Fujifilm Launches New Line Of E-Mount Cine Lenses
Not entirely surprisingly Fujifilm has decided to venture into making a range of lower-priced cinematography lenses for Sony’s E Mount which is used by both the latter’s mirrorless cameras and a range of semi-pro video camcorders.
Designed for the ‘APS-C’ and ‘Super 35’ formats, the new Fujinon MK lens line starts with an 18-55mm T2.9 standard zoom which will be followed by a 50-135mm T2.9 telezoom later in the year. Sensibly too, the MK cinematography lenses will also be available in Fujifilm’s own X Mount for use on mirrorless cameras such as the X-T2. They’re primarily designed as a more compact, lighter weight and affordable alternative to pro-grade cinema lenses, but without compromising durability or optical performance, including edge-to-edge sharpness and low distortion. Additionally, the MK zooms have optical and mechanical designs optimised for video applications so they don’t suffer from the focus shift or optical axis shift characteristics of zoom lenses primarily designed for still photography. This is achieved by driving the front focusing group and zooming group independently. Three control rings allow for the manual adjustment of focus, zoom and iris, all with a very fine gear pitch. The iris collar also offers stepless control for the smoother adjustment of exposures. The 18-55mm focuses down to 38 centimetres and the 50-135mm down to 85 centimetres.
Both MK models share the same filter size fitting of 82 mm and can share the same matte box (i.e. with an 85 mm front fitting), and the control ring gears are positioned in the same locations along the barrels so rigs don’t need to be reconfigured when changing lenses.