Bexel Expands Inventory, Invests in Fujinon Cabrio Lenses

Bexel, a unit of the Vitec Group’s Services Division and a leading worldwide provider of broadcast services and solutions, has announced the purchase of 28 Cabrio PL Cine Lenses from Fujifilm, a leading global manufacturer of optical devices. The major investment, totaling more than 1.5 million dollars, brings Bexel’s current inventory of Fujinon Cabrio Lenses to a total of 40.

Tom Dickinson, CTO of Bexel, says, “Bexel is very pleased to expand its inventory of Cabrio Lenses. We made our initial purchase after NAB 2014, and we now have a continuing investment plan with Fujinon. Our major investment in 4K lensing in the full-sensor image market is an important part of Bexel’s overall 4K strategy, which we plan to expand to include 2/3-inch 4K UHD lenses later this year. We are looking forward to seeing what Fujinon will be releasing at NAB in April.”

Bexel now has 25 19-90mm Cabrio Lenses (ZK4.7×19), 12 85-300mm Cabrio Lenses (ZK3.5×85), and three wide angle14-35mm Cabrio Lenses (ZK2.5×14) in inventory. The Fujinon lenses feature a detachable servo drive unit, making it suitable for use as a standard PL lens or as an ENG-style lens. “Fujinon is so well known for their lenses in the video market; it simply made sense for them to develop a 35mm image lens that is high quality, lightweight and flexible,” notes Dickinson. “At Bexel, we understand that videographers are expanding into the 4K space, and we’re building the infrastructure needed to support them. The Cabrio Lenses have ENG-style shooting features and will auto-calibrate without the use of special tools, so our customers are very comfortable working with them. They are a perfect complement to our long-term 4K strategy.”

Gordon Tubbs, Vice President of Broadcast and Communications Products for Fujifilm North America, comments, “With their vast experience and forward-looking perspective, Bexel has a very clear understanding of what is needed now and what will be expected in the future to support the work of their amazing clients.  We are delighted Bexel has made such a significant investment in our Cabrio Lenses and look forward to our continuing relationship with them. We’re very proud of the Cabrio series, and we know these lenses will become an important part of Bexel’s arsenal of tools.”

Bexel’s expanding inventory of Fujinon Cabrio Lenses is being used primarily to support the documentary and reality television markets. “It is remarkable how fast these sectors are changing,” concludes Dickinson. “We’ve seen a marked shift in these areas from standard 2/3-inch HD cameras to single-image cameras. As these markets evolve to full-sensor imaging, Bexel continues to remain a step ahead, providing the same high level of service, solutions and equipment that our customers have come to expect from us. The Fujinon Cabrio Lenses are an important part of that strategy, and even with the inventory we have now, we’re still working to keep up with orders.”