New Fujinon Box Lens Offers Highest Magnification/Telephoto Combo to Date

Fujifilm North America has rolled out a box-style lens offering the highest combination of magnification and telephoto reach available in a box-type lens with a sensor larger than a super 35mm sensor. The Fujinon HZK25-1,000mm (also referred to as the HZK25-1,000) f-2.8 to f-5.0 PL-mount box lens  features a native PL mount and achieves a zoom ratio of 40X with a telephoto focal length of 1,000mm.

The Fujinon HZK25-1,000mm lens will be available next spring.

“In actively observing and gathering feedback from professionals in the emerging world of cinema-size imagers in live production, we identified a very clear customer desire for a long cinema lens to facilitate capture quality of a live show,” says Stosh Durbacz, national sales manager, Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm North America. “With a pedigree that hails from the highly respected Fujinon Premier Series, HZK25-1000 provides production with unmatched flexibility and reach while maximizing the highly sought-after cinema look to live audiences.”

The HZK25-1000 deploys a dual-format system supporting two single-sensor sizes: a camera with a sensor equivalent to the large-format size (covering a 41.3mm diagonal sensor in the entire zoom range) and a traditional super 35mm sensor. Use of the newly developed 1.5X expander shifts the focal length of the telephoto side, enabling super-telephoto image capture of 1500mm, with the image circle enlarged 1.5 times while maximum optical performance is maintained. The focal length is then shifted 1.5 times toward the telephoto side, covering a sensor size 1.5 times larger than the magnification ratio.

Additionally, when the lens is paired with a large-format sensor, operators can shoot with a field of view equivalent to that of a super 35mm sensor while maintaining maximum optical performance, providing a true dual-format lens. HZK25-1000 enables shooting with the same field of view in both large format and super 35mm formats and produces rich image expression by taking advantage of the camera’s cinematic look.

Digital cinema cameras with image sensors larger than existing B4-mount cameras are increasingly used in sports and live event broadcasting. Use of large-sensor cameras enables expression of immersive images by offering smooth bokeh and high dynamic range for live broadcasting. Although traditional lenses for single-sensor cameras may be optimal for filming movies and commercials, the zoom ratio is considerably lower than that of a B4-mount lens, and lens characteristics in zooming and focusing are different from those of lenses used in live broadcasting.

To address this, HZK25-1000 uses optical design technology to achieve a maximum aperture of f-2.8 and 40X zoom ratio. With an ultra-high zoom ratio, the lens is compatible with the large sensors of digital cinema cameras yet provides a brightness of f-2.8 at the wide angle. Not only does it enable filming in low-light environments, such as indoor concerts or nighttime events, but the shallow depth of field also provides the advantage of beautiful bokeh, bringing a cinematic look to live event production.

Fujifilm’s proprietary optical technology suppresses aberrations with a large-aperture aspherical lens and a fluorite lens that have been precisely polished. Eliminating unnecessary ghosting, flare, and color fringe, the lens delivers high optical performance and natural image expression.

The bokeh effect is controlled through repeated simulations using the proprietary optical-design application FOCUS (Fujifilm Optical Class Library and Utilities System), which determines optimal glass materials from the infinite combination of possibilities. The texture of each layer in the out-of-focus area is verified to achieve a bokeh that softens and naturally melts the background. Furthermore, camera operators can operate the lens in a setup specialized for live broadcasting, since existing Fujinon box-lens accessories can be used in support of multi-camera operation. Wireless controllers from Preston Cinema and ARRI are compatible with HZK25-1000 and can also be connected.

The lens is the first commercially available box-type zoom lens compatible with large sensors equipped with optical image stabilization, enabling stable shooting while precisely compensating for vibrations in the venue. The latest anti-vibration mechanism and firmware uses Fujifilm’s ceramic-ball roller system: not only does this mechanism provide a high level of anti-vibration performance against shaking caused by footholds and wind, but it also suppresses shaking of the hands to ensure stable image capture.

In addition to stabilization, HZK25-1000 features all the latest technological advances now standard in most of Fujifilm’s Fujinon broadcast lenses, including Automatic Restoration of Illumination Attenuation (ARIA), remote back-focus, and automatic chromatic-aberration correction.