Fujifilm Australia launches wide-angle cinema zoom lens

Fujifilm Australia has launched the FUJINON GF19-35mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR lens, expanding the FUJINON GF lens range for large-format filmmaking.

The new model is the second power zoom lens in the GF Series and is designed for the GFX camera system, including the GFX ETERNA 55. It covers a focal length of 19mm to 35mm, equivalent to 15mm to 28mm in 35mm format, according to Fujifilm.

The launch adds a wide-angle option to Fujifilm's existing GF cinema-oriented zoom range. Alongside the GF32-90mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR, the new lens gives users coverage from ultra-wide to standard focal lengths, with matching external dimensions intended to simplify lens swaps on the same rig.

The lens was built to balance image quality with production workflow needs. It has a constant T3.5 aperture across the zoom range and a design with 23 elements in 15 groups, including four ED elements and three aspherical elements.

It also inherits operability and design elements from the Premista Series, using a configuration tailored for power zoom and a DC motor. The unit weighs about 2.1kg and is about 222mm long, making it relatively compact for a large-format-compatible power zoom lens.

Film focus

The lens is aimed at film and video production rather than still photography. It includes separate control rings for focus, zoom and iris, and all three use the standard 0.8M gear pitch found on Fujinon cinema lenses, allowing compatibility with common follow focus systems and lens motors.

Its focus ring has a 200-degree rotation angle for finer manual adjustment. The supplied handle of the GFX ETERNA 55 can also control focus, zoom and iris through the camera body and multifunction dial, while constant-speed focus and zoom settings support one-person operation.

Power zoom control is supported on the GFX ETERNA 55 and GFX100 II. The lens also has optical image stabilisation, with Fujifilm citing improved motion-sensing accuracy and changes to the stabilisation mechanism to support handheld and gimbal shooting.

Optical design

According to Fujifilm, the lens was designed to reduce optical aberrations while maintaining resolution more closely associated with prime lenses. The internal design also suppresses focus breathing, which can affect framing during focus pulls in video production.

Nano GI coating is included to reduce flare and ghosting from light entering at oblique angles. The lens also uses a 13-blade aperture to produce a near-circular iris, affecting the rendering of out-of-focus highlights when the lens is stopped down.

Colour reproduction and tonal characteristics are intended to match the GF32-90mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR. That consistency is intended to reduce the amount of adjustment needed when footage from both lenses is combined in the same production.

Line-up expansion

Large-format cinema and hybrid production tools have become a more active area for camera manufacturers as production teams look for fewer components, faster lens changes and simpler post-production matching. Fujifilm is positioning the GF lens line and the GFX ETERNA 55 as part of that shift, using a sensor format larger than 35mm full frame.

The new lens is aimed at workflows that need both mobility and manual control. By keeping the exterior dimensions aligned with the GF32-90mm model, crews can reuse accessories and maintain similar rig configurations between lenses.

Shaun Mah, General Manager, Electronic Imaging & Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm Australia, commented on the launch.

"Fujifilm is proud to introduce the FUJINON GF19-35mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR to the GFX ETERNA 55 filmmaking lineup," said Shaun Mah, General Manager, Electronic Imaging & Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm Australia.

"Combining an ultra wide focal range, cinema style operability and exceptional image quality, this new power zoom lens gives filmmakers greater creative flexibility while supporting more efficient production workflows. Together with the GF32-90mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR, it provides a versatile lens solution for large format filmmaking," Mah said.