Legendary Fisherman Bill Dance Reels in Viewers Using FUJINON HD Lenses

When America’s best-known professional fisherman Bill Dance demonstrates his magic touch to TV viewers, his production crew captures the moment with super wide angle lenses from the Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM North America Corporation. A television fixture since 1968, Dance’s trademark is his ability to entertain his audience, while he teaches them how they too can land the big fish. His shows, Bill Dance Outdoors and Bill Dance Saltwater, reach a combined total of over 200 million households airing on the NBC Sports Network, Discovery’s Destination America, and the Outdoors Channel.

Dance’s production team has used FUJINON lenses since 2008, but this year expanded their inventory with the purchase of two ZA12x4.5 BERM ENG/EFP lenses from Universal Media Services of Pensacola, Florida for use on their Sony HD cameras. Shane Bell, producer and editor for “Bill Dance Outdoor,” said, “For each half-hour show, our three-man camera crew spends up to four days fishing and filming from sunup to sundown in conditions that can include saltwater spray and harsh glare off the water. But the quality of the glass used in these lenses really helps us get great footage even with low-light or high-contrast conditions.”

The FUJINON ZA12x4.5BERM is a 2/3″ ENG-style Select Series Super Wide Angle ENG/EFP lens featuring a 2X range extender, DigiPower servo for highly accurate zoom and focus control, and Quick Zoom for rapid focus checks in the telephoto position. Their super wide angle allows the team to include both Bill and his guest fishermen in the same frame, while the quick zoom capability lets them capture the battle between fish and angler from the first strike to the moment Bill hauls his catches aboard. Bell explained, “With these lenses, we’ve been able to deliver captivating content that makes viewers feel as if they’ve climbed aboard for the fishing expedition.”

He continued, “These are also very robust lenses. We have absolute confidence that they will hold up to the rigors of our type of outdoor field production. The field crew has given the new lenses rave reviews, and the price point was also very appealing. For us, it’s an ideal combination. I would recommend FUJINON lenses without hesitation.”