the image sensor size
• Increase the iris setting, the f-stop
• Increase the lens focal length

Most live sports cameras and lenses utilize B4 mount lenses, with -inch three-chip prism sensors. Most cinema cameras and lenses utilize PL mounts, which have larger image sensors than the B4 mounts, and thus deliver a more shallow depth of field.

Opening the lens’ iris setting will also shallow the depth of field. In order to keep the light level even it may be necessary to deploy neutral density filters in the camera. Shutter speed can also be used to limit the light hitting the sensor, but can also yield unwanted effects.

To shallow the depth of field by increasing focal length, a prime lens can be switched out with a higher focal length lens, or zooming the lens can achieve the same result. For a production moving fast and furious, a zoom lens is preferred.

“Over the last series of years, be it sports or other live events, concerts, generally multicam, we’ve seen a desire to create that cinematic look,” said Stosh Durbacz, national sales manager, Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm North America Corporation. 

At the 2023 NAB Show, Fujifilm introduced its Fujinon Duvo HZK25-1000 box lens, which deploys a dual-format system that supports two single sensor sizes: a large format sensor size and a traditional super 35mm sensor.

“Our customers helped us identify a very clear need for a long and fast cinema lens that can produce cinematic results in a live production environment,” said Durbacz. Fujifilm’s newly developed 1.5x expander shifts the focal length of the telephoto side, enabling super-telephoto image capture of 1500mm (1000×1.5).

Bokeh is another lens attribute that yields a cinematic look. Bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image. 

There are several characteristics that impact bokeh, said Art Adams, product specialist, Cinema Lenses at ARRI. “But the most important is spherical aberration: do light rays from the edge of the lens focus at the same point as light rays from the center of the lens? ARRI lenses are very well corrected for spherical aberration and this produces backgrounds that are incredibly smooth. Subjects pop out of out-of-focus backgrounds as there are no residual hard edges to draw the eye away.”

Adams pointed to ARRI’s 65-300 Signature Zoom as the most useful for live sports. “It is exceptional because it doesn’t exposure-ramp at the end of the zoom range: when you start your zoom at T2.8 at 65mm, you’ll end your zoom at T2.8 at 300mm. That lens ships with a 1.7x extender at no extra charge, and that turns this lens into a very high quality 110mm-510mm T4.9.”

Ergonomic Hurdles
There are a lot of technical hurdles to developing lenses that provide the cinematic look. But there are ergonomics factors as well. 

In cinema production, there may be four or five different operators working around the cinema camera. On a broadcast crew, you have one operator for each camera. 

“This is largely because when they’re making a video, making a movie, they’re not beholden to the action head of them,” said Mark Weir, senior product manager, Alpha Cameras & Lenses, Sony Electronics. “They can have as many takes as they want because the actors and what’s happening are under the control of the production, they’re not taking images that are happening in front of them. They’re literally making them, they’re crafting them, they’re organizing them, they’re structuring them to fit their requirements.“

Weir notes that the technology for the cinematic look is in its infancy. “It doesn’t cover everything in the world of broadcast sports, for example,” he said. “You’ve got to deliver the kind of reach to cover action 100 yards away. Trying to then cover it in shallow depth of field is probably not what the production is looking for. It’s a balance of both.”

As the depth of field becomes more and more shallow, keeping the lens focused on the action becomes more difficult. 

“The challenge is knowing where to point that auto focus,” said Josh Stoner, senior specialist, Product Management Team, Broadcast and Cinema Lenses for Canon. ”The trick is how to make it react so you’re not catching someone out of frame, like somebody coming into the frame and then the focus jumping to that person.  That’s more of an operator function to learn how to do that. It’s less about learning where to point the autofocus, when to engage it and when not to engage it.”

Stoner said picking a lens for a cinematic look depends on which cameras utilized. “If they’re using a stubby camera and they have a whole rig built up around it, I’m going to suggest one of our CINE-SERVO, the 70 to 120, which is going to give you a kind of a wide angle look,” he said. “If they’re going to run around on a gimbal, with a C370, I’m going to go with one of our RF lenses to give you autofocus and lightweight capability so you can run around with it.”

With host broadcaster Olympic Broadcasting Service recently announcing that it will be using cinematic lenses for the first time at the 2024 Games in Paris, expect to see an overload of the cinematic look next summer. Which seems appropriate when you consider the French invented cinema.

SYDNEY—Fujinon has announced that the Seven Network has selected its 4K lenses as part of Seven’s Sydney-based news operations planned relocation to a high-definition television production facility at the Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh.

The Seven Network is one of five main free-to-air television networks in Australia and the largest commercial network in terms of population reach. 

“Many of Seven’s lenses used in the field have provided over twenty years’ excellent service. The initial aim of the new lens purchase was to ensure the same extended life of reliability with the same excellent results,” explained Seven Network head of broadcast engineering and development, John Albiston. “The new lenses also had to be 4K, extremely high quality and work seamlessly under robotic control.”

After a comprehensive assessment and evaluation Albiston and the Seven team chose multiple Fujinon UA14x4.5BERD-S10, UA18x5.5BERD-S10 and UA23x7.6BERD-S10 4K lenses.

“We purchased Fujinon 4K models with an S-10 drive specifically designed for these lenses to be used with robotics,” Albiston continued. “The S-10s have well and truly fulfilled our requirements and worked seamlessly both in the field and in our metropolitan studios under robotic control.”

The new S-10 drive unit and Fujinon 4K lenses used by Seven offer perfect compatibility with major robotics systems such as Shotoku, MRMC, Ross Video, Vinten/Radamec, Telemetrics and KXWELL, the companies said. 

They provide improved focus and zoom operability and include breathing compensation technology (BCT) as standard. This compensation mechanism synchronizes the zoom movement with the focus movement to automatically correct for changes in the angle of view, thereby minimizing breathing and keeping the image size constant. This function also eliminates the need to reset the angle of view after focusing, providing a high level of operability.

The S-10 also enables the user to change a 2x extender remotely by using an ECU-2C Extender Change Unit and thus, is ideally suited for crane use in a studio, Fujinon said. 

Seven’s new S-10 drive units and Fujinon lenses are also effective for CG synthesis and come with a 16-bit encoder, capable of making a high-resolution output of lens data including zoom and focal position information. They can be linked with various other systems such as a virtual studio system for combining CG images with live action footage.

“Our Fujinon 4K S-10 capable lens field application involves general news acquisition where they give us robust service and superb operational features including great zoom range and speed,” Albiston concluded. “The Fujinon 4K glass is, notwithstanding the many HD applications in which they are used. These new lenses also excel in the studio under Mosart control room automation where high accuracy digital servos eliminate any discernible dither when zooming. These lenses are a major step forward for our crews. All in all, the Fujinon UA14x4.5BERD-S10, UA18x5.5BERD-S10 and UA23x7.6BERD-S10 4K lenses with S-10 drives are excellent and the best lenses in the market for our requirements.”

VALHALLA, N.Y.—FUJIFILM has announced its new Fujinon Duvo HZK25-1000mm F2.8-F5.0 PL Mount cinema box lens with a zoom ratio of 40x and a telephoto focal length of 1000mm is expected to begin shipping by the end of this week. 

The company also plans to show the new Duvo 25-1000 at the 2023 NAB Show, April 15-19, in Las Vegas.

The Duvo 25-1000, the first in Fujifilm’s new Duvo series of cinema lenses, can provide telephoto filming with high magnification, making it suitable for sports broadcast, live concerts, movies, commercials and other productions, the company said.

“In actively observing and gathering feedback from professionals about the emerging world of cinema-sized imagers in live production, our customers helped us identify a very clear need for a long and fast cinema lens that can produce cinematic results in a live production environment,” said Stosh Durbacz, national sales manager of the Optical Devices Division at FUJIFILM.

Duvo 25-1000 deploys a dual-format system that supports two single sensor sizes: a large format sensor size equivalent to Super 35mm and a traditional Super 35mm sensor. Duvo 25-1000's use of Fujifilm’s newly developed 1.5x expander shifts the focal length of the telephoto side, enabling super telephoto image capture of 1500mm (1000x1.5), it said.

The lens enables filming with the same field of view in both formats. It produces rich image expression by taking advantage of the camera’s cinematic look, the company said.

Duvo 25-1000 can be operated in a setup specialized for live broadcasting because existing FUJINON box lens accessories can be used in support of multi-camera operation. For film and commercial production, the lens’ focus / iris / zoom features can also be remotely controlled by connecting to compatible wireless lens controllers. Duvo 25-1000 also features Breathing Compensation Technology, ensuring the subject framing does not change during focusing, helping to produce natural-looking images, it said.

To maximize portability, the upper grip of Duvo 25-1000 is designed to be slightly longer than conventional box-type broadcast lenses. As a result, it can be lifted stably near the center of gravity. A new lower grip also has been integrated to improve portability.

See FUJIFILM at NAB booth C5725.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SYDNEY—FUJIFILM has announced the FUJINON HZK25-1000mm broadcast zoom lens, which offers 40x zoom capability and a focal length of 1000mm.

The HZK25-1000mm is a box-type broadcast dual-format zoom lens offering support for two types of large image sensors. It can be mounted on cameras equipped with the Super 35mm sensor or the larger sensor equivalent to 35mm full frame, the company said. 

The lens achieves optical performance that exceeds 4K. It also facilitates the use of cinema cameras, which is becoming more common in the broadcast industry. It enables cinematic visual expression, such as shallow depth-of-field for beautiful bokeh in live coverage of sporting events and music concerts, the company said.

Cinema camera lenses are optimized for shooting movies and TV commercial. Therefore, they have a smaller zoom magnification ratio than that of broadcast lenses. They also require a specialist for focus operations, which is uncommon in the broadcast industry. For these reasons, there has been demand for a high-magnification zoom that supports a large sensor and can be operated in the same way as box-type broadcast lenses, the company said.

The new broadcast zoom lens normally works with the Super 35mm sensor but also supports a sensor equivalent to 35mm full frame when a built-in image expander is activated, which increases the image circle by 1.5 times. It offers the added benefit of maintaining the same angle of view with both sensors, it said.

Regarding wide-angle capability, the lens provides F2.8 aperture, enabling cinematographic visual expressions with shallow depth-of-field and resulting beautiful bokeh. The use of a large-diameter aspherical lens and fluorite lens thoroughly controls various forms of aberration to achieve optical performance exceeding 4K, FUJIFIM said.

Even when mounted on a cinema camera, the lens maintains its broadcast-style controls over zoom and focus. It also can be used with a variety of existing accessories. The lens features an image-stabilization mechanism based on FUJIFILM’s “ceramic ball roller” system to compensate accurately for on-set vibrations and wind-induced movements for operational stability, it said.

FUJIFILM will show the HZK25-1000mm at InterBEE 2022 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, Nov. 16-18. 

FUJIFILM expects to release the HZK25-1000mm in the spring of 2023.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

LAS VEGAS—At its NAB Show booth, April 23-27 in Las Vegas, Fujifilm will showcase its latest lens technology facilitating virtual production and augmented reality technologies and capabilities in partnership with Mo-Sys and APG Media, as well as introduce attendees to several Fujinon cinema and broadcast lens products and accessories.

“We look forward to not only connecting with our industry colleagues in person at NAB 2022, but also exhibiting our world-class lens range with this critical group of industry experts,” said Stosh Durbacz, national sales manager, Fijifilm North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division. “We are also excited to bring attendees into the world of virtual production and augmented reality on site by displaying and demonstrating products designed to improve production workflows.”

Fujifilm’s role in the growing world of virtual production and augmented reality will be on display in partnership with Mo-Sys—renowned creator and manufacturer of advanced and innovative camera robotics and virtual production technologies—and APG Media, industry experts on LED videowall technology. 

Using Fujinon broadcast and cinema lenses with Mo-Sys StarTracker camera tracking technology and a state-of-the-art 1.5mm pixel pitch LED wall from APG Media, Fujifilm will showcase an end-to-end LED production workflow, highlighting the benefits of designing a solution specifically for cinematic and broadcast virtual production.

“More than ever, and within the last two years especially, virtual production and augmented reality have proven to be a growing, important part of our industry,” said Durbacz. “We are proud to partner with Mo-Sys and APG to educate the NAB Show community about the technology and capabilities available and required to accommodate the needs of this emerging market segment.”

Fujinon product debuts at NAB 2022 include:

• UA107x8.4AF (Auto Focus) lens for fast and accurate subject-tracking performance, placed on a Mo-Sys U50 Remote Head.
• Large Format Premista Series cinema lenses with new Chrosziel Drive Unit and ZEISS eXtended Data, a unique technology that creates opportunities to streamline and increase the accuracy of the lens data.
• Portable broadcast zooms equipped with S10 digital drive units to support modern remote and robotic shooting needs.
• UA125x8 4K-compatible broadcast lens with the world's highest zoom ratio of 125X
• UA46x9.5 portable 4K broadcast lens with Super 35 Musashi expander, delivering an incredible range of 24-1100mm at a relatively light weight (about 12 pounds), ideal for wildlife, sports and any environment where reach and portability is needed.
• Updated zoom and focus controllers for FUJINON box and portable lenses.

Fujinon will be in Booth 6127. To register for the NAB Show, visit nabshow.com/2022

SYDNEY—MCG Scoreboard Control has deployed a new Fujinon UA 107 for live match coverage of Australian Football League (AFL) matches. 

The global integrated agency MKTG Sports + Entertainment operates the MCG Scoreboard Control as part of the commercial rights agreement to deliver the AFL. That agreement requires them to produce an in-venue coverage of AFL matches for the two big screens separate from the broadcast coverage. 

The match coverage is provided primarily through two fixed stand cameras, a tight shot provided by an 87x lens and a 40x for wider shots, and an AFL owned portable RF camera that completes the production. Recently, as part of a requirement for a newer, more powerful lens and for that they chose the Fujinon UA107.

“The two stand cameras need to be very agile and closely follow or anticipate the play,” explained MKTG's general manager of operations and technology, Mike Lewis. “The existing Fujinon 87x lens had served us well after 15 years of service and required replacement. The MCC, the equipment owner, agreed replacement was required and asked MKTG to facilitate options for replacement.”

The lens's requirements needed to be futureproofed for the MCC, and according to Lewis, the 4K UA 107 was the right choice for the application. 

“Fan engagement and brand activation are essential considerations in entertaining crowds before matches or during breaks in play,” he added. “The Fujinon UA 107 allows the operator to shoot very tight, keep up with the play, and easily single out spectators for big-screen coverage. The MCC asked us to provide options for them that would be best in class and ensure that they were futureproofed with compatible 4K capability, the Fujinon lens met that requirement. Feedback from the operators and producers has been excellent.”

MCC's general manager - IT and innovation, Rey Sumaru, noted that “the investment in this new Fujinon lens sees a commitment to the future ensuring our technological purchases keep us current and ensure we have an eye on future 4K development." 

SYDNEY—Australian rental house VA has purchased a full set of Fujifilm Fujinon Premista 19-45mm T2.9, 28-100mm T2.9 and 80-250mm T2.9-3.5 full-frame, wide-angle zoom lenses, the company said.

The lenses have been used locally on feature films “Three Thousand Years of Longing” and “Poker Face” and a 7-Eleven television commercial. 

“VA purchased these lenses because we needed to expand our rental inventory of high-quality full-frame lenses,” said Mike Vlack, VA preparation manager. “We have many sets of full-frame prime lenses, but there are very few high-quality full-frame cine lenses, such as the Premista, currently available. The Premista lenses are truly excellent.”

The Premista zooms are sharp and detailed across the full frame without being harsh, Vlack noted. 

“A nice round 13-blade iris renders out of focus areas smoothly and pleasingly and the minimum focus is close. They have very low distortion, very minimal focus breathing and the lenses are not too big and heavy with a convenient 114mm front outside diameter,” he said.

“This allows standard clamp-on matte boxes to be used, without resorting to larger matte boxes which slow down production. The Premistas also support the Zeiss eXtended Data System, which is becoming very useful for virtual production utilizing LED volumetric walls. The lenses are also very sturdy with high quality production and quality control of manufacture, so they are very reliable.”

More information is available on the company’s website. 

LOS ANGELES—Coming up in the broadcast world I learned on 2/3-inch sensor cameras. I remember making the transition into super 35 sensors and reveling in the world of cinematic images. I took my new super 35 camera to all my shoots for the directors and producers to see a side-by-side vs my 2/3-inch camera. It didn’t take long to convert clients to the new look.

What I did miss about the broadcast cameras was the range in zoom lenses. The larger a sensor, the harder it is to pack zoom range into a lens without adding massive size to the instrument. Fujinon introduced the Cabrio series to meet this need; I ordered one of the first 19-90s and still have the lens to this day. I shot countless sports features, endless handheld for doc-style work, and fell in love with Fujinon’s contrast, color palette and sharp images. In many ways the transition to super 35 and the Cabrio shaped my career.

PREMISTA ZOOMS

After adding a large format camera and primes to my equipment roster, I turned again to Fujinon for my zooms. With three lenses, the Premista series covers an enormous range of focal lengths—19 to 250mm at T2.9—delivering this flexibility with manageable-sized instruments that bring all that I need and have come to expect from Fujinon optics. The glass produces clean, stellar images with a range that doesn’t leave you wanting to punch in more or wishing you could be wider.  

We all find ourselves running out of setup time. I thought shooting larger productions would afford me the equipment, crew and resources to make shots perfect. While there is some truth to that, it’s funny that no matter the budget of the project, there will be times you have to roll before you are ready. 

One of the most important factors in maximizing your images when you are on minimal time is the optics you shoot on. The Premista has delivered beautiful images for me even when I’m left wishing I could refine a scene.

JUST THE RIGHT COVERAGE

On a recent virtual production project, the plan going in was to use primes. We were shooting on an LED volume with camera tracking and UnReal Engine driving the imagery. Shooting on an LED wall is a balance of interactive and traditional lighting, colors and lensing. The production had an ambitious shooting schedule with multiple virtual “locations,” which means art department changeovers, wardrobe, loading new 3D environments and so on. So our time to shoot out a scene with coverage was tight. I ended up shooting the entire project on the Premista 28-100, and that lens performed beautifully. 

The range gave me everything I needed for coverage. The images held their contrast shooting into the wall and the optics handled the large amount of light I used to create exterior looking scenes, with minimal need for lenses that would have added time to our tracking setups. 

The Premista series is rounded out with the telephoto 80-250mm, which offers beautiful compressed imagery, and the wide angle 19-45mm, which brings the same optical quality in compact enough size that it can be used on a gimbal. They are a beautiful additional to any camera system, large format or otherwise. l

Mark James is a DP whose work has been featured on a range of content from the Super Bowl to commercials. He founded 2nd Decade Productions in 2010, which produces broadcast and agency content. He can be contacted at MarkJamesDP.com.

For more information visit https://fujinoncinelens.com.

VALHALLA, N.Y.— Fujifilm North America Corporation has announced that its Optical Devices Division will gradually launch a series of 17 Fujinon broadcast portable zoom lenses featuring the newly developed S10 digital drive unit.

The lenses are designed to meet the growing demand for robotic systems to streamline television production and to tap into the demand for more precise and responsive lenses that provide valuable positional zoom, focus, and iris data. 

The company noted that the 17 Fujinon broadcast zoom lenses equipped with the S10 were developed with cutting-edge mechatronics engineering technology and offer improved drive unit response to zoom and focus without delay even during pan and tilt operations. T

“The S10 is the most advanced servo drive ever built for handheld lenses,” said Thomas Fletcher, director of marketing, Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm North America Corporation. “Early feedback from robotic manufacturers after testing confirms that has confirmed that this new drive’s performance is comparable to, and in many cases exceeds, the performance of similar products from current market competitors.”  

S10-equipped lenses can also output positional information on zoom, focus, and iris, enabling high-precision position detection. This allows live video footage to be combined with virtual video. 

The enhanced zoom and focus response helps camera operators shoot video exactly as intended, even when using the zoom demand/focus demand units or shooting with a shoulder-mounted camera.

For more information on the lenses visit www.fujifilm.com/us/en/about/region

TOKYO—Fujifilm has announced that it will release two new broadcast zoom lenses, the Fujinon HP66x15.2-ESM (HP66x15.2) and the Fujinon HP12x7.6ERD-S9 (HP12x7.6), which each feature optical technology to produce 8K UHD video.

The HP66x15.2 is a box type zoom lens that can reach a focal length of 1,000mm and a zoom magnification of 66x. The HP12x7.6, meanwhile, is a portable type zoom lens covering the focal length range from 7.6mm to 91mm in telephoto.

Both lenses, per Fujifilm, feature vivid color reproduction and strong contrast through Fujifilm’s HT-EBC (High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating) mutlilayered coating technology to help produce HDR images. 

They also feature the new Remote Back Focus function, which enables adjusting the back focus remotely from a broadcast van. The lenses can be combined with the focus position demand unit Fujinon EPD-51A-D02/F03, which facilitates focus adjustment.

Additional features include a nine-blade iris that helps achieve a natural bokeh and a 16-bit encoder as standard, enabling high-resolution output of lens data and connection with systems like virtual studios for combining computer graphics with live video footage.

Both the HP66x15.2 and HP12x7.6 lens will be available starting in February.

For more information, visit www.fujifilm.com.  

SYDNEY—Fujifilm has unveiled its new Fujinon Premista 19-45mm T2.9-inch lens, a wide-angle zoom lens that supports large-format sensors and can deliver high resolution, bokeh and tonal images with HDR.

The Premista 19-45mm lens was developed with Fujifilm’s optical technology. It offers a constant T-stop of 2.9 across its focal lengths; features large-diameter aspherical lens elements; a 13-blade iris design; a unique zooming system for edge-to-edge sharpness; and the ability to reduce distortion across the entire zoom range.

Fujifilm has also enabled the new Premista lens to support ZEISS eXtended Data, which can record metadata when shooting, which reduces video-editing workload in post-production, the company says.

Additional features include the same front diameter and gear position for the focus, zoom and iris as the Premista series’ standard and telephoto lenses; and a Flange Focal Distance adjustment mechanism, which users can adjust by rotating a ring on the lens barrel.

Designed to be compact—it measures in at 228mm and weighs 3.3 kg—the Premista 19-45mm lens can be used on Steadicams or high-angle shooting cranes.

Fujifilm will officially release the Premista 19-45mm lens on Jan. 28.

For more information, visit www.fujifilm.com.  

SEATTLE—Two of the largest providers of professional camera lenses to the broadcast industry recently introduced new glass designed to improve the production of an increasing supply of 4K (and higher) resolution content.

FUJINON

One of the new lenses grew out of a Fujifilm box lens developed for NHK’s postponed 8K coverage of the Olympics for the Japan television market, according to Gordon Tubbs, vice president for broadcast and cinema products for Fujinon. These 8K cameras designed for the project use Super 35 single sensors and PL mount lenses.

“Our people thought about developing as long a box lens as was possible,” Tubbs said. “Most PL-mount motion picture lenses, including the ones we developed for NHK, were like a 5x1, 7x1 zoom. I mean, your iPhone can zoom twice as far as these extremely expensive lenses we were developing for NHK.

In response, the company developed a 20x 35mm box lens, Tubb said.

“Twenty doesn’t seem like much, because we make ENG lenses in 4K that are 24x, that are normal size hand-holdable lenses,” Tubbs said. “This lens will go from 35mm to 700mm, and then with an extender go out to 1,000. That’s unheard of in PL mounts.”

The result is a difference in size and weight than with most professional lenses, according to Tubbs.

“In order to do that, the lens is heavier and bigger than our 125 box lens for 2/3-inch chip cameras,” Tubbs. “It’s a 70 pound lens. You couldn’t fit it on your coffee table, it’s too big. All of that to get a 20:1 lens. So NHK bought a few of them.”

(Note: Several camera makers have introduced 8K, 2/3-inch, three-chip cameras that allow use of smaller 8K lenses.)

Tubbs added that the new lens had potential beyond NHK’s immediate needs.

“We looked at the lens and said ‘You know something? That’s got a PL mount on it; it’s got a cine mount on it. What’s to stop us from marketing that to people who are doing concerts?’ HBO wants that cine look for its concerts. If they’re going to use cine cameras, this could be their lens. It’s the only PL mount 20x 8K zoom lens in the world.”

He thinks there’s also a market for the 20x zoom in sports production, where many super slow-motion cameras are single sensor, PL mount. “The lens is so expensive the only thing they’ll do is rent it as they need it, which is why we’re concentrating on the rental companies,” Tubbs added.

REVISITING AUTOFOCUS 

More than a dozen years ago, broadcast lens makers introduced an autofocus feature on their HD lenses. But it never sold all that well.

Fast-forward to today, Tubbs said Fujifilm is revisiting autofocus.

“Focus is much more important in 4K because depth of field in 4K is actually shorter than HD, so there’s less in focus,” he said. “That will be true again when you shoot in 8K. And we know that the viewfinders on the cameras really aren’t that advanced to be able to really, precisely show if you’re in and out of focus.”

The technology for Fujifilm’s new autofocus system is called “phased detection” and is entirely new, according to Tubbs.

“It is much more accurate than the prior system, faster and it doesn’t overshoot,” he said. “The [old system] could sometimes go past focus and then come back real quick. It won’t do that. The other thing it can do is reach focus from a much further out of focus position. With [the old system], if you were considerably out of focus, if it was just a blur, you were looking at a fog bank, it wouldn’t find focus. Now this system can find focus even from that far out of focus.”

The autofocus feature is available on Fujifilm’s 4K 107x box zoom for about an additional $20,000.

Fujifilm also introduced a UA125X8 zoom ratio box lens last spring, the longest in the industry, according to Tubbs.

“This lens is not only the longest telephoto zoom lens, it’s got the longest zoom ratio at 125x, of any broadcast lens ever made,” he said. “It’s got the widest angle of any field lens, sports lens that was ever produced. It starts at 8mm and goes to 1,000mm, so with a 2x extender it goes out to 2,000mm.”

CANON

Canon has two tiers of 4K lenses, the difference being a function of the spec, according to Larry Thorpe, Canon USA’s national marketing executive.

“We tightened the specs on the upper level, and that costs more, of course,” Thorpe said. “The specs we talk about are sharpness across the image plane, tightening up on the lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration. And then last but not least, doing justice to the new world of HDR, getting deep, rich blacks and good treatment of speculars in the lens.”

Thorpe said Canon discovered a gap between the two wide angle zooms in Canon’s upper level of 4K lenses. To develop the new lens to fit that gap, “we mobilized some of the latest of our technologies in lens design that we’ve been able to improve, along with more powerful simulation capabilities and manufacturing capabilities. We saw that we could slot in there a lens where we push both the wide angle and the telephoto end.”

The result is the CJ20ex5B 4K UHDxs, a 20x zoom that goes from 5mm to 100mm, (200mm with a 2X extender.)

“This baby comes in at just under 5 pounds, [4.9], is 9.9 inches long with a filter diameter of 127mm,” Thorpe said. “And it has the latest in our digital drive unit that gives you the capability of broadcast controllers controlling zoom and focus. It also has an output for virtual, giving you the 16 bit information on the virtual application. It has a range extender of two times. The horizontal width that you get, the angle of zoom horizontally that you get at 5mm is 87.7 degrees.”

Thorpe emphasized the importance of HDR to the development of Canon’s lenses.

“We pay high attention to dynamic range,” he said. “We have the latest in optical coatings to ensure we get a deep, rich black, which is essential to good HDR. And then the choice of glass materials allows us to properly handle speculars.

With its small size and weight, the new lens has applications with a portable camera. “But where it really shines for that focal range is in a lot of coverage of small venue sporting arenas, probably basketball being the best illustration,” Thorpe said. “And because of size, weight and focal range it has application for SkyCams.”

COMPACT AND LIGHTWEIGHT

Last spring Canon introduced the CJ18ex7.6B KASE S, a new addition to its UHDgc series of 4K UHD broadcast portable zoom lenses. The new lens is designed to be used with 4K UHD broadcast cameras with 2/3-inch sensors. It has the same optical specifications as the existing CJ18ex7.6B IRSE/IASE except it has no optical extender. The lens features a zoom range of 7.6-137mm and weighs just 3.7 pounds.

The 4K UHD imaging quality is delivered at a price point that matches well with the many lower-cost 4K cameras in the market. By eliminating the optical range extender, the lens maintains a compact and lightweight design to meet the versatile and ever-changing needs of a broad range of video productions, including documentaries, sports, events and news coverage. Additionally, the lens is compatible with the new Canon ZDJ-G01 Zoom Demand and FDJ-G01 Focus Demand accessories that provide operators with enhanced functionality and operational control of the lens.

The new portable zoom lens utilizes Canon’s proprietary optical design technology, incorporating materials such as fluorite and Ultra-Low Dispersion (UD) glass. In addition, the lens supports the wide color gamut approved by the ITU-R BT.2020 UHD broadcasting standard, essential to HDR imaging. The ergonomics and digital servo operational controls of the lens are similar to Canon’s current lineup of portable zoom lenses, providing users with maximum mobility in a variety of shooting situations.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—As a freelancer who owns his own gear, I have to evolve with the times. In 2013, I could see the industry’s movement towards 4K, 10-bit 4:2:2 formats and S-LOG—features not available on my Sony PDW-F800, or any other 2/3-inch camera. It was a bittersweet day when I sold my 2/3-inch F800 and replaced it with Sony’s PMW-F55.

The switch to the F55 also meant giving up my Fujinon 22x zoom lens because the F55 had a super-35mm sensor.

Fortunately, Sony has started building 2/3-inch 4K ENG cameras with native B4 lens mounts and recently released the PXW-Z750, the world’s first 2/3-inch 4K camera with three CMOS sensors, global shutter, S-LOG, 10-bit 4:2:2 codecs and a native B4 lens mount. This is everything I wanted in 2013, but the technology didn’t exist at the time. So, I made the decision to retire my F55 and switch to a Z750. The question was, what lens should I use?

A TOUGH CHOICE

I’ve been a loyal Fujinon owner/operator since my first 2/3-inch camera in 1984. I’ve had to operate other brands of lenses many times, but I never felt they performed as well as my Fujinon lenses, so there was no question what lens I would use for my Z750. I zeroed in on Fujinon’s UA lenses, the most suitable for 4K productions. I found the image quality of all of the UA lenses was phenomenal, so my decision really came down to the focal length and zoom range.

I narrowed my choices to the UA18x5.5BERD and the UA24x7.8BERD. Fortunately, I got to test drive both, but it was hard to choose—both lenses produce stunning images, are tack sharp, have smooth focusing, excellent servo zooms and fast apertures.

I’m primarily a long-lens shooter of sports, wildlife, aerospace and other subjects that benefit from having a long lens, so the 24x was first on my list. According to Fujinon, the UA24x7.8 zoom is their smallest and lightest 4K HDR broadcast lens, and it did not disappoint. The 24x7.8mm focal length is roughly the equivalent to a 20mm to 468mm zoom on a super-35mm camera. Plus, like all ENG lenses, it has a built-in 2x extender that doubles the equivalent focal length to 935mm.

The 18x5.5—about the same size and weight as the 24x—is ideally suited for handheld shooting. I have never used a wide-angle lens that I liked better than this one. It made the Z750 feel perfectly balanced on my shoulder, and I’m sure I could shoot for hours with no fatigue. One thing I dislike about other wide-angle lenses is the barrel distortion you see in pans and tilts, but I didn’t see anything objectionable on this lens. I think the 18x zoom would be more than adequate for most shooting requirements, especially when you factor in the 2x extender. Fujinon has done an amazing job of improving extender performance.

Ultimately, I chose the UA24x7.8BERD because of the longer focal length. It feels great to be working again with a 2/3-inch camera and a stunning Fujinon lens. If you’ve grown weary of big sensor cameras and their limited lens choices, I suggest taking a look at how the 2/3-inch ENG world has evolved. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Doug Jensen is the owner of Vortex Media and has more than 40 years’ experience working in all facets of the television and video production industry. He is on the faculty at Maine Media Workshops and has produced more than two-dozen independent master class training videos and camcorder field guides. He can be contacted at www.DougJensen.com.

For additional information, visit www.fujifi lmusa.com.

VALHALLA, N.Y.—Fujinon has a bevy of new 4K and 8K lenses that it is adding to its range of offerings, as well as some new features specifically designed for this high-resolution equipment.

Part of Fujinon’s UA Series, the UA125X8BESM (UA125X8) is a 4K-compatible broadcast lens with a zoom ratio of 125x and improved optical image stabilization. The UA125X8 box lens covers a focal length of 8mm-1,000mm with an F1.7 aperture, making it the longest and widest 4K field lens for UHD applications in the Fujinon UA series, per the company. It is meant for use with 4K 2/3-inch cameras. The lens uses Fujinon’s optical technologies to produce HDR quality video. Additional features include nine-blade aperture; it is equipped with 16-bit encoders; High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating (HT-EBC); and an anti-fogging design.

Fujinon has also made an update to its UA107x8 AF (Advanced Focus) 4K broadcast lens. UA107x8 AF has a newly developed phase-detection auto-focus sensor, which allows for a response speed as fast as 0.45 seconds, according to Fujinon. The lens also features the company’s image stabilization mechanism and a 107x ultra-magnification zoom covering focal lengths from 8.4mm-900mm, as well as HDR, vivid color reproduction and HT-EBC.

A pair of 8K lenses were also unveiled with the HP66X15.2ESM (HP66X15.2) and the HP12X7.6ERD (HP12X7.6). The HP66X15.2 is a box lens that has an 8K focal length of up to 1,000mm and a zoom magnification of 66x. The HP12X7.6 is a portable lens that covers a range of 7.6mm-91mm and has an 8K angle of view at 93.3 degrees.

Both lenses feature bayonet mounts targeting three 1.25-inch sensors for ultra-high 8K resolution. Each lens also has HT-EBC, nine-blade aperture and are equipped with 16-bit encoders. The HP66X15.2 comes with an optical image stabilization mechanism.

The HP66x15.2 is expected to be released this summer, while the HP12X7.6 is expected in the fall.

In addition to the physical lenses, Fujinon debuted a pair of advanced features that can be used with many of its 4K and 8K broadcast lenses, ARIA (Automatic Restoration of Illumination Attenuation) and RBF (Remote Back Focus). ARIA is designed to automatically introduce the appropriate amount of gain to counter the darkening of an image when F-stops are changed, as well as provide relative illumination data throughout the full range of the lens, helping to correct any corner shading that may have taken place.

RBF, meanwhile, allows for the back focus process to be operated solely by a video operator in an OB van or control room via the camera RCP. The camera operator has control over the zoom, servo focus and back focus functions.

In addition to being compatible with a range of Fujinon 4K and 8K lenses, ARIA and RBF will also operate with several of Sony’s latest series of 4K UHD cameras, Fujinon said.

For more information, visit www.fujifilmholdings.com.  

SYDNEY—Fujifilm’s new Fujinon LA16x8BRm 2/3-inch professional 4K lens fits like a glove with Blackmagic’s URSA Broadcast camera, as the company specifically designed the lightweight and compact lens for the Blackmagic camera to provide 4K and HD resolution.

With a rear focus mechanism design, the LA16x8BRM weighs in at 1.6kg. It features a single button electronic flange adjustment with a macro switch function, which allows for closer shooting than MOD up to 0.05 metres. The lens also has a focal length of 8-128mm and an F value of F1.9-2.8.

Specifically for the Blackmagic URSA camera, the LA16x8BRM lens boasts a 16x zoom ratio suitable for EFP, news and studio shooting.

LOS ANGELES—I’m a producer of adventure/travel/wildlife documentaries and a big fan of Fujinon lenses, which I’ve used for decades. I’ve executive-produced, written/directed and photographed dozens of international award-winning series and factual programming for Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, History Channel, BBC, National Geographic, CBC, PBS and more.

Through my production company Gryphon Productions, we’re now producing the third season of our adventure-wildlife series, “Biggest & Baddest,” available worldwide in some 80 countries, primarily on the Discovery Networks.

The series, hosted by wildlife biologist Niall McCann, features human-animal conflict stories (including attacks on people) due to global warming, pollution, human encroachment and deforestation. It looks at ways of resolving these issues by working with local scientists, wildlife officials and the general population. As such, each episode is a combination of “blue-chip” type wildlife photography, travel and action-oriented scenes where McCann handles animals as part of rescues and relocation. Key for this kind of shooting are versatility and speed, plus ruggedness. We shoot with two cameras and have chosen an ENG-style 4K video production camera—the Sony PXW-Z450—as our “A” camera, plus a Sony FS7 for our “B” camera.

IN THE WEEDS

At times, tripod mounted camerawork can be slow and methodical, as we film cinematic wildlife scenes using large Fujinon 42x lenses. This can change quickly to a run-and-gun style shooting using a wide 13x or 18x Fujinon zoom setup. We’ve been fortunate, however, to get access to the new Fujifilm line of 4K UHD lenses designed for 2/3-inch sensor cameras.

Besides giving us maximum versatility with flexible/quick motorized zooms, we can take advantage of zoom ranges currently not common or achievable with lenses designed for larger sensor cameras. Filming a polar bear at several hundred yards away in the Arctic required an HA42x9.7 lens (plus doubler) to give us the equivalent of a 1600 mm lens in the full sensor world. The optics in these lenses are excellent—providing amazing, crisp images—and the wider zooms are f2.0 at wide open, giving us excellent low-light capabilities.

We sometimes film in tight or dangerous situations, such as shooting from inside helicopters, capturing alligator rescues from drainage ditches, lion collaring (they can wake up early) and more. Recently, we were filming in India on an elephant drive when officials attempted to move elephants from one jungle patch to another, which required our cameraman/DP, Todd Southgate, to be quick and light on his feet. This was especially true when the elephant was charging at us and the whole crew were running for their lives! We used both the Fujinon UA13x4.5 and the UA18x5.5 for this scene. Both of the ultra-wide format lenses came in extremely handy filming the host up close, then suddenly switching to the extreme end of the telephoto range—including doubler—to get amazing closeup shots of elephants in the jungle. Current zooms made for full sensor cameras simply do not have this range or even approach these focal lengths and become too large and heavy to carry on one’s shoulder.

NATURE-PROOF

Even as large sensor cameras dominate the current landscape, these Fujinon lenses created for 2/3-inch format offer maximum range and crisp, high-contrast images in various lighting conditions and very quick shooting situations. The lenses and cameras are light and have no excess cables hanging about to get snagged on bushes. These Fujifilm lenses definitely provide the best combination of high-quality optics and sophisticated zoom controls, all in a weather-sealed, cost-effective package. We will continue to use these amazing Fujinon lenses for our wildlife-adventure productions.

Peter von Puttkamer’s production company, Gryphon Productions Ltd., has created factual programming for Discovery Channel US, Animal Planet, History Channel, BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel Europe/International, TLC, PBS and more for the last 35 years. These programs, created/directed/produced by von Puttkamer, have won more than 80 international awards. He can be reached atgryphonfilms@gmail.com.

For more information, visitfujifilmusa.com.

CHELMSFORD, U.K.—It’s been clear for awhile that manufacturers can now build cameras with more or less any desired resolution, so it’s increasingly difficult to compete on resolution figures. Unless we’re intent on sitting 18 inches from a cinema screen, resolutions beyond 4K, and certainly beyond 8, risk being seen as an attempt to create a marketable bullet point.

In lenses, things are different: an 18:1 zoom has a wider zoom range than a 17:1 zoom, and everyone, especially in the crucible of handheld newsgathering work, quite reasonably wants a lens that covers as much ground as possible. Longer-ranged zoom ranges also mean more difficult engineering, while at the same time, those high-res cameras have begun to demand every drop of sharpness from the lenses they’re used with.

CLEVER ENGINEERING

Two recently-announced competitors in the broadcast lens race are the Fujinon UA46x9.5BERD and Canon’s Digisuper 122, the UJ122x8.2. They’re not competitors with each other, exactly, since the Fujinon is a (reasonably) portable zoom, while the Canon is a big-box lens for studio or OB camerawork.

Nonetheless, nobody will object to the idea that there’s a certain rivalry in play here. The Fujinon 46x9.5 compares in specification to Canon’s CJ45ex9.7, which appeared at the end of 2017. The Canon UJ122x8.2 is less easy to associate with a specific competitor, but Fujinon have been offering a beyond-100x broadcast lens, the 107x8.4, as “the world’s longest zoom ratio” since at least IBC last year.

Free-market economics in action, then.

While it’d probably be quite accurate to see this as a bit of good-natured one-upmanship there’s also a very significant amount of clever engineering going on. We’ve talked about 4K, which matters, but the emergence of high dynamic range imaging also has implications for lenses. Previously, a lens might not have been expected to encounter such huge ranges of light and shadow, at least not with the expectation of a reasonably flare-free image. Now, with HDR, both sharpness and contrast need to be better controlled than would have been OK a while ago. The two things are readily confused–a higher-contrast image generally looks sharper, all else being equal–but the engineering required to achieve both is complex nonetheless.

Both companies make reference to this concern in their literature. Canon, for instance, refer to their “air sphere coating” in literature about the 122x8.2 lens, specifically referring to HDR and wide colour gamut. Fujinon’s brochure for their broadcast lens range, including both portable and box lenses, calls the flagship series “4K Plus Premier,” with the 107x8.4 in the “4K Premier” range. The former is marked in gold text; the latter in silver. Make of that what you will, but it’s clear that at really long zoom ranges there has to be some sort of compromise.

Canon and Fuji are keen to promote the suitability of their lenses for UHD, and even beyond-UHD work. Both organizations are, of course, based in Japan, where the national broadcaster has been pushing 8K for some time. It’s been referred to as “Super Hi-Vision” by NHK and makes some very serious demands on the sharpness of lenses. The broadcaster is to launch an 8K channel in December this year, clearly in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

In a similar vein, Sony announced its 8K UHC-8300 broadcast camera in 2017, which is interesting because it is designed for the same B4-mount lenses as existing broadcast cameras. It uses an optical relay assembly to allow a lens intended for 2/3-inch image sensors to land a picture on the larger 8K chips, but the lenses themselves are the same. There are other 8K cameras, but few or none use conventional broadcast lenses, and so don’t put crews in such a familiar environment.

HOW MUCH LIGHTING IS NEEDED?

Can even the best modern lenses stand this sort of heat? It’s is a difficult thing to evaluate, because there aren’t really any standards for the way zoom lenses are assessed. Metrics such as modulation transfer function, involving a test chart with vertical black and white stripes, are commonly used to test resolution, but there’s no widely-recognized way of applying that sort of test to a zoom where the characteristics change as the controls are manipulated.

Most zooms perform best in the middle of their range of focal lengths and away from the extremes of iris, so that often, more light still make things work better, even now. Still, modern lenses such as the the Fujinon UA46x9.5 and the Canon UJ122x8.2 work better at wider apertures than those of even a few years ago, so we can not only shoot 8K, we can probably do it with less light than we’d have needed for similar results a few years ago.

Both of these lenses have siblings of slightly different configuration–Canon’s UJ111x8.3 is fractionally shorter than the 122x8.2 in maximum reach while being about the same size and weight, but should reasonably be cheaper (none of the lenses discussed here yet have public pricing.) The Fujinon UA46x9.5 is complemented by a longer 46x13.5. Perhaps more important than the raw numbers, though, is the idea that all these modern cameras, with their huge pixel counts, can be paired with more capable lenses than ever before.

Both Canon and Fujinon have respected ranges of cinema zooms which are making for faster, easier work in that field too, to the point where even the most experienced cinematographers can sometimes be persuaded to argue against the inconvenience of primes. The engineering concerns of a cinema lens are at least a little different, but the ability to frame things as we’d choose, with a minimum of compromise and inconvenience, are hard to argue with.

Fujinon has introduced a new version of its XK6x20 zoom (better known as the Cabrio 20-120mm) without the servo drive motor, making it operable as a fully manual, parfocal, cinema zoom lens. The servo drive on other Cabrio Series lenses is interchangeable on the 20-120mm, if the 20-120 is purchased without a drive unit.

Designed to be convertible between the video production and cinema markets, the Cabrio 20-120 features a flat T3.5 from end-to-end, with no ramping. It covers a S35-sized sensor (Super 35 format).Without the servo drive, it can easily accept industry-standard cine motors and matte boxes.

Fujinon says camera and lens support providers are offering solutions to benefit users of the Cabrio 20-120mm without a servo. Among them, Chrosziel and Heden have designed lighter weight servo zoom motor solutions for the 20-120mm.“In reality TV, camera operators often need to hold the camera for 8-10 hours a day. Saving a 20% of the weight of the lens is a big deal to an operator and operator and these lightweight third-party drives integrate seamlessly with Sony’s FS series zoom controllable hand grip.

On the mount side, Duclos Lenses and IBE (Germany) offer EF mount and multi-mount kits for the 20-120mm.

The Cabrio 20-120mm is fit with a nine-blade iris. The zoom’s barrel markings are luminous for visibility in dark shooting situations, and distances are listed in feet or meters.

VALHALLA, N.Y. — NEP Group has stocked its new M-15 4K/IP mobile unit with a complement of new 4K Fujinon 4K UHD lenses, including eight Fujinon UA107x8.4BESM 4K box field lenses, three UA24x7.8BERM 4K UHD lenses, and three UA14x4.5BERD 4K UHD wide-angle lenses.

Now in its final stages of completion, the M-15 is a 4K-capable truck configured to support 4K production, IP delivery, and SMPTE ST 2110 standards, which specify the carriage, synchronization, and description of IP streams for real-time video production and playout.

[Read: What SMPTE-2110 Means For Broadcasters]

Until M-15 is ready to hit the road, the mobile production provider is using the new 4K lenses on its M-5 HD truck to cover Seattle Mariners baseball games for the Root Sports Northwest network. The company claims the new 4K lenses are producing high-quality imagery in combination with the Grass Valley LDK Series 4K UHD camera package available on M-5.

“The cost/performance ratio of the entire Fujinon 4K lens range makes them ideal for this new [M-15 4K production] truck. For now, [they’re] already creating outstanding images of the Mariners games on the M-5,” said Glen Levine, president, NEP U.S. “We always do a thorough cost evaluation, but we will never sacrifice quality to cut costs. These lenses offer great quality while being cost-effective.”

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BOSTON—Talamas, a Boston-based sales and rental house, has purchased a Fujinon Cabrio 25-300mm cine lens, adding to its existing lens inventory, a Fujinon press release said today. The lens is likely to be used in broadcasting and cinema applications, including a cooking show, concerts and multi-cam scenarios in the former instance and for commercials, indie films and TV productions in the latter, the release said.

“The beauty of the Fujinon 25-300mm is that it offers a generous focal range and a lot of control for use in both studio and cine-style configurations,” said Dave Talamas, CEO of Talamas. For live broadcast productions, the lens’s detachable digital servo control is attractive, he added.

The Fujinon 25-300mm is a PL-mount lens with a high zoom ratio offering the versatility to cover a wide range of shooting environments, the release said. It covers the 31.5mm sensor size of digital cinema cameras and has an optional detachable servo drive for electric zooming, focusing and iris.

More information is available on the Fujinon website.

WAYNE, N.J.—The BBC reopened BBC Studioworks’ three studios and post production facility at the U.K.’s Television Centre in September 2017 with a batch of new equipment and technology , including 4K HDR TV lenses from Fujinon.

In total, Fujinon reports that it supplied BBC Studioworks with 22 of its UA-Series 4K HDR TV lenses, in addition to new 4K camera, screens and switchers that will help enable productions to be shot in 4K and HDR.

Productions that have been shot at the new facilities include “The Jonathan Ross Show” and “It Take Two.”

WAYNE, N.J.—As teams got closer to the end zone, ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasts would often bring viewers closer to the action with goal-line close-ups. To so, ESPN worked with Fletcher Sports for the 2017 NFL season, which provided Sony HDC-4800 4K ultra-high frame rate cameras with Fujinon PL 20-120mm Cabrio lenses to capture goal-line plays during game broadcasts.

The combination of the Sony and Fujinon equipment allows Fletcher Sports to use what was once considered a “specialty camera” for live-game production in real time.

“In the past, a lot of 4K and high-frame rate camera systems, once you get up to the ultra-high frame rates, are pretty much there as just a replay tool,” said Ed Andrezjewski, Fletcher Sports program manager. “Now with the camera quality Sony brings and the lens quality Fujinon’s brought on for the 4K cameras, specialty cameras can be cut in live to your regular production.”

High-speed cameras are now being placed at the same level of the main game cameras, which require them to have a wider angle lens. The Fujinon PL 20-120mm Cabrios provided the angle, clarity and speed the broadcast was looking for, enabling camera operators to zoom out to capture every player on the field as well as zoom in to determine if the ball crossed the goal line.

The PL 20-120mm Cabrio lens has a detachable servo drive unit to allow it to be used as a PL lens or an ENG-Style lens. It features flange focal distance adjustment, macro function and is LDS and /I metadata compatible. The lens weighs in at 2.9 kg and features a T stop of T3.5 end-to-end. In addition, it covers a S35-sized sensor; is fitted with a nine-blade iris; and is equipped with all lens data outputs.

ESPN has one more remaining NFL broadcast this season, the AFC Wild Card game between the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 6.

WAYNE, N.J.—Next time you want to tweet at the Optical Devices Division of Fujifilm be sure to use their new Twitter handle @FUJINONlenses. The social media rebrand has been made to Fujifilm’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram as well.

The company says that the change will make it easier for Fujinon customers to find and engage with the company, as it encourages Fujinon lens users to share shots of their gear in action with the new handle and by using the hashtag #FUJINON.

Fujifilm also invites customers to ask question and provide feedback through the social media channels.

WAYNE, N.J.—F&F Productions LLC chose 17 Fujinon 4K UHD lenses to outfit the Sony HDC-4300 4K cameras systems on board the F&F’s first 4K mobile unit. The GTX-18 4K HDR Mobile Unit will have eight UA107x8.4BESM 4K studio lenses, five UA18x5.5BERD 4K portable zooms, three UA14x4.5BERD 4K portable zooms and one UA22x8BERD 4K portable lenses.

The company said the new mobile unit offers a complete 4K experience throughout, giving its clients a one-stop mobile unit that can produce 4K HDR, 1080p HDR, 1080p, 1080i, 720p.

George Orgera, president/CEO, F&F Productions, said it was important that the signal remain native 4K UHD resolution throughout the entire acquisition and distribution process. “These Ultra 4K lenses give us the ability to be true to that decision.

The unit was introduced to F&F clients during an open house July 26 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., ahead of its coverage of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) match.

XA77x9.5BESM

WAYNE, N.J.—Under a new roof for the 2016-2017 NHL season, the Edmonton Oilers welcomed a new lineup of Fujinon lenses for production. Now housed in Rogers Place, the Oilers added six Fujinon lenses, including the HA 14x4.5BERM super wide angle, two XA77x9.5BESM telephoto lenses, a HA18x5.5BERD and two HA18x7.6BERM HA Premier series ENG lenses. All of the lenses are utilized for game day production.

The HA18x5.5BERD lens is used with a Sony HDC-P1 box camera mounted on a dolly track that is hung from the bottom of the arena’s scoreboard. The unit can travel 15 meters along the length of the scoreboard to provide an overhead shot of the game for in-arena video presentation and broadcasts.

The Oilers production team also uses the HA18x7.6BERM and HA14x4.5BERM lenses with handheld Sony cameras for the videoboard show. The cameras shoot game action, fans and interviews. The XA77x9.5BESM lenses with Fujinon MS-21D digital semi-servo controller kits were also used for “hard camera” positions.

WAYNE, N.J.—Boston production teams now have access to the Fujinon Premier PL 20-120mm Carbrio XK zoom lenses courtesy of rental house and reseller Talamas. The Boston-based operation will demo, rent and sell the lenses to clients for ENG-style video and cinema production.

The Cabrio XK weighs in at 2.9 kgs and features a T stop of T3.5 end-to-end, and a 20-120mm focal range. It also comes equipped with a detachable servo drive unit, for use as an ENG-style or PL lens. The Cabrio can cover a S35-sized sensor and is fitted with a nine-blade iris to capture imagery.

According to Fujinon’s press release, Talamas is the first company in New England to carry the Cabrio XK lens.

WAYNE, N.J.—Just to say you were at the 2016 Desert Trip Music Festival, which took place in October in Indio, Calif., would be something to brag about. With performances from The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters and The Who, fans came from around the world for the event. But it was NEP’s job as the mobile production provider to make sure all those attendees got to see some of the action, and utilized several Fujinon 4K lenses to do it.

NEP had 14 cameras during the production, 10 of which used 4K lenses. Of those, seven were from Fujinon. Fujinon supplied two UA107x8.4 4K UHD lenses, three UA22x8 lenses, and one each of the UA80x9 4K 2/3-inch lenses and UA13x4.5 4K 2/3-inch UHD portable zooms. The footage from these cameras was then transmitted to NEP’s Screenworks display screens.

The lenses were used on cameras positioned at center house, center tower, off stage right, on the event stage, and on a jib device.

ENGLEWOOD, COLO.—Since Mobile TV Group started in 1994 as Mountain Mobile TV, our focus has been on regional sports production. Starting with the Denver Nuggets, we now provide mobile unit services to networks that telecast about 50 percent of all NBA, NHL and MLB teams. We recently added a number of national events, college sports and entertainment events, totaling more than 4,000 events a year.

MTVG launched the “dual feed” concept which enabled home and visiting HD production crews to use the same mobile truck. That approach has evolved into a “side-by-side dual feed” where home and visiting crews work in separate trailers but from a central set of electronics.

STOCKING UP

MTVg added Fujinon’s UA107x8.4 lenses to its 39Flex and 40hDX production trucks. With an extensive area of coverage and busy customers, we outfit new trucks fairly frequently. After purchasing 12 Fujinon lenses this past spring, we just added two UA107x8.4 (UA107x) 4K UHD lenses to our 39 Flex 4K mobile unit and 13 Fujinon HD lenses to our newest 40HDX HD production truck, set to launch in late September. We’re particularly excited to have the first UA107x in the United States.

Our new 40HDX truck has three XA99x8.4 BESM-T ultra-wide field production lenses, six XA77x9.5BESM telephoto field lenses, two ZA17x7.6BERD telephoto remote control lenses with 2x extender, and two HA18x5.5BERD wide-angle zoom lenses with 2x extender. Lenses on 40HDX are matched with Grass Valley LDX cameras.

While 39 Flex was built to take a big step forward in 4K production, 40HDX is an addition to our more traditional high definition fleet—albeit a highly advanced unit with four super slo-mo cameras and replay. Our clients expect us to provide new mobile units on a regular basis, allowing us to retire older trucks. The decision to add Fujinon lenses to 40HDX was based on our excellent experience with the Fujinon lenses on 39 Flex.

ON THE BIG STAGE

40HDX’s primary assignment will be to serve Fox Sports Florida in its game-day coverage of the Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Orlando Magic.

MTVG’s 39 Flex has already been on the road, covering a wide variety of live events, including the Masters, major concerts, beach volleyball championships, and more. With the UA107x lens, 39 Flex recently covered the 2016 PGA Championship, which took place from at the Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., last month.

With an f stop of 1.7 and a focal length of 8.4 to 900mm, we had to have the UA107x on our super busy 39 Flex; we know it’ll take our clients’ 4K productions to the next level. The optical quality across the zoom range is beyond anything I’ve seen. Any of our customers familiar with the Fujinon UA80x and XA99x field lenses will feel at home with the UA107x. It has all of the same digital features.

At MTVG, we’re known for our technical innovation and customer service. This latest addition of top-of-the-line Fujinon lenses for our two newest mobile units is proof of our commitment to both.

Phil Garvin is the president, founder, and co-owner of the MTVG. He’s also the president of Colorado Studios and the co-founder, general manager and COO of HDNet. In 2001 Garvin joined with Mark Cuban to create HDNet and, subsequently, HDNet Movies. Garvin manages the networks’ day-to-day operations and oversees its relationships with sports leagues, outside production companies, and cable and satellite distributors. He can be reached atpgarvin@coloradostudios.com, or by calling 720-573-6561.

For more information, please visitwww.fujifilmusa.com/northamericaor call 973-633-5600.

WAYNE, N.J.— Denver-based firm Mobile TV Group has added two UA107x8.4 4K UHD lenses onto its 39 Flex 4K mobile unit, and 13 Fujinon HD lenses to its newest 40HDX HD production truck, set to launch late next month. This recent selection marks the first delivery in the U.S. of the UA107x lens, introduced this past April at the NAB show in Las Vegas, and follows a purchase of 12 Fujinon lenses in the spring.

The new 40HDX is outfitted with three XA99x8.4 BESM-T ultra-wide field production lenses, six XA77x9.5BESM telephoto field lenses, two ZA17x7.6BERD telephoto lenses with 2X extender, and two HA18x5.5BERD wide-angle zoom lenses with 2X extender. Lenses on 40HDX are matched with Grass Valley LDX cameras.

While 39 Flex was built for 4K production, 40HDX is an addition to MTVG’s more traditional HD fleet and is equipped with four Super Slo-mo cameras and replay, said Philip Garvin, general manager of MTVG and Colorado Studios: “Our clients expect us to provide new mobile units on a regular basis, allowing us to retire older trucks. The decision to add Fujinon lenses to 40HDX was based on our excellent experience with the Fujinon lenses on 39 Flex.”

40HDX’s primary assignment will be to serve Fox Sports Florida in its game-day coverage of the Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Orlando Magic.

39 Flex has been on the road since its launch last March covering a wide variety of live events, including: several golf tournaments such as the Masters, the PGA Championships, major concerts, beach volleyball championships, and much more. The 39 Flex, with the UA107x lens, is covering the 2016 PGA Championship, starting July 28th at the Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ.

WAYNE, N.J.—After premiering its new 4K lens for UHD broadcasts at April’s 2016 NAB Show, Fujinon has announced that the UA107x8.4 has been put into rotation by Montreal-based production and rental house Video MTL, as well as its Toronto location, Dazmo Camera. The company purchased two 107xs, as well as a UA22x8 portable zoom lens for next generation 2/3-inch UHD cameras, and will use them as a standard feature in Video MTL and Dazmo Camera’s production trucks with Sony HDC4300 4K/HD cameras.

The 107x lens provides 4K optical quality across the entire zoom focal range, according to Fujinon. Engineered using Fujifilm’s optical simulation software, the lens has a multi-group zoom system that suppresses image distortion to keep images consistent. Meanwhile, the UA22x8 lens features a 22x zoom ratio and a focal length of 8mm in wide angle to 176mm in telephoto.

Thus far, the 107x lens has been used by production company La Grosse Fabrique for a Netflix France shoot of comedian Gad Elmaleh. A collaborative production between Le Groupe TVA, les Productions Déferlantes and La Voix Télévision also used the lens for “La Voix Junior.”

SOMEWHERE, TO BE SURE—Felicitazioni! The new year is about to begin; your equipment budget’s been planned, and now you’re stressed out about parting company with all that cash. Pretty pictures—that’s the mandate from production. Better choose wisely, or your salary gets used to rent the kind of gear you shoulda bought!

Fear not, my phobic friend, and take a tip from ol’ Uncle Mario: Don’t sweat the camera; go for the glass.

Face it… it’s almost 2016. There are plenty of great cameras with giant chips and more creature-features than a ’68 Caddy. Odds are, no matter what you buy, you’ll own something that beats the pants off 99 percent of all cameras ever made. You can’t go wrong, no matter what you buy.

But your new cine-super-camera-ultra-whizbang toy ain’t gonna look like much without some gorgeous glass. The lens, that last analog interface between photon and pixel, is the place where the magic happens, and it’s the wrong neighborhood for pinchin’ pennies.

LENSES IN THE LIMELIGHT
Readers over a certain age will recall a time before high definition when two technology curves crossed: the cost of high-end, standard-definition broadcast television cameras, and costs for the broadcast-optimized lenses that got stuck onto the fronts of these cameras. Ol’ Mario can see it as if it were yesterday… a price quote from Uncle Sony for a $24,000 Betacam head, attached to a second quote for a $25,000 lens. That was a bit of a flip for us. We were used to the fancy-pants camera head costing plenty, but the lens… isn’t that just an accessory?

Get with it, grandpa. They’re not accessories—they’re the stars of the show! And the venerable B4-mount lens, staple of the broadcast industry, is just one of the many optical performers you’ll need to own. Based on your business and your equipment locker, it’s fairly likely you need everything from old SLR lenses to cinema primes, manual zooms and beyond… way, way beyond.

Part of the challenge comes in selecting your kit, choosing the full complement of focal lengths required to cover any scene. You’ll do that while balancing a bunch o’ factors—think of ’em as “multipliers,” ’cause that’s what they do to the price list. Factors include basics like the prestige and cachet of a famous German or Japanese pedigree (gotta have the best, right?). How about a zoom that bridges several of those focal lengths, so you’re not swappin’ ’n’ droppin’ in the middle of the shoot?

Then there’s the question of mounting flanges and adapters, trying desperately to bridge all the proprietary mounts and quasi-standards around your shop, so that you don’t wind up with five matching sets, one for each flange.

THE “F” WITH NO STOPS
But the biggest black hole in which to throw money is the black hole in the center of the lens itself, the aperture. How fast is fast? How sensitive can a lens actually be? The number after the little “ƒ,” signifying the widest aperture on the lens, is the to-die-for statistic; lowest is best! Many a soul has pried open the gates of debtors’ prison in search of an ever-lower number… it’s that kind of obsession. A wonderful German 50mm prime, for instance, with an ƒ4.9 rating is relegated to bright daytime shooting, maybe nature films, while an off-brand Japanese lens of the same focal length, but sporting an ƒ1.6 rating, is treasured and revered above all others for moody, dingy, short-focus work. And the pricing follows suit.

After years of watching shooters mixing and matching oddball formats and focal lengths, premier lens designers have stepped into the fray with “gold standard” models. That means you need to own plenty of gold to purchase the standard model.

Fujinon 19-90 Cabrio lens

But what price perfection? Here’s a clue: Fujinon’s 19–90mm Cambrio lens boasts a molto bello ƒ2.9 aperture—impressive for a zoom—and a gorgeous nine-blade iris; and includes a detachable sidemount zoom servo, reminiscent of old-school TV lenses. The cost? About five times the price of Sony’s newest 4K cine cameras, or $42,000. And they come with lenses.

As my old compadre used to scold me, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. And thanks to a recent boom in affordable lens rental businesses, you don’t necessarily have to… with a little forethought and planning, you can pick and choose the right set of lenses for a specific project without breaking the bank. And you’ll be makin’ pretty pictures, just like they told you, without dippin’ into next month’s salary.

Mario Orazio is the pseudonym of a well-known television engineer who wishes to remain anonymous. E-mail him or her atmorazio@nbmedia.com.

NEW YORK—In my opinion, the two most important elements in the capturing of a digital image are the sensor and the lens. The glass out in front allows the light rays to fall on the sensor. It seems so logical— the better your lens, the higher quality your image.

Having shot images for 35 years, I have always tried to use the best lenses available. This has been even more critical now that we are shooting in higher resolutions, 4K and beyond. When the industry moved from standard definition to HD, the most important aspect seemed to be “check your focus.” As resolutions increase, so does the need to keep things in crystal clarity. With 4K being approximately twice as sharp as HD, that need becomes even more evident.

As our industry moves into 4K technology with gear from the likes of Blackmagic Design, Canon, and RED, do our lenses need to move beyond what we have been using with HD? Our Canon, Zeiss, and Fujinon lens are fast, versatile, and sharp, but can these same lenses truly bring out all of the detail in the 4K–6K image?

Bulgarian actress Gabriela Kostadinova works against a green screen in the DeSales University TV studio. The background will be a dusty attic, added in post.ARE THEY WORTH THE EXPENSE?
To test this theory, I recently tried four Cinema Series lenses using three 4K cameras (Canon EOS C500, Blackmagic Cinema, and AJA CION). There are several manufacturers (Canon, Zeiss, Schneider, Leica, etc.) available and our cameras came with two choices of lens mounts: EF or PL. The AJA CION has a PL mount and our other cameras were all EF.

The first three Cinema Series lens were all Canon Primes: CN-E 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm T1.5 EF mount lenses. These were just the lenses I used and are indicative of what other manufacturers offer. Some of the selling points for me were that all three lenses were the same front diameter, lens cap size, optical design, and filter size. The second element was the “T” stop, which was very fast. A T-stop measures the true amount of illumination falling on the sensor. These lenses had a 1.5 T-stop that needed to be adjusted manually, giving the shooter more control over the aperture. Most lenses do not allow you to manually adjust the aperture and with cameras like the CION, manual lenses must be used unless you purchase an optional device. The 11-blade diaphragm is stepless and allows greater control of precise settings.

One of the features I truly appreciate is the 300-degree rotation of the focus. Lenses usually allow you to make adjustments on the focus ring but even when infinity is reached, the barrel keeps turning. Cinema lenses stop at infinity and focus as close as one foot (with the 24mm, the other lenses need to be slightly farther away). The distance markings on the lens also allow a focus puller the option of seeing the distance measurement for more accurate focus points.

Lastly, the old adage that prime lenses are sharper because of fewer elements is still true, but I doubt the human eye could see those nuances. Cinema lenses are not cheap, usually costing in the five thousand dollar range or above. But does it make the image any better?

BEYOND SENSOR CAPABILITIES
Shooting consistently with the three primes in 4K, I believe the image looked incredible; it seemed as if I got a slightly sharper image because of the lens. The habit of magnifying the image, opening the T-stop, focusing on the talent’s eyes, measuring the distance to ensure the lens’s accuracy, and being able to follow focus more precisely were all positive factors for the lens. With each of the three primes, the follow focus attachment did not have to be adjusted for each lens (one setting works for all three), saving time in the process.

Dianna’s Cortorreal, a freshman enrolled in TV/Film studies at DeSales University, uses the Canon EOS 300 with a Canon Cinema Series 85mm Prime T1.5 lens to shoot a 1963 Studebaker Avanti. Switching to a PL mount, I mounted the Canon CN-E 14.5mm–60mm T2.6 zoom to my camera. The zoom obviously offers greater control without changing lenses, but it comes at a price—more than $40,000. The images still looked stellar, but I had a much heavier, wider and not as telephoto lens.

So the question still stands: are Cinema Series lens better and worth the investment? From a shooter’s point of view, I would say the answer is yes. You will not notice a night and day difference in the image quality, but my middle-aged eyes do see a slight difference.

The more important factor to me is how we get that image. The user has more control of the aperture allowing him or her to open the lens to permit more light onto the sensor. Having footage markings on the lens barrel and a precise start and stop makes focusing easier for the operator and focus puller. Probably the most critical feature of a Cinema Series lens is that you want the crisp, sharp focus at all times when rolling the focus. With professionals working on the camera crew, ask any assistant camera person why he or she prefers a Cinema lens. The answer would consistently be that precise lens markings make their job that much easier.

With focus being even more critical in the 4K realm, who doesn’t want the sharpest image to pull out all the detail from the sensor? You will still get great detail because of the sensor, but getting to that end result is much easier with a Cinema lens.

Try renting one for a shoot and see if it is an improvement over your other lenses. I am sure you’ll see the light.

Chuck Gloman is an Associate Professor and Chair of the TV/Film Department at DeSales University. He may be reachedchuck.gloman@desales.edu.

WAYNE, N.J.—While many TV shows have gone to a more cinematic approach for shooting, BET’s new program “Zoe Ever After” chose to go old school, shooting in a single-camera studio style. To do so, director of photography Bill Sheehy utilized three Fujinon 4K Cabrio PL-mount lenses on Sony F55 large-format cameras for filming. Combining the three Sony cameras with the Fujinon lenses—25-300mm Cabrio, 19-90mm Cabrio and 14-35mm Cabrio—the show is still able to deliver a single-camera look.

Filming of "Zoe Ever After"

Designed with proprietary optical simulation software, all Cabrio lenses offer strong optical performance in the center of the image and the corners of the frame. The digital servo’s 16-bit encoding makes sure all lens data output is accurate. The zooms support Lens Data System and /i Technology metadata formats.

The 25-300mm lens has a detachable servo drive for remote control of zoom, focus and iris adjustment, providing no need for rod-mounted motors. The 19-90mm and 14-35mm lenses are used with SS-13 servo rear lens controller kits.

“Zoe Ever After” is set to premiere on BET in January.

WAYNE, N.J.—Producing numerous reality, documentary and historical programs for TV networks, Leftfield Entertainment has recently relied on Fujinon’s Cabrio PL lenses to help capture the content.

DP Dave Frederick and Audio Supervisor Peter Redding on location with Cabrio 19-90mm and Sony F55 during "Football Town: Barrow, Alaska" shoot.

Shows that are utilizing the Cabrio lenses includes History Channel shows like “Pawn Stars,” “Counting Cars,” “Alone,” and “American Restoration,” as well as WE TV show “Cutting It: In the ATL.” Able to withstand harsh weather conditions, the Cabrio lenses were also used for the production of “Football Town: Barrow, Alaska.” The lenses were also used for the upcoming “Tiny House” series on the FYI channel, which is set to premiere Nov. 21.

Fujinon is part of the optical devices division of Fujifilm, which provides optical lenses for the broadcast, cinematography, closed circuit television, videography and industrial markets.

WAYNE, N.J.—Fujinon’s Optical Devices division has announced that it will showcase its new 4K UHD series at the upcoming CCW 2015 show, including its 25-300mm Cabrio zoom lens with detachable drive unit.

PL 25-300mm Cabrio zoom lens

The 4K Premier PL 25-300mm Cabrio zoom lens is the latest in Fujinon’s Cabrio series. It features an optional, detachable servo unit for remote control of the zoom, focus and iris adjustment. It is capable of providing quick and smooth zooms, reframing, focus and iris controls.

More of Fujinon’s 4K UHD series of products will also be on display, including the UA80X9 field lens and the UA22x8 portable zoom. Each are designed for broadcast applications and are compatible with 4K 2/3-inch broadcast cameras and come standard with a 16-bit encoder capable of high-resolution output of lens data.

To find out more, visit Fujinon at booth 1454 and 1456 during CCW 2015, which takes place in New York from Nov. 11-12.

WAYNE, N.J. – After premiering at the 2015 NAB Show back in April, Fujinon has announced that the first two lenses in the 4K Ultra HD series, the UA22x8 and UA80x9, are now available for shipping.

UA22x9

A portable zoom lens, the UA22x8 features a 22x zoom ratio and a focal length from 8mm in wide angle to 176mm in telephoto. Its floating focus system controls multiple lens groups according to the shooting distance and delivers high image quality and high contrast images from close-up to infinity. A 16-bit encoder comes standard. The lens can also be linked with other systems, including virtual studio systems when combining CG images with live action footage.

The UA80x9 is a field lens designed for large-scale live events, with the ability to cover focal lengths from 9mm in wide angle to 720mm in telephoto. The lens uses proprietary optical simulation software, comes with a 16-bit encoder, and can link with other systems, similar to the UA22x8.

Fujifilm applies High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating to the lenses for enhanced transmission and color reproduction. An optical stabilization mechanism also comes standard.

WAYNE, N.J. – Fujinon lenses are helping Manehim, Pa.-based church Lives Change by Christ broadcast HD services to multiple satellite locations across central Pennsylvania, where more than half of the church’s attendees view services, according to Sean McDermott, LCBC production manager. The house of worship acquired two Fujinon XA55x9.5 BESM 2/3-inch studio/field zoom lenses and one XA22x7BES compact studio lens to be used with its Ikegami HDK-95C cameras.

XA55x9.5 BESM

The XA55x9.5 zoom lens has a focal length from 9.5 to 525mm. It comes with a built-in lens support bracket for mounting on an ENG-style camera, optical image stabilization and a 16-bit encoder in order to combine CGI and live images.

The XA22x7BES is a compact studio lens designed for ENG-style cameras and features a wide-angle, high optical quality. It comes standard with a support bracket, RS-232 port for robotics, and remotely controlled 2x range extender.

Fujifilm North America distributes Fujinon lenses out of its Wayne, N.J. location.