Earlier this year FUJINON introduced a new line of affordable E-Mount Cine Zooms made for documentary-style shooters. Here’s our FUJINON MK 50-135mm Review, where we take a look at the second of the two complimentary zoom lenses from FUJINON . Featuring a non-breathing focus mechanism, par focal design and fully-geared focus, iris and zoom, I took this lens for a spin, after having already reviewed its little brother – the MK 18-55mm T/2.9 – earlier this year. FUJINON MK 50-135mm Review I tested the FUJINON MK 50-135mm over the course of several days and, while at first I was hesitant, I really enjoyed working with the lens after I had gotten the hang of it and seen the footage. Together, the FUJINON MK 18-55 T/2.9 and the new FUJINON MK 50-135mm T/2.9 cover a good focal range: 18mm to 135mm. I recently tested the Sony 18-110mm cine style lens which is also a good alternative to the FUJINONs if you don’t want to carry two lenses and if you don’t mind that a lot Sony’s science is done electronically. Of course, the Sony lens is missing the 110-135 range, which admittedly will not be a huge tradeoff for many. The MKs are all-manual and in comparison to the Sony they also feature a constant aperture of T/2.9. This is great, especially because to me it seemed like they do look good wide open. Optical Quality 400% crop, upper right hand side corner. This is where the Fujinon performed “worst”. Even though the Sony looks better, with its electronic compensation, the Fujinon isn’t bad at all, exhiubiting almost no chromatic aberration. In the shot above you can see the FUJINON MK 50-135mm T/2.9 on the left and the Sony 18-110mm F/4.0 on the right. This is the upper right-hand corner of a 4K image at a size of 400%. You can see that the FUJINON is slightly softer and the Sony is pretty sharp and clean with its electronic camera/lens compensation. However, the FUJINON still has a good image in 4K, minimal chromatic aberration and very little distortion. It’s a good lens. Operation On the FUJINON MK 50-135 there are industry-standard pitch gears on focus, zoom and iris. It also features a macro mode and a way to adjust back focus manually directly on the lens. This assures that focus remains constant when you zoom in and out. The focus throw is about 200° and the focus adjustment is rather stiff. This is fine when you’re using remote focus accessories, but if you’re a single operator then you should know that 200° is a lot and you might have a hard time focusing from one end to the other without a follow focus. Also, make sure you get a lens support with the MK 50-135mm, as otherwise your shots will shake while you focus. Zacuto made one specifically for the Fujinon MK lenses! It’s called Zacuto Scissor Lens Support. Another nice touch is that both lenses have the same weight, size and front diameter, which can be very helpful when working on a rig and exchanging lenses, or even when swapping the lenses on a gimbal or drone, so you don’t have to rebalance. Conclusion The FUJINON MK 50-135mm T/2.9 is a great all-round lens. It offers good optical quality and has a lightweight design and an affordable price for a cine zoom lens. For the entry-level filmmaker it will not be cheap, but in the context of cine zoom lenses there’s certainly nothing comparable right now. I would certainly recommend this lens, together with its little brother the MK 18-55mm. It’s a very good kit for documentary-style shooters, and currently there are not many other options out there that give you the same kind of video features on Sony cameras like the FS7, FS5 or even the Sony a6500. Unfortunately, this lens is only available for Sony E-mount. With the recent announcement of the Panasonic EVA1 and the Canon C200, it is a pity that the FUJINON MK lenses are not available for Canon EF right now. Let’s see if this will change in the future. The images in this review were shot with the FUJINON MK 50-135mm lens on a Sony a6300 camera.

Cine Gear Expo 2017 is just kicking off, and FUJINON have started us off with a nice chunky price cut on the versatile FUJINON Cabrio XK6x20 20-120mm T3.5. Announced back in April of 2016, the FUJINON Cabrio XK6x20 20-120mm T3.5 is a cine zoom for Super 35mm that offers a very versatile focal range and decent maximum aperture, making it an ideal solution for documentaries and other fast-paced productions. The limited price drop is valid until the 31st July 2017, and will — at least according to European prices — see a significant reduction of a couple of thousand Euros. The current price tag on the FUJINON Cabrio XK6x20 20-120mm T3.5 sits around the €16,000 mark for the lens-only version without the Digital Drive Unit for servo control. After the price drop, however, the FUJINON Cabrio XK6x20 20-120mm T3.5 will set you back €13,000 for the version WITH the Digital Drive Unit, and only €10,500 for the lens-only version. Other similar offerings in the market are the ZEISS LWZ.3 21-100mm T2.9-3.9 around the €10k mark, or the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 at around half of that. All three lenses have their compromises — namely in terms of price, aperture and focal range — so it’s not an easy choice, but this price reduction certainly helps to level the playing field, at least until the price drop expires in a couple of months. Does this price drop make the FUJINON Cabrio XK6x20 20-120mm T3.5 a potential new candidate for your lens kit? Let us know in the comments!

At this year’s NAB, we had a little chat with FUJIFILM’s general manager Toshihisa (Toshi) Lida about their current product range, and especially about their plans regarding video-related cameras. Let’s see what they have in store for us filmmakers. State of Play FUJIFILM clearly wants to take aim at the cinema market. With the introduction of their FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 manual zoom lens (you can read our review of that lens here) they followed the concept of developing a product as compact and lightweight as possible. This meant making a few compromises. Firstly, they choose to limit the mount options to X-mount end E-mount only, as they require a very small flange distance. The chances of an EF mount version becoming available in the near future therefore seem to be very small, but who knows? FUJIFILM also seem to be very aware of their customers’ needs and wishes. The FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 X-mount manual zoom lens at NAB 2017 Delivering a compact product at an affordable price also means that the lens is currently a fully-manual device without any electronic connections. For now, this means no data flow between lens and camera, although FUJINFILM intends to implement an electronic interface for this purpose in the future it will be reserved for the X-mount version only. This makes the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 and MK 50-135mm T-2.9 an entry product with a lot of potential for future versions. The (Video) Future of FUJIFILM The company has been quite busy for the last 6 years developing a variety of cameras such as the FUJIFILM X-T2 (read our review here), XT-20 (read our review here), or the X-Pro2 (review here). Though all three can shoot video, they are clearly aimed at the stills photography market. However, one thing is clear: FUJIFILM is capable of building very decent lenses. They have a massive lineup of X-mount lenses but, as mentioned above, they keep exploring new fields with products like the freshly-introduced FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 manual zoom. A new FUJINON MK50-135mm T2.9 is also in the works and be ready to ship soon. As Toshi Lida puts it: The customers love our glass, the lenses.” That claim is mostly related to their lineup of still lenses. But with such an expertise in making quality glass, there’s a lot of potential for upcoming (indie) cinema lenses, as well! More Video Features The FUJIFILM GFX 50s is the latest and greatest (and actually biggest) FUJIFILM mirrorless camera, featuring a massive 51.4MP medium format sensor. What’s interesting about it is that, despite being a stills camera, the GFX features Full HD video recording and, even more astonishing, an audio input jack. Why would you need an audio jack in such a stills camera who’s video capabilities is not a priority ? And if this beast is supposed to be a video camera after all, then can it do in the future better then Full HD? FUJIFILM GFX 50s. Maybe the fine folks at FUJIFILM have yet to make up their mind about developing a proper video camera with all the features you could ask for, but I think that little audio jack might be an indication of the path FUJIFILM is willing to explore regarding the video side of things. Actually, they already have everything that’s needed, they just have to put these things together. Maybe the solution is a more diverse lineup with more options, following the model established by Sony, who are leading the way with their line of a7 cameras: an entry-level model, an R model for stills photographers, and an S model for video shooters. Conclusion Granted: since FUJIFILM has made no concrete promises yet, the future of their video-related products is speculative at best, though there does seem to be a silver lining. Toshi Lida seems very positive about their future as far as video-capable cameras and lenses are concerned. Hopefully we’ll see some killer products at some point soon that will compete with established products like the Sony a7 / a9 line. What are your thoughts about the current line up of cameras and lenses by FUJIFILM? Share your ideas in the comments below!

FUJINON just introduced a new line of affordable E-Mount Cine Zooms made for documentary-style cine shooters. The FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 is the first of two complimentary zoom lenses and it’s already on our test bench – here’s our FUJINON MK18-55mm Review. Featuring a claimed non-breathing focus mechanism, par-focal design and fully-geared cine lens controls, let’s confront this newcomer with our 8K test chart and compare it to the infamous new Zeiss LWZ.3 21-100mm T2.9-3.9 and a similarly-specced Canon photo lens. Also, check out our Hands-on FUJINON MK 18-55mm with Footage HERE. Why is this Lens Interesting for Cine Shooters? First of all, let’s look at why this lens is interesting for us! For many years, large-sensor video shooters have been forced to use photo lenses with our Canon, or Canon-adapted large-sensor cameras. As many of us shoot documentaries or documentary-style projects, using photo zoom lenses has been a real frustration as they’re designed for photography, meaning they have a short focus throw, no hard stops, no manual iris control, clunky zooming, breathing, are non par-focal… the list goes on, as these are considerations that aren’t really relevant for shooting still images. Only recently manufacturers have finally started delivering zooms that are fit for video production and are not as heavy on the lens barrel and the wallet as high-end cine zooms. The Sony 28-135mm was the first of its kind (reviewed here), Canon was next, and now FUJINON is the one to catch our interest. The FUJINON MK 18-55mm T2.9 should be interesting for documentary-style large-sensor shooters because it answers many if not all concerns we have with photo lenses: Par-focal – When you zoom in, the focus doesn’t change. Game-changing for focusing quickly – punch-in focus the analog way. Smooth Focus and Zoom gears – Made to be used for “motion photography”, for smooth zooms and focusing. Larger focus throw – For more precise control while focusing. Hard stops – Better than endless focus and necessary when using follow-focus tools. Internal Zoom and Focus – The lens doesn’t extend, a feature needed when using a Matte Box and filters. For now, the FUJINON MK 18-55mm T2.9 comes in native E-Mount only, suitable for all those popular large-sensor Sony cameras we’ve been seeing in the last two years. Another limitation worth mentioning right away is that the new FUJINON Cine Lenses will only cover a Super35 / APS-C image circle, meaning that they are not suitable for full-frame cameras without using some sort of sensor-cropping mode. Read on for our FUJINON MK18-55mm Review from the Lab: No Breathing? In reality, this lens is (almost) breathless. While focusing, the FUJINON MK 18-55mm T2.9 holds its promise of maintaining close to a stable image. Other lenses breathe a lot more when you focus, making it seem as though you were zooming in or out while racking focus. This is generally unwanted in video and film productions, and a feature that FUJINON decided to master with this lens. Pop on any photo lens and try for yourself if you get the breathing effect. Then look at how the FUJINON performs: FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Lens Breathing Test at 55mm The example above demonstrates a complete turn of the focus ring range at 55mm, which gives us the strongest out-of-focus effect. There seems to be very little focus breathing indeed, at least not one that I could discern easily. I also tested other focal lengths and there was no noticeable breathing at all. Here’s another example, taken from Johnnie’s review of the lens. Make sure to check out the nice film he shot on it: Lens Sharpness & Chromatic Aberration In our Lab, we compared the FUJINON MK 18-55mm T2.9 to the new Zeiss LWZ.3 21-100mm T2.9-3.9 Cine Lens and the Canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8. We perform our tests with an 8K ISO Chart and software by Imatest. Testing the Zeiss LWZ.3 on the Sony a7S for reference. Canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 photo lens in the lab for reference. FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Lens in the lab. Personally, I’m not a big fan of getting the sharpest lens at any cost. In my opinion, many photo lenses have great sharpness and you can achieve a lot with them if you’re willing to accept their downsides. That said, I must say that in the world of 4K, many photo zooms are best left behind. At cinema5D we really do work with a lot of gear and we really don’t care if it is cheap as long as it gets the job done. Fact of the matter is that if lens sharpness does becomes a factor, then the better our camera’s quality becomes. FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 Lens Sharpness at 18mm: FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 – Corner Sharpness at 18mm This is the corner sharpness at 18mm with a wide open aperture. As you can see, the FUJINON holds up brilliantly against the more expensive and narrower Zeiss LWZ.3 21-100mm T2.9-3.9. We can see the Zeiss is still slightly sharper here at 4K resolution, while the Canon’s softness is apparent. For those of you who are interested in the actual numbers, our testing software spit out the following: Zeiss: Mean MTF50 Center 0.391 Corner 0.371 FUJINON: Mean MTF50 Center 0.377 Corner 0.348 Canon: Mean MTF50 Center 0.367 Corner 0.295 FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 Lens Sharpness at 33mm: FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 – Corner Sharpness at 33mm We get a similar result at 33mm/35mm. The performance of all three lenses becomes slightly weaker at this focal length, but the relationship to each other in terms of quality stays the same. Zeiss: Mean MTF50 Center 0.371 Corner 0.331 FUJINON: Mean MTF50 Center 0.373 Corner 0.335 Canon: Mean MTF50 Center 0.385 Corner 0.281 FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 Lens Sharpness at 55mm: FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 – Corner Sharpness at 55mm At 50mm/55mm, the story is no different: Zeiss: Mean MTF50 Center 0.356 Corner 0.338 FUJINON: Mean MTF50 Center 0.372 Corner 0.347 Canon: Mean MTF50 Center 0.360 Corner 0.289 The more technically-minded readers might criticise that I compared the lenses at slightly different focal lengths. I admit I should have been more consistent, but I was personally more interested in getting a reference and not make a pixel peeping contest, so I decided to get the exact middle focal length of the FUJINON and Zeiss, and matched the Canon accordingly. I think we still get a very clear picture of how the lenses perform and compare. Sharpness Conclusion Clearly the Zeiss LWZ.3 is the sharpest lens, and probably remains sharp at even higher resolutions than 4K. The FUJINON still impressed me, though. It has very consistent sharpness from corner to center throughout the entire range, literally at any T-stop, any focal length and in any part of the frame. That’s certainly good to have. The Canon clearly lacks behind. The overall image was ugly in comparison to the other two lenses, and while not soft in the very center, the visible corner softness extended to a large portion of the image. Chromatic Aberration Conclusion These test images also reveal Chromatic Aberration performance, i.e the ugly fringing colours on contrasty edges. Surprisingly, the FUJINON had very little noticeable chromatic aberration. Even the Zeiss exhibited more of it in certain instances, though this is quite normal for a lens at a wide open aperture. The following are the software analysis results: Zeiss: 21mm 0.0685% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) Zeiss: 35mm 0.0974% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) Zeiss: 50mm 0.0995% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) FUJINON: 18mm 0.0657% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) FUJINON: 33mm 0.0231% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) FUJINON: 55mm 0.0363% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) Canon: 17mm 0.0457% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) Canon: 35mm 0.0656% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) Canon: 55mm 0.0880% Chromatic Aberration combined (whole image) Lens Vignetting Here’s another interesting test. In this part of my FUJINON MK 18-55mm Review, however, I’ll skip the comparison to the Zeiss and Canon lenses, because it would go beyond the already large scope of this article. Sometimes vignetting can work as an artistic element that helps isolate the subject, but often it is unwanted. In general, a lens that has less vignetting is preferred, though I would personally consider this aspect to be one of the least important negative attributes of a lens. When I work with a lens, I generally simply want to know how much vignetting it exhibits when wide open, so here we go: To get a feeling for how the vignetting on the FUJINON lens looks like at different apertures, here are a few animations: FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Vignetting at 18mm T2.9 FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Vignetting at 33mm T2.9 FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Vignetting at 55mm T2.9 Vignetting Conclusion Yes, the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 Cine Zoom Lens has vignetting at a wide open aperture, but it only really plays a significant role at its more telephoto end. In wide angle mode, you will have a hard time finding it unless you’re really looking, but at 33mm and 55mm it is clearly visible. For me, this kind of vignetting supports a natural image look. I want my image clean in wider shots, and for narrower shots I actually often use some vignetting in post. This is not always wanted, of course, but I would be disappointed if it were the other way around. Others may have other preferences. Distortion Here’s the final test we’re performing in our FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Lens Distortion. We want our lines to be straight lines, and many zoom lenses tend to bend and distort the image at different focal lengths. Let’s see how the FUJINON performs against the Zeiss and Canon once again for reference: Zeiss LWZ.3 21-100m T2.8 – Lens Distortion at different focal lengths FUJINON 18-55mm T2.8 – Lens Distortion at different focal lengths Canon 17-55mm F2.8 – Lens Distortion at different focal lengths In numbers, the distortion is measured as follows: Zeiss: 21mm 2.27% barrel distortion Zeiss: 35mm 0% distortion Zeiss: 50mm 0.272% pincushion distortion FUJINON: 18mm 3.91% barrel distortion FUJINON: 33mm 1.84% pincushion distortion FUJINON: 55mm 1.97% pincushion distortion Canon: 17mm 3.83% barrel distortion Canon: 35mm 1.62% pincushion distortion Canon: 55mm 1.5% pincushion distortion Distortion Conclusion Unfortunately, here’s where the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 exhibits its biggest weakness in this test, whereas the Zeiss really shines due in part to its different focal range. There is barrel distortion evident at wider angles of the FUJINON, which turns into pincushion distortion starting at 33mm. Like most photo zoom lenses, distortion is apparent, which can be a problem in situations where you have straight lines in the frame, such as in architectural images. We see a similar, slightly weaker distortion on the Canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 lens. We wish the distortion on the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 was less, but let’s be realistic: a lens with edge-to-edge sharpness at 4K resolution with minimal chromatic aberration and a lightweight design has to have some kind of tradeoff too. FUJINON MK18-55mm Review – Conclusion FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 Cine Zoom Lens with Sunhood This lens will be a very welcome addition to the kit of many large-sensor Sony shooters. It is an ideal fit for cameras like the Sony FS7 or FS5, but will also look good on the Sony a6500. For those shooting with a Sony a7S or Sony a7S II, the image circle coverage is limited to Super35 sensor sizes. To get a slightly larger coverage, the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 will also work with the Clear Image Zoom function at a 1.4x crop on those cameras. That said, it is a pity that this lens only works with E-Mount for now. With the Panasonic GH5 in our hands and the nice performance of other Micro Four Thirds cameras like the Fujifilm X-T2 (review here) or Olympus (review here), we hope FUJINON will consider a MFT mount version soon. Because as a whole this is a well-performing, lightweight cine lens that is ideal for documentary-style shooters, it has convinced us with the following attributes in our test: Very good edge-to-edge sharpness in 4K throughout the range No focus breathing Minimal chromatic aberration Much nicer colors, contrast and image than the Canon photo lens we tested It also gives us: Par-focal – when you zoom in, the focus doesn’t change. Game changing for focusing quickly – punch-in focus the analog way. Smooth Focus and Zoom gears – made to be used for “motion photography”, for smooth zooms and focusing. Larger focus throw – For more precise focusing controls. Hard stops – Better than endless focus and necessary when using follow-focus tools. Internal Zoom and Focus – So the lens doesn’t extend, needed when using a Matte Box and filters. Macro Function – For a better minimum focus distance. Built-in back focus – To calibrate the lens. On the negative side, the only aspect to criticise about the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 is its distortion at various focal lengths, which is similar to photo zooms. Priced under $4,000, the FUJINON is very convincing. It could be a big step up from a photo zoom, and is a great offer when you look at larger cinema zooms usually priced at $20k and higher, or indeed versus the Zeiss LWZ.3 21-100mm T2.9-3.9 that we used for comparison and which is also extremely affordable at $10k. The current competitors to the FUJINON are Sony’s own Sony 18-110mm F4.0 lens, which has several pros and cons when weighed against the FUJINON, the new affordable Sigma Cine Zooms (check out our eview here) and of course the Canon 18-80mm T4.4 which we will be looking at in our next Lab test. For a full-hands-on experience and a less “scientific” FUJINON MK 18-55mm Review, check out Johnnie’s video footage HERE. The FUJINON 18-55mm is available for pre-order now, and will be shipping in early March according to the manufacturer. Its companion lens, the FUJINON MK50-135mm, will also be coming later this year.

FUJINON, the optical devices division of FUJIFILM has just announced the release of two new E-Mount Cine lenses: the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 and the FUJINON MK50-135mm T2.9. Both lenses will cover a Super 35/APS-C sensor image circle and are aimed at the E-mount film crowd. There is also an X-mount version for the FUJIFILM X Series planned to be released later this year.  We were lucky enough to get our hands on an early production sample and here is our review of the upcoming FUJINON MK18-55 T2.9 lens along with some real-world video sample footage. (For the lens technical review conducted by my colleague Sebastian, click here). FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 FUJINON MK18-55mm Cine Zoom Lens Until not too long ago, the large-sensor camera market was badly suffering from the absence of a true “cinema” zoom lens to accompany the various capable cameras out there. If you, like me, cringed at the thought of shooting yet another production using a photo lens, then I’m sure you appreciate the latest trend in our industry, namely the production of “modestly priced high-quality cinema zoom lenses”. I write “cinema” as this has become a buzz word used by many different manufacturers, though I see these new lenses serving us greatly also on documentary-style shooting environments. For me, 2016 will be remembered as the year of the “affordable zoom lenses”, marked by the ZEISS 21-100mm T2.9-3.9 Lightweight Zoom LWZ.3, the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4, the Sigma Cine 18-35mm T2.0 and Sigma 50-100mm T2.0, and the Sony E PZ 18-110mm f/4 just to name a few. And now, FUJINON, the optical devices division of FUJIFILM, is adding two newcomers to this growing market segment with their FUJINON MK18-55 T2.9 (available from March 2017) and the FUJIFILM MK50-135 T2.9 (available from summer 2017). Clearly, if there is ONE common thing to all these new lenses, it’s their price. The sub $10,000 cine zoom lens arena never looked so promising. So, Angenieux, I hope you are listening… FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 vs. Canon CN-E 18-80 T4.4 MK18-55mm Lens Features Manual Adjustments and Par Focal Both lenses are made to complement each other. Together they cover a useful working focal range and both feature three rings for manual and independent control of focus, zoom and iris (aperture), all with a standard gear pitch. Unlike conventional photo lenses, these 2 new “cine” lenses are par-focal, meaning that they will stay in focus when changing focal lengths, i.e if you zoom all the way into your subject, focus, and then zoom out and re-frame, the focus point will not change. No Breathing, No Optical Shift Another key point that FUJINON addressed with these lenses – and one which is also common with some photo lenses – is the shift in optical axis while zooming. You may have noticed that the center of your framing attention is not always correct after zooming in. With these lenses, this phenomenon is a worry of the past. The high-performance lovers among us will also be happy to know that the lens does not “breathe”, meaning that the frame won’t be cropped when pulling focus and changing focus points, something you will have a hard time finding on a photo zoom lens. Back Focus and Macro Two more features have found their way into these new lenses that video enthusiasts may know from the broadcast world: back focus adjustment and a macro function. Back focus adjustment will allow you to perfectly adjust the lens with different kinds of E-mount cameras, ensuring perfect focus throughout the entire focal length, while Macro will help in achieving a greater minimum focusing distance. In practical terms, the minimum focusing distance of 0.85m/2ft 9in of the FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 becomes 0.38m/1ft 2.9in in Macro mode, while the 1.2m/3ft 11in of the FUJINON MK50-135mm T2.9 becomes 0.85m/2ft 9in in Macro mode (measurements are for the wide end of the lens) .  Last but not least, both lenses have an inner diameter of 82mm for easy filter attachment, and an outer diameter of 85mm for easy Matte-box placement. FUJINON MK 18-55mm T2.9 on a Sony FS5. Photo credit: Doris Piller Testing the MK18-55mm in the field  It’s Friday, very early in morning. Freezing cold. My producer Doris Piller and I are heading to a very special place,  the “cemetery of the nameless” located in the outskirts of Vienna, alongside the river Danube. Our Sony FS5 is ready to capture the beautiful morning gloom and my expectations are high, especially as my camera is sporting the yet-to-be-released FUJINON 18-55mm. The first thing I noticed is how easy it is to work with the lens wearing gloves. This may be a minor point for those living in warmer climates, but a major one when working during winter time under cold conditions. The focus ring is very responsive and easy to operate with its 200 degrees of rotation, making it perfect for a single operator to use single-handedly. Another impressive point was its lightweight structure. FUJINON has done an extraordinary job in keeping both new lenses compact and under 1kg. However, in order to keep such slim dimensions, the manufacturer went for the following compromises: They reduced the maximum focal length, restricted the minimum T-stop and designed the lens to cover a Super 35 / APS-C image circle only. It is always a delicate balance between tradeoffs and overall performance, but for many large sensor shooters FUJINON probably got the balance right. When it comes to optical performance, the lens provided a high-quality image throughout and the lack of breathing when changing focus points is impressive. What I did notice, though, was some lens distortion comparable to that of photo zoom lenses, which becomes visible on straight lines especially when changing focal lengths from 18mm to 33mm. On the other hand, the MK18-55mm lens is very sharp from center to corner, with minimal edge softness. Chromatic aberration is very well controlled too. My colleague Sebastian is covering these points in-depth in his technical review. FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 on a Sony FS5. Photo credit: Doris Piller FUJINON MK18-55mm – Strengths & Weaknesses Pros (in no particular order): Modestly-priced zoom lens for less than $4000 No focus breathing Good optical quality Par-focal, holds focus throughout a zoom Nice, even bokeh Compact and lightweight (980 grams) 3 independent and easy-to-use rings (Focus/zoom/iris) Macro function Back focus adjustment function Can be used on a full frame camera like the a7S/a7SII/a7RII by enabling Clear Image Zoom while in full frame mode and cropping by 1.4x in order to achieve good image quality and a wider field of view than the 1.6x crop in APS-C mode. Cons (in no particular order): Visible distortion between 18mm and 33mm Maximum focal length of 55mm might prove to be a bit limiting in some situations, especially for documentary work General information: Super 35/APS-C E-mount lenses. X-mount version will follow later in the year. Minimum aperture of T2.9 (F2.75). Manual lenses with no servo zoom or built-in stabilization system. FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 Conclusion: The new FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 lens is a great addition for anyone using an E-mount camera for their professional work. Indeed (and thankfully) there are more lens options out there, but it looks like FUJIFILM has hit the sweet spot when it comes to lens quality, portability and price. For me personally, the maximum focal length of 55mm is a bit too short, but for others it may be perfectly OK. I also think FUJIFILM would be wise to offer the 2-lens set at a reduced price, providing a useful focal length coverage at an affordable price. All in all it is a great lens, the quality is right and knowing its limitations means having the ability to bypass them in order to achieve high-quality results. FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9 on a Sony a7SII For the above video:   Gear used: Sony FS5, FUJINON MK18-55mm T2.9. Shot on S-log2, edited in Adobe Premiere CC. Color correction: FilmConvert, FJ Velv 100 profile. Many thanks to Doris Piller and Josef Fuchs Music: By Art-list. Track: “Floating By” by Brandy & Wine More information about the 2 new lenses can be found in FUJIFILM’s official press release

FUJIFILM, a respected company well-known for making high quality stills cameras, photo lenses and professional video and cinema lenses, is now taking its first steps towards implementing proper 4K video recording into their new X-T2 mirrorless camera. If you take a moment to look at the interview we recently conducted with Jun Watanabe, a manager at FUJIFILM corporation, you will hear how serious they are in planning to develop and enhance the video capabilities of that camera, and establish their name as a company that listens to their customers by supplying them with the right tool for their work.  Tokyo, July 2016. The heat and humidity are almost unbearable. I guess the only person who really doesn’t care about it is me. After all, I just got the X-T2 for a short test ride, and learning its ins and outs completely distracts me from that heat wave. As the camera is still on a beta stage and the installed firmware is not final, I have to be very cautious with what I write. I know for sure that some of the key limitations I found while working with it are now being reviewed by FUJIFILM, and some if not most of them will be addressed in the final firmware release (or the one after). Before I continue, I must confess that during my meeting at FUJIFILM, I had the pleasure of meeting humble yet determined and professional people who really gave me the feeling of talking to a company that is willing to listen to customers. If the demand for a certain feature is there, they will do their best to fulfil those wishes and implement them as long as the hardware used allows for it. In order to achieve maximum picture quality, FUJIFILM provided me with the X-T2 mirrorless camera and the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 lens. I had in my hands an APS-C mirrorless camera which uses the H.264 compressing method with a data rate of around 100 Mbit/s in 4K mode. I’ll write up front that this combination is not suited for the occasional documentary shooter, as neither the camera nor the lens have any kind of built-in stabilisation, and micro shakes become very noticeable. For my next test, I will be using the less expensive yet equally capable Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4. This lens has a built-in OIS, so I expect to have a different user experience.. (Note that buying the X-T2 together with that lens will save you $300 over buying those two items separately).   Here is a summary of what I found while working with the beta X-T2 camera.  FUJIFILM X-T2 Pros: (in no particular order) World camera. UHD video in 25p and 24p, plus a variety of frame rates (up to 60p) in HD mode. F-log 4:2:2 (8 bit) through HDMI and external recording. For many, the 8 bit figure won’t cut, but with the current hardware being used, we have to be realistic. EVF is truly high quality! LCD screen is good and can be tilted. No dedicated video REC button. The photo shutter release button is used to start video recording. For people like me who are not interested in taking photos while shooting video, this is a plus as the button is located very logically. But for others, it might be a big obstacle, one that can result in skipping purchasing that camera all together. I’ve put this point in the Pros section because it works well for me. Testing during a relatively long interview, the camera did not get warm to the point of shutting off. I will experiment more when the final version is here. Rolling shutter looks well controlled in full HD 50/60p, but average in 4K 24p. To be checked in our lab test soon. Audio quality is well above what we are use to having in such small cameras when connecting an external microphone. Good battery life. Having 3 of those batteries (one in camera and 2 in the handgrip) helped me to shoot throughout the whole working day without a problem. The VPB-XT2 handgrip can serve as a very fast battery charger. FUJIFILM X-T2 Cons: (in no particular order) The camera together with a standard lens can only accommodate a very short photo tripod plate. Recommendation: use the additional VPB-XT2 handgrip to overcome that problem. Using the X-T2 together with the XF 16-55mm f/2,8 and VPB-XT2 handgrip, proved to heavily lean to the left side. On my next test, I will be using the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 and hope to have a different experience. Eyecup is hard and not replaceable. Not so easy to judge exposure during daylight. The headphones plastic cover on the VPB-XT2 handgrip is extremely hard to open. Patience is the keyword….  The default setting for the ISO and SHUTTER wheels is “rotation free”. If you push the center lock button, THEN you can’t twist them anymore. To my opinion, the default should have been LOCKED and when pressing the center lock button, then be able to twist the wheels freely. Currently “punch-in zoom” in order to verify manual focus is not possible. Currently changing ISO values while recording is not possible. Currently changing WB while recording is not possible. Noticeable aliasing/moiré in some situations while shooting in 4K. In full HD/60p, it is more evident. LCD/EVF are locked at the last viewing position. In other words, if one starts an interview looking at the picture in the viewfinder and then move away from the camera, the LCD will not turn on.  Microphone and headphone jacks are located separately, one on the camera body, the other is on the handgrip. One will be forced to buy additional equipment in order to have total control over audio. Currently, waveform is not available in video mode In the beta camera I had, I could not monitor some of the changes I made in WB or film simulation. I know those are not possible to observe while in the Q menu mode, but I will repeat this test when I get the camera again and see why I couldn’t change it. One of my biggest concerns is the highlight roll-off when using the different film simulation modes. It is very easy to over expose the picture. FUJIFILM assured me that the highlight tone / shadow tone is based on a film simulation mode which was previously available only in photo mode, but that will now be available for video. This will help with addressing this phenomenon. At times, it felt like it takes longer then usual to write the data onto the SD card after stopping the recording, despite the very fast card I had. No screen layouts to help with simulating 2,35:1 or any other ratio but 16:9 Not all photo-related functions in the menu are greyed out. It can be confusing when judging what is available for video mode. Although the autofocus algorithm is totally the same, it is rather slow and inconsistent in 24p (as opposed to 60p). Dual SD slots are relevant for photo mode only. It would have been nice to see FUJIFILM using both for video too. Camera charger shows green light when charging. A bit confusing for the crowd who is used to translate green light as “charged”. As FUJIFILM is following its “illumination one color rules”, maybe the chosen color should be red instead of green (color on meaning charging, color off is battery fully charged, and blinking means battery fault).   Conclusion: For now, I will avoid giving a solid conclusion as the camera I worked with is still in its beta stage. The final version should be on our desk towards the end of August. What I would like to emphasize is that the potential is clearly there, and it is up to FUJIFILM to decide in which direction to go. Also, I do hope that FUJIFILM will decide to implement an in-camera F-log function, although it will be 4:2:0 8 bit only. I’m truly looking forward testing the X-T2 in its final form. Last but not least, as the competition gets tougher and the anticipation for newer models from Panasonic (GH5?) and Canon (EOS 5D mark IV?) gets real, I can only conclude this article with 3 words: “interesting times ahead!”. Settings for the above video: 4k/24p, Film Simulation– “Pro Neg. Std”. Edited in Adobe Premiere CC latest edition. No color correction was done, but there was a minor change in exposure in a few shots. Audio with Machico-san was recorded in camera. Music supplied by:  Art-list –  The East Mother by Alon Ohana – Nova Beat, Audiojungle –  The Love Angel, Travelling Japan Many thanks to Machico-san an her beautiful family.  

During my recent trip to Japan, I had a chance to visit FUJIFILM HQ and discuss the future of their X camera line, particularly the new X-T2. The talk was centred around the video capabilities of this new camera. Later this week, I will publish my review and a short video that I took with the X-T2. But first things first, and to anyone who is not familiar with the new camera, here is a short summary: As reported by us during early July, Fujifilm announced their first 4K APS-C sensor size mirrorless camera, promising to shake the somehow crowded DSLR/mirrorless camera market with a new filming tool that includes their famous film simulation. In addition, they have added an F-log function for achieving greater dynamic range and maximum flexibility during the color correction stage for anyone who is willing to use and invest in an external recorder. The additional offered VPB-XT2 handgrip will let you enjoy longer recording times in 4K mode (approximately 30 min. instead of 10 min.) and increased continuous recording time with a total of 3 batteries (one in camera plus two in the grip). Last but not least, it allows you to monitor the recorded audio, as the headphone jack is located on that grip. Jun Watanabe presenting the new Fujifilm X-T2 I must say that the people at FUJIFILM were very humble yet confident about their new creation. If you take a moment to look at the interview we did with Jun Watanabe, a manager at FUJIFILM corporation, you will clearly understand that the X-T2 is just the beginning for FUJIFILM when it comes to video-enabled mirrorless cameras. Now that they have acknowledged the need for a video function in their cameras, they will continue to improve and perfect this filming tool. Maybe the biggest news coming out of this interview is the likelihood of a firmware update that allows implementing Fuji’s F-log function in-camera, and not just through recording with an external device. In order to do so, FUJIFILM needs to be assured it is a highly requested feature. I truly urge anyone who watches this interview or reads this article to contribute by writing a short line and let FUJIFILM know it is indeed an important request. Please take into account that, while this implementation is certainly possible, it is still recommended to use the grip and record externally to achieve the highest recorded picture quality: uncompressed 4:2:2 8 bit externally, vs. compressed 4:2:0 8 bit internally. Another matter to point out is the subject of lenses. Apparently, the XF optics are designed by the same team in charge of Fujinon’s professional line of lenses. It is worth pointing out that FUJIFILM will consider expanding their selection of video zoom lenses according to market demand. Other topics discussed in the interview are FUJIFILM’s take on creating tools for professional filmmakers, and an answer to my question if we will ever see a full frame sensor size X camera. Stay tuned for more fresh content about Fuji’s new X-T2 camera, and please don’t forget to raise your voice and ask for in-camera F-log. Many thanks to Jun Watanabe, Kiyoshi Inoue and Fabian Chaundy for helping conducting and translating this interview. 

Let’s imagine that I am a small, but quality, camera manufacturer. What could I do to increase my sales? My business logic would drive me to look for a niche where my products shine, allowing them to sell more than they would elsewhere. When looking at the current DSLR/Mirrorless market, we can safely assume that my logic is completely twisted and worth nothing. If I was right, companies like Fuji, Pentax, Olympus, and Sigma would have spotted the trend of shooting video with photo cameras in time to ask their engineers to produce a product for that market—putting them in the spotlight for aspiring movie makers. Because none of these companies have an upper-level video market to protect, is that too much to ask?   That’s why I was excited to get hands-on with the new Fujifilm X-Pro2 Mirrorless Digital Camera. Previous Fuji cameras didn’t show much hope for video quality, but with the X-Pro2, I was extremely curious and wanted to try out a camera from a manufacturer whose products I have not used before. After all, we’re blazing through 2016 and with the market declining (but no less competitive), I was interested in finding out if my business logic was still “wrong.” First of all, I must take my hat off to Fujifilm for not pretending that they have created an “amazing broadcast quality camera” as so many marketing teams have done before. On the contrary, the video features of the X-Pro2 are well hidden in the official publication. Within the camera’s menu, the video page is the shortest I think I have ever seen—choose a MOVIE MODE (1080 up to 60p), MIC level adjustment (more on that later), MIC/REMOTE RELEASE, and… well, that’s it! All other features (focusing mode, white balance, saturation, etc.) must be found from within the still image menu. Make no mistake; the X-Pro2 is a photo camera that can (in a “by the way” fashion) shoot HD video. Fujifilm X-Pro2’s very modest movie settings menu Ergonomics The X-Pro2 is built like a little tank. While it is robust and weather-sealed, it feels decent in your hand—in fact, it reminded me of holding a “mini” Leica SL. Of course, it took me a while to get familiar with its structure and button layout. I’m still not entirely sure how photographers operate this camera, but for video shooting, it was a bit uncomfortable. I would say that you should take my opinion on the camera’s ergonomics with a pinch of salt—it could be that spending more time with the camera would make the layout feel comfortable, perhaps even natural. If you are coming from a PAL country, on the mechanical shutter wheel you won’t find the number “50”. This can be achieved electronically by turning (a different) front wheel A dedicated REC button. I’ll save you the time. Don’t look for one—it doesn’t exist. Press “Fn” and the camera will start recording video. Looking for a shortcut button to change ISO values? Look elsewhere. Go back to the shutter wheel, lift it, and change the ISO value as required Articulated screen? Next Standard or long tripod plates? Try your luck. With the supplied Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 lens, there is no way to use either of those Functionality I’ll start with charging the battery. How many times you put a battery in the charger to charge and the light goes green immediately? That was a bit confusing. Apparently, in Fuli’s philosophy, green light is “charging” and no light is “battery charged.” Way to take a global standard and flip it on its head! As this is my first encounter with a Fuji camera, I did stumble a bit at the beginning with the X-Pro2’s buttons and menu structure (God forbid, I even looked at the camera manual once or twice). However, after getting used to it, my two major concerns when working it are as follows: Twice after removing the battery from the camera for recharging, my settings were reset, and I had to start from scratch After pressing the REC button, not much can be changed. Not the audio recording levels, ISO setting or even how to monitor the video (via the LCD or EVF). Whatever you’ve been using last when pressing record, that’s what you are stuck with for the rest of your shooting sequence There are other limitations that should be taken into account. You get the 16×9 video aspect ratio only AFTER pressing the REC button. Autofocus is truly good, but not in the continuous mode. On the positive side, EVF is nice and easy to work with (although it’s going to be next to impossible to change the rubber eyepiece to a better, more comfortable one) and the light meter is easy to work with—and effective. Video Quality There is something very pleasant in the aesthetics of the pictures this camera can produce. It is sharp and detailed. On the other hand, Moire and aliasing are very present in the finer details of some shots. Also, noise will kick in very fast when using ISO 1000 and above. As requested by many, Moire and aliasing sample footage. Fujifilm X-Pro2 Pros (in no particular order) Weather sealed, mirrorless APS-C sensor, exchangeable lens camera Nice color rendering and fuji’s famous “film simulation” is built-in-camera (available options: Provia/Velvia/Astia/Classic Chrome/Pro Neg. Hi/Pro Neg. Std/Acros/Monochrome/Sepia) Clever viewfinder system. You can change between Optical or Electronic in a flip of a button. In my opinion, the Optical is suited more for taking photos while the Electronic is better for video as it is a very high-quality one! An assortment of focus aid tools to ensure that you are in focus while filming (peaking, digital split image à la film camera style) World camera and up to 1080/60p Camera light meter is accurate and helps in exposing correctly Manual audio recording is possible, but no displayed visual meter layout after pressing the REC button Mic/remote jack (but with 2.5 jack instead of the standard 3.5) Rolling shutter is well controlled At the back of the camera, a responsive joystick is located for quick and accurate focusing positioning Battery life is good (if you remember that the green light means “charging,” not “battery full”!) Fujifilm X-Pro2 Cons (in no particular order) 14:32 min per clip recording limitation LCD screen is secure; there’s no flip or tilt No Log picture profile I would not recommend shooting video above ISO 1000. It gets noisy and mashy Continuous auto focus when shooting video is possible but not reliable No zebra for helping in judging exposure Limited 36Mbps data rate No external recording via HDMI (the HDMI connector is for playback only) No headphone jack You CAN’T change many in camera settings or values AFTER pressing the REC button It is not possible to change audio levels after staring recording Dual SD card slots for photo but only slot number 1 is dedicated to video Automatically switching between the LCD or EVF when looking through them is possible only before recording. Once you press the REC button, you are stuck with your last viewing device Very evident moire and aliasing Regarding the lens used in this video, the Fujfilm XF 16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR. It’s Fujinon’s flagship “XF standard zoom lens” with a focal length equivalent to 24mm – 84mm and a constant F2.8 aperture throughout the range. Here is a quick list of the Pros and Cons I found while combining it with the X-Pro2: Pros: Excellent sharpness throughout the zoom range. Constant f/2.8 aperture. Weather-sealed design. Speedy focus motor. Cons: No optical stabilization. Heavy! Note: The combination of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and the Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 lens is nice, as long as you work from a tripod. The minute you take the camera in your hands, be prepared to witness annoying micro-shakes. Neither the lens or camera body has a build in stabilizer to compensate those. My Conclusion:  The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a nice addition to Fuji’s camera line and if they are looking to capture the attention of film makers, that camera is definitely a (small) step in the right direction. If they want to compete well in this sector, against more established companies, it shouldn’t look as if the video function was “accidentally implemented” as it does in the X-Pro2. I hope that functionality, image quality, sound, and resolution can seriously be considered by Fuji as legit when it comes to shooting videos with their future cameras. After all, they have the potential to deliver the best next thing. It’s only a matter of taking the decision to develop it! Will you be considering buying the Fujifilm X-Pro2 for shooting videos? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below About the above video: Shot in 1080/25 mostly in up to ISO 800 (basement shoots were taken in ISO 1000). “Picture profile”- “Pro Neg. Std”. Edited in Adobe Premiere CC latest edition. No color correction was done, but there was a minor change in exposure in 2 shots. The audio was recorded in camera and was later treated with audacity to help with some of the excessive background noise at the restaurant. (Sorry about the knife “loud knocks” at the background. Chef assistant was busy making lunch)…. Music supplied by Art-List Title: Sunny Days by Binary Love Thank you to Andreas, Julian, and the entire Otto Bauer restaurant staff for their help and contribution for that short video.