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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Fujinon 19-90 T2.9 S35 Cine/ENG lens...

List price is still $38K as far as I'm aware.

I got my hands on one of these last friday, still a pre-release model and communication to the camera wasn't working. I'm not sure what to think of this lens... Optically it seems very good, but the image isn't as appealing as the Optimo zooms, IMO. The lens feels to me like a mutant ENG lens that's been oversized a bit with cine-style gears. The servo grip is nice and even better that it's included. The lens has a back focus adjustment, which seems odd given the market and the cine world is accustomed to making the adjustments at the mount. OTOH, it would make this lens a snap to collimate in the field if the need arises.

It's an intriguing lens when it all comes down to it. I would gladly add it to my arsenal if I had the budget....
 
Every time I think about ordering this lens I keep wondering if I would be happier with the Angie 30-80 DP Rouge with a servo grip?

As much as I love the 16-42 & 30-80 DP Angies I always get hung up on the limited zoom range. Working handheld, particularly in interiors, with a lens that won't go wider than 30mm is just to limiting in terms of composition. The 16-42 is great for a lot of shots but if you're shooting people (particularly in many docco situations) the only way to really get tight is to get the camera right up in their personal space which can totally interrupt the moment.

Once the 19-90 Cabrio is in decent supply I'll rent one for a day and see for myself. In the meantime if anyone gets a chance to shoot with a production unit please report.

Cheers - #19
 
We received the first 2 to be delivered in NA last week. They were in the shop for a total of 24 hrs.....enough time to cut the foam for the case, test them and send them out. Both are being used on dramatics.........Beauty and the Beast (CW) and Rookie Blue (ABC). Lenses are similar to the resolution of the Aluras, but they do look soft compared to the Premier Series from Fujinon. (as does the Angenieuxs). Color is very close to the Premiers and Aluras. Breathing is minimal (for size of lens and focal range). Both shows have removed the handgrip, as they wanted the range of 19-90 with a single lens. For the price, its in a class of its own. Easy to see why Fujinon has sold so many.

John DeBoer
COO SIM Digital
 
Thanks for the report John.

The value proposition of a $38,000 lens from a rental house perspective can be as simple as looking at what day rate the market will bear, projected upkeep costs, operations overhead and expected service life. For the owner/op the equation is rather less cut and dried. In any case, what is the "book" day rate on the lens there at SIM?

I appreciate that you did not provide a rental price point in your post as it might be seen as too self promoting, or simply not how you do business - fair enough. OTOH, if you are comfortable doing so, I think there are people following this thread who would love to know.

Cheers - #19
 
Blair S. Paulsen said:
Once the 19-90 Cabrio is in decent supply I'll rent one for a day and see for myself.
Click to expand...

That is my plan as well. I almost didn't make my post above because it was a pre-release demo unit and the final version is now shipping.

For its size and the zoom range offered, it's a great option. For handheld use and shooting interiors, I wish it was a 16-85 or something just a fuzz wider than 19. My go-to zoom kit on the EPIC for now consists of the Duclos 11-16, DP 16-42 and DP 30-80. I'm salivating over the Duclos 70-200, if/when Matt ever gets a few ready to sell.

The Cabrio is very intriguing and while I'm tempted to consider owning it instead of the DP zooms, there are advantages to the DP's -- for starters I can use them at the same time on two separate cameras.

I'm starting work on a documentary style production here in about two weeks and will be using the DP zooms along with RPP's. The director/producer has been asking me about this lens, but it seems there are none available to rent for the rapidly-approaching date and for the duration we need it. I think if one was available to buy right now, we would probably do it and see how it works out. But that's not going to happen, neither of us have one reserved anywhere. I requested info and availability from AbelCine, but have not heard back from them yet.
 
I'm starting work on a documentary style production here in about two weeks and will be using the DP zooms along with RPP's. The director/producer has been asking me about this lens, but it seems there are none available to rent for the rapidly-approaching date and for the duration we need it. I think if one was available to buy right now, we would probably do it and see how it works out. But that's not going to happen, neither of us have one reserved anywhere. I requested info and availability from AbelCine, but have not heard back from them yet.[/QUOTE]

---

Jeff -- check your inbox.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
List price is still $38K as far as I'm aware.

I got my hands on one of these last friday, still a pre-release model and communication to the camera wasn't working. I'm not sure what to think of this lens... Optically it seems very good, but the image isn't as appealing as the Optimo zooms, IMO. The lens feels to me like a mutant ENG lens that's been oversized a bit with cine-style gears. The servo grip is nice and even better that it's included. The lens has a back focus adjustment, which seems odd given the market and the cine world is accustomed to making the adjustments at the mount. OTOH, it would make this lens a snap to collimate in the field if the need arises.

It's an intriguing lens when it all comes down to it. I would gladly add it to my arsenal if I had the budget....
Click to expand...

I think that having this adjustment may confuse people even more who do not understand back focus and flange focal distance to begin with.
 
John DeBoer said:
We received the first 2 to be delivered in NA last week. They were in the shop for a total of 24 hrs.....enough time to cut the foam for the case, test them and send them out. Both are being used on dramatics.........Beauty and the Beast (CW) and Rookie Blue (ABC). Lenses are similar to the resolution of the Aluras, but they do look soft compared to the Premier Series from Fujinon. (as does the Angenieuxs). Color is very close to the Premiers and Aluras. Breathing is minimal (for size of lens and focal range). Both shows have removed the handgrip, as they wanted the range of 19-90 with a single lens. For the price, its in a class of its own. Easy to see why Fujinon has sold so many.

John DeBoer
COO SIM Digital
Click to expand...
Was that Lens Numbered 1 and 2?
 
Would it be possible for fujinon to also make the mount interchangeable just like the CP2, did anyone who had contact met fujinon discuss that by any conincedence ?
 
Max M. said:
Would it be possible for fujinon to also make the mount interchangeable just like the CP2, did anyone who had contact met fujinon discuss that by any conincedence ?
Click to expand...


Why change the lens mount when all decent cinema cameras are PL capable?

Red Epic, Red1, Scarlet: all can have PL mounts and most do.
Arri Alexa
Sony F35, F65, F3, FS100, FS700, can have PL mount
Canon C300 can have PL mount
AF100 can have PL mount
Panavision Genesis, Phantoms, Vipers, Weisscam, etc... all have/can have PL mounts.

Sure, you can't put it on 5D's, but it won't cover anyhow.
 
well for instance for a EF c300 version, it would be nice to use it on that one :)
 
Max M. said:
well for instance for a EF c300 version, it would be nice to use it on that one :)
Click to expand...
Haha, I guess. Seems you just need a PL'd C300. Then you can use a world of awesome cinema lenses! I'm sick of Canon trying to aggressively force itself into the lens world. First they delayed the release of the PL'd C300 and now are making EOS only cameras. I'm not a big canon glass guy, and while I'm glad they are getting into the cine camera market, I'm not happy to have them provide roadblocks in order to try and force me to use their lenses. I don't want to.

Just my .02$
 
Well said Ryan. I agree and hope they keep bringing more PL glass to the game. I shot so much film on their Super 16 zooms back in the day and they were awesome.
 
JD Holloway said:
Somebody tell Gibby!
Click to expand...

Blair S. Paulsen said:
On a concert shoot I did with Gibby and Champe Barton we used a kludged rig with a scavenged servo grip mounted on an aluminum "L" bracket to drive a stills zoom.
Click to expand...

As those who know me here would guess, I’ve been encouraging and tracking these servo developments all along ;)

Thanks Fujinon and Angenieux…it’s about time! Since early 2006 I’ve been lobbying various lens manufacturers to create and market servo units for s35 cine and FF35 stills lenses. A search of my posts over the years here on Red User will reveal many posts of mine suggesting such. Blair and others here have also been suggesting this too.

Beyond their obvious cine style use, Red cameras have been, and will continue to be used widely by mobile hybrid EFP style shooters. In that style of shooting a servo is of great utility. Things happen fast in that style, so getting to the next framing without walking to it is usually critical – and focusing is almost always by eye by the operator (no AC or FF).

With convergence of shooting styles, and a DSMC camera like Epic, many crews are shooting one day in cine style, and the next day EFP style. The ability to place a servo unit on the lens quickly for EFP style, then remove it to shoot cine style with a FF, is fantastic. That capability helps to unlock the diverse potential of any camera – especially a DSMC camera like Epic.

As Blair mentioned, almost three years ago me and Champe Barton tossed around the concept of adapting a Fujinon servo unit scavenged from a B4 2/3” HD lens for my use with a Canon 24-70 stills zoom on a 7 Red One camera music concert production (VH1, Palladia) of the classic rock band Heart (March 2010). Champe and me were dual DPs for the production, and I was also one of the stage front cinematographers – Blair being the other stage front. After we brainstormed some servo ideas, Champe found a Fujinon servo, had a custom mount bracket made, adapted it to the Red One rig, powered it off from a brick, and put snap on gears onto the 24-70 zoom. Proverbially “necessity is the mother of invention”. When I can dig it up I'll post a photo of that rig - not aesthetically pretty, but it definitely got the job done.

The setup worked great that night – smooth powered pushes and pulls (slow and snap) when the director asked for them, quick re-framings for static shots, etc.

For real mobile EFP style production a smaller, lighter servo is now needed for use with 35mm still zooms and snap on gears. For mobile EFP work rig weight is critical – the heavier the rig, the less shots you can get, and the lighter the rig, the more shots you can get. That’s why mobile EFP shooters adapting DC cameras usually use 35mm stills zooms with screw-on filters. Cine zooms are way too big and heavy per their focal lengths to be very mobile – and they’re very expensive.

Yes, these new Fujinon zooms with a servo added, and certain Angenieux zooms with a servo added, will be of excellent use for a lot of EFP style work. But if Canon and/or Nikon (or someone else like Red) were to finally make an affordable, lightweight, quickly removable servo unit for use with 35mm still zooms, that comes with a set of adjustable gear rings, they’d sell a ton of them to mobile EFP shooters who regularly adapt digital cinema cameras to their field shooting style!

Beyond the obvious utility of a servo in handheld and 3-point shoulder held EFP work, with the servo on the lens there is also the traditional option for tripod work to put a remote rocker unit, cabled to the servo, on the tripod handle.

Thanks again Fujinon and Angenieux for listening to the needs of the rapidly-evolving, multi-use camera market!

As its always been in the motion and still image shooting business, “horses for courses”… and "form follows function".
 
Our first one just arrived this morning. We'll test it this weekend and report back. Mechanically its excellent.
 
I shot a feature with this lens this summer and fell in love with it. Sadly it was a rental from Chater Camera. Now I have to buy one. It is awesome by all accounts.
 
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