Philip Bloom talks about his nearly three years of experience working with FUJINON MK cinema zoom lenses. He used them with many different cameras and also changed the lens mount from E-mount to Micro four thirds. Working with FUJINON MK cinema zoom lens. Image source: Philip Bloom During November’s Photo & Adventure trade show in Vienna, Austria, the cinema5D team was in charge of the “Film & Video stage” program at this show. We invited many interesting guests to talk about various topics. You can see the initial post here. We decided to publish the most interesting topics again in separate articles. This article is covering Philip Bloom’s presentation about shooting with FUJINON MK cinema zoom lenses on Blackmagic pocket cinema camera 4K and other cameras. This content was originally streamed live from the Photo+Adventure – Film+Video Stage –  in November. We are re-publishing and highlighting some of the best content from the stage. Shooting With FUJINON MK Cinema Zoom Lenses FUJINON MK cinema zoom lenses come in two focal lengths – MK18-55mm T2.9 (roughly 24-70mm full frame equivalent) and MK50-135mm T2.9 lens (roughly 70-200mm full frame equivalent). Both lenses are available for Sony E-mount, FUJIFILM X-mount, and for Micro Four Thirds (M4/3) mount.  They have an image circle diameter of 28.5 mm which means they cover image sensors till Super 35 (up to 24.84 x 13.97 mm sensors size). Philip Bloom has been using these lenses since December 2016. The lens mount with these lenses is user interchangeable. Philip owns an E-mount version of FUJINON MK zooms and he changed the mount to M4/3 by himself to test them with M4/3 cameras. He used the lenses already on his Sony FS5, Kinefinity TERRA 4K and MAVO, FUJIFILM X-T3, Z CAM E2, and BMPCC4K. The interesting fact is, that the X-mount versions of the lenses have electronics in them so they can tell which focal length they are at for IBIS to work properly (for instance on the FUJIFILM X-H1). FUJINON MK Cinema Zoom Lenses – Mechanics Both lenses have the same physical specs – same length and same weight (990g). They have the same 82mm filter thread. The 200° focus rotation is just the right amount – it is possible for a single operator to go from close focus to infinity with one movement, but it is long enough to be precise even for focus puller. FUJINON MK cinema zoom lenses. The lenses offer back focus adjustment, which helps to align the real focus distance with the right distance marks. The lenses have three standard 0.8 MOD gears – focus, aperture, and zoom. Philips recommends using lens support with these lenses. They are not so heavy, but they are quite long. Sometimes the lens mount can be a bit wobbly. FUJINON MK Cinema Zoom Lenses – Optics FUJINON MK zooms have parfocal design so the focus distance does not change while zooming. They have a constant aperture with a maximum at T2.9 (f/2.8). Great thing is, that there is virtually no focus breathing with these lenses. According to Philip, both lenses are very sharp even wide open. Filmed with FUJINON MK lenses. Source: Philip Bloom Do you have experience working with FUJINON MK cinema zoom lenses? How do you like the image they produce? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.  

DZOFILM introduces an upgraded version of their Linglung 20-70mm T2.9 cine zoom lens and new Linglung 10-24mm T2.9 cine zoom lens. Both lenses have Micro Four Thirds (MFT) mount, they feature parfocal design, and have minimal focus breathing.   DZOFILM Linglung cinema lenses 20-70mm and 10-24mm T2.9. Source: DZOFILM DZOFILM is a Chinese lens manufacturer which specializes in cinema lenses. At NAB 2019, DZOFILM showcased two prototype lenses – huge Foton optics 25-300mm T2.8 cine zoom lens for super35 sensors and 20-70mm T3.1 cine zoom lens for Micro four thirds. (The brand Foton is owned by DZO.) Here is a link to our NAB article with the video interview in case you missed it. Now, DZOFILM upgraded the 20-70mm cine lens and they are also introducing a new 10-24mm cine lens. What are the features of the updated and new lens? DZOFILM Linglung 20-70mm T2.9 and 10-24mm T2.9 Cine Zoom Lenses Back in April 2019 during NAB, DZOFILM showed this lens as a T3.1 lens, so I suppose they have redesigned the optics a bit to enable shooting at a faster T2.9 aperture. I can only hope the lens is not too soft at T2.9. Both lenses have an MFT mount, so they can be paired well with some popular cameras like the BMPCC 4K, Z CAM E2, or Panasonic GH5 and GH5S. DZOFILM 20-70. Source: DZOFILM Both lenses feature a constant aperture of T2.9, 270° focus rotation angle and 100° zoom rotation angle. The DZOFILM Linglung 20-70mm (40-140 full frame equivalent) T2.9 lens features 72° iris rotation angle and the 10-24mm (20-48 full frame equivalent) T2.9 lens features 58° iris rotation angle. There is a back flange fine adjustment ring on both lenses, which offers an adjustment of ± 0.3mm. There are 12 Iris blades in both lenses. Close focus distance is 0.79mm (2’7″) for the 20-70mm lens and 0.5m (1’8″) for the 10-24mm lens. Both lenses also have almost identical physical specifications. Weight will be approximately 1100g (38.8oz), the front diameter is 80mm and length is 153.3mm (20-70mm) or 150.9mm (10-24mm) According to the manufacturer, both lenses feature parfocal design (keeps focus distance when zooming) and well-controlled “nearly zero” focus breathing. Price and Availability Both DZOFILM cine lenses are available for pre-order. Retail prices during pre-order will be $1,499 for the 20-70mm T2.9 and $1,699 for the 10-24mm T2.9. An additional $100 discount will be applied if purchasing a set of both lenses. After pre-order, the regular prices should be $1,599 for the 20-70mm T2.9 and $1,799 for the 10-24mm T2.9. For additional information, please head to the DZOFILM site. What do you think of these new DZOFILM cine lenses? Could it fit in your kit? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

FUJINON Premista 80-250mm T2.9-3.5 PL announced: FUJIFILM Corporation just recently introduced their newest Premista series lens to complement the 28-100mm T2.9 PL zoom lens released in August this year. Together they’re covering a wide range of nearly 10x zoom ratio from 28mm – 250mm to fully support large image sensors. They are intended to present some of the highest grade quality, rich gradation and suitability for HDR for cinematic purposes. Let’s take a closer look at its features. FUJINON Premista 80-250mm – Full View. Image credit: FUJINON The FUJINON Premista 80-250mm T2.9-3.5 was explicitly designed to cover large sensors that measure 43.2-46.3mm diagonally. The lens incorporates large-diameter aspherical lens parts and a sizeable 13-blade design that almost reaches a perfectly circular aperture shape. The intention is to create the highest possible image reproduction on the large image sensor, accompanied by a natural bokeh and a shallow depth-of-field to create a profound cinematic look. The latter is unique to large format in combination with high-resolution image sensors. Main Characteristics, Look and Line-up Consistency FUJINON usually implements patented or exclusively created technologies, techniques and systems in their lenses, just like their main competitors. In this case, they are working with their design of a zoom/focusing system to reduce chromatic aberration in long-range cinematic zoom lenses. This characteristic usually needs precise and individual attention in a complicated lens system for the highest purposes, like here. Additionally, FUJINON has applied its necessary procedures to minimize flares and ghosts responding to and abiding by cinematic standards. A lot of cinematic lenses are alleged by their manufacturers to have a particular level of sharpness or a certain degree in the spectrum of “vintage soft sharpness” and a somehow distinctive mellow look to them. On the contrary, in this specific case, Fujifilm claims to have reached stunning levels of sharpness and clarity with this cinematic lens. Thereby they are also highlighting that this lens is instead intended to produce film footage in naturalistic colours. This detail includes a representation of colour tones that properly fits in with other popular FUJINON series like the XK, HK, MK and ZK, instead of standing out from the host of available lenses. The latter is especially vital when working with multiple lenses on a single camera or shooting complex scenes with multiple cameras and thus requiring different angles. Therefore finally, FUJINON offers consistency amongst lenses across the board. It also simplifies processes in the colour grading suite and contributes to the value of their whole lineup that ultimately serves as easily interchangeable. FUJINON Premista 80-250mm T2.95 – 3.5 PL – Side View. Image credit: FUJINON Premista 80-250mm – Operability Features Since the Premista 80-250mm is a top-range product, it especially gives credit to aspects of operability, among others, that many directors of photography around the world fully expect from lenses in that price category. These include a Flange Focal Distance correction function with a ring, attached to the lens barrel that effortlessly adjusts the flange focal distance. The lens also sports a long rotation of the focus ring with 280 degrees, end to end. The latter is particularly crucial for precise focusing required by the shallow-depth-of-field characteristic of large-format lenses and within cinematic environments and exigencies to focus pulling in the film industry. To supplement that, the Premista 28-100mm and 80-250 share their essential measurements such as front diameter and iris, zoom and focus control gear/ring positions. Thereby the same configuration of follow-focus and matte box among other accessories is trouble-free interchangeable. FUJINON Premista 80-250mm – Focus, Zoom and Iris. Image credit: FUJINON The FUJINON Premista 80-250mm T2.9-3.5 comes with the “ZEISS eXtended Data” (firmware update required) conforming with the Cooke “/i® Technology” standard for lens communication and will be available this December. What do you think about the new lens? Would you like to see a version of it in the MK category of lenses? Please share with us your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Venus Optics is teasing two new adapters for their upcoming Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T/2.9 cine zoom lens. One adapter is the 1.4x Expander, which expands the image circle to cover full frame sensors (with 1-stop light loss and focal length transformation to 35-140mm). The second adapter is 1.33x Rear anamorphic adapter, which creates 2:1 widescreen image (with 1/2-stop light loss). Both adapters are in the early prototype stage but should be affordable. Laowa teased two new adapters for the OOOM cine lens. Venus Optics is a Chinese lens manufacturer producing unique manual lenses under the brand Laowa. Their first cine zoom lens Laowa OOOM (“out of our minds”) 25-100mm T/2.9 was first showcased as a prototype during Photokina 2018. Of course, we interviewed Laowa representatives during the show, tried the lens, and published a short video/article with few sample shots (link here). During NAB 2019, Venus Optics showcased the Laowa OOOM cine lens for the first time in the USA and they also shared some new information about it. They announced that the available EF and PL mounts will be user-interchangeable and that the lens will be priced at $6,500. The latest update regarding Laowa OOOM cine zoom contains information about two prototype adapters for this lens. What kind of adapters are those? Laowa 1.4x Expander Laowa 1.4x expander with the OOOM cine lens. The first adapter is a 1.4x Expander. Similar to Tokina’s expander, it can expand the Super 35 image circle to cover a full-frame sensor. The Laowa expander has a smaller focal length multiplier of 1.4x (as opposed to Tokina’s 1.6x). Therefore, when matched with Laowa OOOM cine lens, the focal lengths will transform from 25-100mm to 35-140mm. Laowa 1.4x expander. There will be a 1-stop light loss (in comparison – Tokina loses 1.36-stops of light). Interestingly, Laowa incoporated a mechanism on the zoom ring of the lens, which can easily switch the focal length marks on the lens without the need to do any physical modification. Laowa 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter Laowa 1.33x anamorphic adapter with the OOOM cine lens. The second adapter is a 1.33x rear anamorphic adapter. It will be able to create a 2:1 wide screen squeeze but still retain the optical performance of the lens. There will be 1/2-stop light loss when using it. The anamorphic adapter can work with both Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T/2.9 cine lens as well as the upcoming Laowa 12mm T/2.9 Zero-D lens (launching soon). Laowa 1.33x anamorphic adapter. According to Laowa, the current adapter is still a very early prototype and they are still improving it. They are also researching the possibility to add some “character” to the adapter, like blue horizontal flares & oval bokeh known from the traditional anamorphic lenses and front anamorphic adapters. The installation of the adapter is simple – it simply mounts onto the lens like any other adapter. Laowa 1.33x anamorphic adapter with the yet to be released Laowa 12mm cine lens. Pricing and Availability As both these adapters are now in the early prototype stage, Venus Optics could not share the exact pricing and availability yet. We were only told that they will be very affordable. What do you think about the Laowa OOOM cine zoom lens? Are you planning to get the lens and pair it with one of these adapters? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Today, SIGMA has officially added three new lenses to their already impressive lineup of full-frame primes and zooms: The A (as in ART) line of lenses now sports a new prime lens, the SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN and a new zoom lens, the SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN. Under their C (as in contemporary) line, SIGMA released the new 45mm F2.8 DG DN prime. UPDATE: There’s also a new line of cine primes under development, the so-called SIGMA Classic Art Primes will be officially announced at IBC 2019. Check out the last paragraph for more information! These three new lenses by SIGMA come in two flavors: Sony E-mount and L-mount for playing nicely with cameras of the freshly formed L-Mount Alliance (SIGMA, Panasonic and Leica). SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN (ART) This lens is a top-end performer in terms of light sensitivity and that’s why it’s basically a huge piece of glass. As it seems, SIGMA has created a no-compromise lens here and in order to give you that fast F1.2 aperture in tandem with autofocus capabilities (!) plus high-end image quality the resulting lens is.. big. The lens comes with an aperture ring on the lens itself which can be set to automatic, or, more importantly for indie filmmakers, to manual mode. And to answer your question: Yes, the aperture ring can be de-clicked for smoothly adjusting the iris (11-blade rounded diaphragm) while filming. Same goes for the focus ring: In AF mode a large HSM (HyperSonicMotor) will quickly adjust focus for you while you can pull focus manually by switching to fly-by-wire mode. Within all these lenses names you’ll note DG (Digital) and DN (Digital Neo). DG is used by SIGMA to indicate that the lens is designed to perform best on cameras with full-frame sensors while DN branded lenses are optimized for mirrorless cameras (i.e. short flange focal lengths). Three SLD glass elements and three aspherical lenses including a double-sided aspherical lens are optimally arranged in a lens construction of 17 elements in 12 groups. By taking advantage of the specialized short flange focal length design, this 35mm lens not only is optimized for mirrorless cameras, it also takes advantage of the correction function inside the camera to correct distortion and peripheral illumination. In summary, the 35mm F1.2 can resolve over 50 million pixels. The AFL button on the lens itself which can be assigned with various functions is a nice addition to the feature set of the 35mm F1.2. Furthermore, the lens features a dust- and splash-proof structure, along with a water- and oil-repellent coating on the front element. It also comes with a locking hood. Swapping mounts between the Sony E-mount version and the L-mount version is possible but you have to send in you lens to an authorized SIGMA facility in order to do that. Specifications of the SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN (ART) – calculated for L-mount: Lens Construction: 17 elements in 12 groups Angle of view (35mm): 63.4° Number of diaphragm blades: 11 (rounded diaphragm) Minimum aperture: F16 Minimum focusing distance: 30cm / 11.8″ Maximum magnification ratio: 1:5.1 Filter size: 82mm Dimensions (diameter × length): 87,8mm × 136,2mm / 3.5″ × 5.4″ Weight: 1,090g / 38.4oz SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN (ART) This is the second lens of the newly developed DG DN series and it seems to be a beautiful lens for some starry nights astrophotography. Why? Well, because the super-wide 14-24mm range of this zoom is perfect for vast landscapes, the reasonable fast F2.8 aperture is a good match for the milky way above that vast landscape you’ve just framed up and the included rear filter holder will conveniently accommodate the filter needed for that perfect starry night shot. That’s why. This lens is also part of the A (ART) line and it also comes with the aforementioned DG and DN branding. One FLD glass and five SLD glass elements are arranged to suppress chromatic aberration and other nasty stuff. Three aspherical lenses, including a large-diameter aspherical lens at the front, are used to minimize coma flare. The multi-layer coating is combined with a newly developed NPC (Nano Porous Coating) in order for the lens to be less susceptible to strong incident light. Filter holder of the SIGMA 14-24 lens Just like the SIGMA 35mm F1.2, this new zoom lens offers an assignable AFL button on the side so you can customize this lens to match your workflow. Autofocus is handled by a stepper motor, which is also available for face/eye detection during video shooting, depending on your camera of choice. The housing also shares the same rugged design as the 35mm F1.2 ART lens. Specifications of the SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN (ART) – calculated for L-mount: Lens Construction: 18 elements in 13 groups Angle of view (35mm): 114.2° – 84.1° Number of diaphragm blades: 11 (rounded diaphragm) Minimum aperture: F22 Minimum focusing distance: 28cm / 11.0″ Maximum magnification ratio: 1:7.3 Filter: rear filter holder Dimensions (diameter × length): 85mm × 131mm / 3.3″ × 5.2″ Weight: 795g / 28oz SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN (Contemporary) To make this a threefold of new lenses, we need one more: The SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN is not part of the ART family. It bears the C (Contemporary) logo on its side to indicate a versatile and performing, yet compact and lightweight lens. And just like the other two, it covers a full-frame sensor without any problems. Because this lens is intended for everyday use, it is a really lightweight piece of glass. It’s compact and won’t get into your way while shooting. It sports a dedicated iris ring (which can’t be de-clicked, though) and a stepper motor for handling AF operation. Minimum focus distance is just 24cm (9.4″) so this lens could become a very versatile lens, indeed! According to SIGMA the 45mm F2.8 renders smooth, classic looking, bokeh when used with a wide-open iris but it will produce tack sharp, more modern-looking imagery when stopped down a little. Again, versatility seems to be key with this lens. Specifications of the SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN (Contemporary) – calculated for L-mount: Lens Construction: 8 elements in 7 groups Angle of view (35mm): 51.3° Number of diaphragm blades: 7 (rounded diaphragm) Minimum aperture: F22 Minimum focusing distance: 24cm / 9.4″ Maximum magnification ratio: 1:4 Filter size: 55mm Dimensions (diameter × length): 64mm × 46,2mm / 2.5″ × 1.8″ Weight: 215g / 7.5oz Silver version of the 45mm SIGMA Contemporary New SIGMA Classic Art Primes As a sneak peek, SIGMA also introduced a whole new line of cine primes today. The so-called Classic Art Primes come as an additional option along their already available Cinema Primes (see our extensive review here). This new line of primes bear the label Classic so you might guess where this is heading: SIGMA removed the coating of the front element in order to create a more silky/dreamy vintage look to these primes without compromising on performance. SIGMA 40mm Classic Art Prime on the new SIGMA pf camera. SIGMA will officially announce them at IBC later this year. It will be a whole set just like the existing Cinema Primes. And, as you already might have noticed, these new primes are a bit slower than the Cinema Primes. T1.5 becomes T2.5 (20mm – 85mm) and T2 becomes T3.2 (14mm & 135mm). If you think the SIGMA Cinema Primes are too sharp and produce a kind of clinical look, maybe this new set is worth a shot. We’ll keep a close eye on the further development, for sure. I think, just like with the ARRI Signature Primes, there’s a trend away from ultra sharp lenses towards lenses with a distinct character. Let’s wait and see how these new primes will perform (and handle flares etc). Links: Website What do you think of this new trio of full-frame lenses? Are you a SIGMA shooter already? What are your favorite lenses? Share your experiences in the comments below!

After last year’s exclusive sneak peak, Leitz/Leica recently finally unveiled their new LEITZ PRIME lenses and LEITZ ZOOMs. While the PRIMEs come in a full set of 11 lenses, the ZOOMs come as two lenses covering focal lengths from 25mm to 125mm. And all 13 lenses are color-matched! Just a brief history course before we get started about these new primes and zooms: Regarding the company names Leitz and Leica, there might be some confusion, but to clarify things, here it is in a nutshell: it’s basically the same company. It was founded as Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and –much later, in the 1980s– transformed into Leica (Leitz Camera). Leica and Leitz logos. Spot the difference! That’s why the logos of Leitz and Leica look so similar. In 2008, CW Sonderoptic was founded in order to develop and manufacture Leitz-branded cine lenses, though now the name is Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH once again. Ok, back to our set of new prime lenses and two new zooms! Leitz has just introduced a new set of primes, simply called LEITZ PRIME. They cover full frame/vista vision sensors and are color-matched to each other, plus to the other new line of zoom lenses Leitz unveiled, consequently called LEITZ ZOOM. LEITZ PRIME Lenses Leitz/Leica have some reputation regarding cine glass: Summilux-C, Summicron-C, Thalia and M 0.8 primes are their take on high-end cinema lenses. And now, the new PRIMEs and ZOOMs. Here’s a list of features of the set of the 11 prime lenses: 11 lenses ranging from 18mm to 180mm T1.8 Choice of PL or LPL mount Support for Cooke/i and Arri LDS-2 data Color Matched with LEITZ ZOOM Breathing is minimal Distortion is exceptionally low Chromatic aberration is not visible LEITZ PRIME 135mm T1.8 with Macrolux +1 diopter attached. In order to decrease the minimum focus distance, you can deploy the newly designed Macrolux 114 adapters, which –just like the existing Macrolux 95 diopters– come in +0.5, +1 and +2 strengths. They are stackable and Leitz claims that they won’t present any chromatic aberration. LEITZ ZOOM Lenses In addition to the full set of prime lenses, Leitz has introduced two new cine zoom lenses, called LEITZ ZOOM. The first lens covers focal lengths from 25-75mm, the second one takes over at 55mm and ranges all the way up to 125mm. More features include: 25-55mm T2.8 and 55-125mm T2.8 Choice of PL or LPL mount Support for Cooke/i and Arri LDS-2 data Color Matched with LEITZ PRIME No light loss (no ramping) over entire zoom range Parfocal Breathing is minimal Distortion is exceptionally low Chromatic aberration is not visible LEITZ ZOOM 25-75 T2.8 and 55-125mm T2.8. The major benefit of using these primes in conjunction with the two new zoom lenses is the fact that they match perfectly in terms of color. So you end up with a set of 13 lenses, which you can mix’n’match to taste and will always match on your timeline. Neat! Pricing and Availability No word on availability, yet. Pricing is not confirmed, either, but don’t expect these lenses to be cheap. We’re talking high-end cine lenses here and these usually come at a price. Maybe these lenses are targeted more towards rental houses than to individual customers, but in the end, it’s nice to have some choice, isn’t it? Pick the lens that suits your taste/budget/project best and off you go! Links: Leitz What do think of these new additions to the Leitz/Leica lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Last year at NAB  Zoom has launched the F8n, a professional-grade multitrack field recorder with great build-quality and advanced features like the Look-Ahead Hybrid Limiters, Zoom’s AutoMix, great preamps, timecode in/out and lots more. Now the Zoom F6 field recorder sports the same preamps as the F8n did, with the added benefit of being able to utilise dual A/D converters and record in 32bit, instead of standard 24bit, thus making setting levels and clipping a thing of the past. Information is somewhat limited at this point, but here’s what we were able to find out. The Zoom F6 is not as big in size as you might think. In fact, it’s tiny! The Zoom F6  has six  XLR-inputs and features the same very low noise-floor preamps found in the Zoom F8n (−127 dBu EIN). There is a line-out, a headphone output with a tiny volume wheel and  a timecode in/out (again this is the same as in the F8n. Not continuing the similarities the F6 only has a single SD card slot. Powering the Zoom F6 should be rather easy, given all the options the unit offers: the F6 can either be powered by four AA batteries, USB-C or an L-Series  battery, for which their is a built-in mount on the unit’s backside. The front of the unit  is dominated by six faders, a tiny yet informative LCD and three main buttons to controle recording and playback. The unit can also be connected to Zoom’s Bluetooth adapter and will work with Smartphone app interface as well as Zoom’s F-Control panel. The Zoom F6 will record 6  tracks, as well as a  stereo mix, so 8 channels all in all.So far so good. The Zoom F6 seems like a nice little six-input recorder. Dual A/D converter and 32bit float Now this is where the Zoom F6 really shines. Without going into too much detail, the way the dual A/D converters are set up, it will be nearly impossible to clip the recordings coming off the Zoom F6 – meaning the the preamp just won’t clip. That by itself is a great feature to have. But additionally, this virtually non-clippable sound will then be recorded in 32bit float, instead of the long-time industry standard of 24bit. While 24bit can have  great audio quality there is one inherent problem: louder volumes will be recorded at better quality than lower volumes. In practice this can translate into a situation that many of us have encountered before: You record at a set gain level, and then the person starts whispering. Now you’d have to raise the gain, introducing noise. But with a 32bit recording everything would be recorded at the same quality level, no matter the volume, due to the immense dynamic headroom. On the other end of the spectrum, clipping would be really hard to achieve even you tried it on purpose and even if something clipped on output, you could bring it back down in post, similar to how highlight recovery works with RAW video: the spectrum of data recorded is larger than the available output range, that you can push the signal around more easily. The Zoom F6 is also supposed to be able to record 32bit float to all of its tracks, while also recording 24bit files as backups simultaneously. You can also choose to only record 24bit and use the Advanced Look-Ahead Hybrid Limiters, known from the Zoom F8n. In May we should see some more detail on the Zoom F6 emerge, together with some information on pricing. The unit should be available during the latter parts of  June according to officials from Zoom. Are you excited about 32bit float recording and getting your hands on this ground-breaking new field recorder by Zoom? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Tokina expands its new Opera line of premium lenses with the release of this new 16-28mm f/2.8 zoom lens. After the initial Tokina Opera branded lens, a 50mm f/1.4 prime, this is the first zoom lens of the Opera line. With a fast aperture of f/2.8 and a rather complex lens design, this new lens looks very appealing for both still photographers and indie filmmakers. The lens features a zoom range from 16mm to 28mm and the fast f/2.8 aperture which stays constant throughout the whole zoom range. Fast (and silent) AF is also on board plus a so-called One-Touch Focus Clutch Mechanism for switching between AF and MF. This lens is designed for high-end DSLRs and offers a whooping 15 elements in 13 groups, including 3 aspherical and 3 low dispersion elements. Tokina Opera 16-28mm This first Tokina Opera branded zoom lens is not meant to be super compact. It’s meant to be a lens without optical compromises, a true performer. It’s 3.50″ x 5.35″ (89mm x 136 mm) in size and it’s not a lightweight lens either but a serious tool: It weights 2.09 lbs (950 g)! On thing to mention: It does not offer image stabilization. Lens design of the Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 zoom lens. The front element is a bit oddly shaped for this focal length range and it actually comes with a downside: You can’t use screw-in filters with the Tokina Opera 16-18mm. But, again, the design serves a greater purpose: Tokina claims that the bulbous front element helps achieving very even illumination and low distortion throughout the frame. Due to this lens design the lens hood comes built in. Additionally, a new multi coating helps with further reducing flare and ghosting, resulting in overall improved contrast when shooting in difficult lighting situations. There are two versions available: Canon EF and Nikon F and it’s not only the mount you’re choosing. Tokina also wants you to feel right at home so the directional rotation of the focus ring matches the direction of proprietary Nikon and Canon lenses. Tokina offers some MFT charts for the new Opera 16-28mm lens. If you want to learn more about how to read a MFT chart, Luminous Landscape has a superb article on the matter: Read it here. Adapting the Tokina Opera Lens Since Nikon F and Canon EF lenses  were originally designed for D(SLR) cameras with a mirror box inside, the flange back distance is pretty large: 44mm for Canon EF and 46.5mm for Nikon F. Since nowadays mirrorless cameras lack the mirror box (hence the name) they use lens mounts with a way shorter flange back distance. This fact opens the door for adapting the Tokina Opera lens to pretty much any mirrorless camera you can imagine. Tokina Opera 16-28mm lens on a Nikon D810 (full frame DSLR). For APS-C sized sensors you can choose between so-called speedbooster lens adapters or regular adapters. In that case, the 16-28mm zoom range will transform to a 25.6-44.8mm equivalent focal length range. All you have to do is choosing between clockwise focus barrel rotation (Nikon) or counter-clockwise rotation (Canon). Once that choice is made pretty much any full frame or APS-C mirrorless camera will work with this lens. The Future of Tokina I might be wrong, but this new Opera line of high quality lenses could mark Tokina’s move into the same terrain in which Sigma’s ART series of lenses is already positioned. Let’s see where this is going but another brand offering premium lenses at relatively affordable prices is always good for us indie filmmakers! Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 The Opera line consists of two lenses as of now. One prime and one zoom. Maybe we’ll be seeing much more lenses to come in the near future, choice is always a good thing to have! Links: Tokina What do you think about this new line of high quality lenses? Share your thoughts in the comments below!