Setting up the Fujinon MK18-55mm T2.9 cine lens with the Sony FS7 and Zacuto rig. (I accidentally left the matte box back at the office. Shh... don`t tell anyone.)
Fujifilm is a respected name in the photography world thanks in part to its highly regarded X-series cameras and lenses. However, Fujifilm is also a major player in the professional cinema market, producing cinema lenses with prices that reach upward of $90,000. The company is now extending its cinema expertise into what it calls the `emerging production´ market: users who need capabilities and features beyond what´s available in standard DSLR or mirrorless lenses, but who don´t have a budget to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a single lens.
The Fujinon MK18-55mm T2.9 cinema lens is the first in Fujifilm´s new MK line of Super 35 lenses designed specifically for this market. It will be joined later in the year by the matching MK50-135mm T2.9 lens, giving users complete coverage of the very useful 18-135mm range of focal lengths. The MK line is based on the company´s Cabrio line of cinema lenses, which have prices starting around $15,000, and both lens lines share the same coatings and basic mechanical build. At $3,799, the MK18-55 is still a bit pricey by photography standards, but a relative bargain for a high quality cinema lens.
Sony E-mount on a Fujinon lens? Read our First Look slide show to learn why.
Despite being a Fujifilm product, this lens uses Sony E-mount. (We discuss Fujifilm´s reasons for choosing E-mount in our First Look slide show.) As a result, I tested the lens attached to a Sony FS7, a Super 35 camera that´s popular among this segment of users.
Shooting with the MK18-55mm T2.9
We only had a couple days to do our testing, so I threw together a quick shoot highlighting one of the Pacific Northwest´s favorite sports - climbing - and met up with local climber Jay Griffin at The Mountaineers climbin ...
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