Mobile TV Group Adds 13 FUJINON Lenses to New 40HDX, Two 4K Lenses to 39 Flex
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Fresh on the heels of a purchase of 12 FUJINON lenses this spring, Denver-based firm Mobile TV Group (MTVG) has added two UA107x8.4 (UA107x) 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.
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 to take a big step forward in 4K production, 40HDX is an addition to MTVG’s more traditional high definition fleet – albeit a highly advanced unit with four Super Slo-mo cameras and replay, says Philip Garvin, GM 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.
“Considering their role as a technically progressive leader in our industry, we’re thrilled to have our lenses on board the new 40HDX as part of MTVG’s latest mobile unit,” says Shingo Harada, FUJIFILM North America, Division President, Optical Devices and Electronic Imaging Divisions. “They are always ahead of the pack in terms of advanced production techniques. The company’s 39 Flex was the first mobile unit built from the ground up for 4K live sports production.”
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.
“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,” says Garvin. “It will take our clients’ 4K productions to the next level. The optical quality across the zoom range is beyond anything I’ve seen. And any of our customers familiar with the FUJINON UA80x and XA99x field lenses will feel at home with the UA107x. It has all the same digital features.”
The UA107x is the longest and widest 4K lens created for Ultra HD (UHD) broadcast applications. “This lens has a multi-group zoom system that suppresses image distortion and ensures that 4K UHD images captured remain consistent and accurate from center to corner, making the UA107x a solid choice to complement today’s 4K 2/3” UHD cameras,” says Thom Calabro, Director, Marketing and Product Development, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division. “The lens’ refined optical quality has been engineered using our latest optical simulation software, which was used to model the UA107’s large diameter aspherical elements. In short, the UA107x produces images that are sure to impress.”
