FS7: Fujinon announce MK 18-55 T2.9 and MK 50-135 T2.9

I never thought I say it because I'm as close to a Zeiss fanboy as such a thing is possible to be, but I was there with a documentary maker who needs to deploy quick and unobtrusively and get great results all the time and he's not technical like me and he fell head over heels for the Fuji too and I think I would take it over the Zeiss simply for its form factor. It's tiny for a cine zoom. The macro is great too.

I should add the Zeiss 28mm Master Anamorphic on display was the best thing I have ever seen.
 
Adorama rentals in NYC have been dumping used cinezooms for bargain prices, I almost grabbed a Zeiss lwz.2 for 10k.
Now I know why
 
If Zeiss has a 6 month backorder on their new LWZ.3, then I guess plenty of people must think it's worth $10K. (Shrug)

Thanks to your hype Ben the Fujinon sounds even more tempting now...
 
I think I would take it over the Zeiss simply for its form factor. It's tiny for a cine zoom. The macro is great too.


Fuji's background in ENG zooms is bearing fruit for the e-mount world.

I like this barrel diameter ( 85mm ) more than the larger 95mm-ish diameter of the Sigma Cine zooms. The former being more of an ENG size, the latter more of a "cinema" size.

While the focal range is not for everyone, this Fuji MK 18-55mm really is remarkable. Consider that it weighs only 2.16 lbs, under half the weight of the 4.85 lb Canon 15.5mm - 47mm T 2.8.

We are getting tantalizing close to THE zoom for the Fs7. The holy grail ENG / doc zoom everyone has wanted since the Fs7 was born. We just need a shrunk-down size Canon 17-120mm in the $12-15k price range. It is unfortunate that, for obvious reason, Canon isn't engineering for e-mount and thus isn't taking advantage of what can be done when engineering for e-mount.

some photos demonstrating the scale of the Fuji MK, courtesy cinema5D.com-


0J8K0166-640x360.jpg

DSF4747-640x360.jpg


This zoom, more than any prior, just looks like it was made for the Fs7. That's the perfect size, imo.

Be it a result of engineering limitations, a desire to keep the price down, or both, Fuji has come up with a "purist" ( no AF, no IS, no AE ) budget s35 zoom which is why folks like Ben Scott are liking it. If only it had the same focal range of the slower Canon 18-80. And the servo. We're SO close!!
 
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Just got word it's available to rent for 85/weekend at CSI rentals in NYC. I'm excited to get some hands on time and actually shoot with it. Here's to hoping that it lives up to the hype i've created for it in my mind
 
And here it is

And here it is

Very light very sharp some distortion at 18mm on straight lines overall a winner
 

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Wow.. it does also make the Fs7 look rather sexy.. we all know its BS.. but its reality too.. a fancy lens,mattbox /rods etc.. and producers feel they are getting their monies worth.. and the subjects take you more seriously.. Ive had this many of times.. corp high up,s come into the room for interview.. they mention the camera rig.. they are impressed ..they ask you how much it cost or similar comments.. and they take the whole shoot more seriously.. (might have to lie about the fuji cost :).. best of both worlds ..
 
Wow.. it does also make the Fs7 look rather sexy.. we all know its BS.. but its reality too.. a fancy lens,mattbox /rods etc.. and producers feel they are getting their monies worth.. and the subjects take you more seriously.. Ive had this many of times.. corp high up,s come into the room for interview.. they mention the camera rig.. they are impressed ..they ask you how much it cost or similar comments.. and they take the whole shoot more seriously.. (might have to lie about the fuji cost :).. best of both worlds ..

There is the psychological effect yes, but ultimately its about functionality the rig balances perfectly on my shoulder, the viewfinder is less straining on the eye and also extremely fog resistant, the wooden handles are more comfortable and never slip even if your hands are wet and I always use a Pol filter when shooting outdoors on sunny days.
 
I'm pretty sure Fuji gave these lenses my initials (MK) just to mock me for having spent so much on the Zeiss CZ.2s, which I thought would be giving me equivalent focal length coverage to these on all of the (then) rapidly forthcoming vistavision-sensored cameras...

Almost two years later, and there are STILL no bloody vistavision cameras around, and I've got one of the greatest lens manufacturers in the world taunting me :(
 
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