Montreal-based production and rental house Video MTL and its Toronto location, Dazmo Camera, are the first to put the new FUJINON UA107x8.4 (UA107x) lens into rental rotation in North America. Just introduced at NAB last April, the UA107x is the longest and widest 4K lens ever created for Ultra HD (UHD) broadcast applications. While Video MTL and Dazmo own several Cabrio PL lenses, their purchase of two 107x’s and one UA22x8 portable zoom is the company’s first optics selection for next-generation 2/3-inch UHD cameras.
The lenses are the newest standard feature of Video MTL and Dazmo’s production truck, where they complement 10 Sony HDC4300 4K/HD cameras.
Future growth expected in 4K mobile production and a specific customer request precipitated the order in mid-June. And just four days after placing the order, the new lenses were at work on a shoot produced by La Grosse Fabrique for Netflix France on stand-up comedian/actor Gad Elmaleh.
The production company La Grosse Fabrique wanted a full 4K shoot, from recording to delivery. “These lenses, in combination with our production truck, allowed us to provide that for them. They also wanted a long zoom, and because we believe demand for the 107x will only increase, we felt this lens was a great choice for us in terms of investment,” said Andrew Lapierre of Video MTL. “FUJINON lenses have always enjoyed a great reputation for quality, durability and performance. They do exactly what they claim to do.”
The feedback from the Netflix shoot was from a camera operator well known to Video MTL for his exceptionally high standards. “After using the FUJINON 107x lens for the first time, he said he only wants to use this lens in the future. He called the lens/camera combination ‘unbelievable’ and said it makes his job so much easier.”
The production truck and FUJINON lenses have hit the road again in late June for ‘’La Voix Junior’’ (the Quebec adaptation of The Voice Kids), produced by a partnership of Le Groupe TVA, les Productions Déferlantes and La Voix Télévision.
“We’re extremely proud to be the first in North America to own these lenses,” said Martin Poirier, Video MTL. “They’re an important part of our production truck, and we’re always looking to collaborate with new clients – no matter what their production needs.”
Destined to set a new standard for 4K UHD and HD production worldwide, the UA107x provides superb 4K optical quality across the entire zoom focal range – a hallmark of the FUJINON UA 2/3″ UHD Broadcast series lens. The UA107’s refined optical quality has been engineered using FUJIFILM’s latest optical simulation software, which was used to model the UA107’s large diameter aspherical elements. This lens has a multi-group zoom system that suppresses image distortion and ensures that 4K UHD images captured remain consistent and accurate from center to corner, making the UA107x a solid choice to complement today’s 4K 2/3” UHD cameras.
The UA22x8 portable zoom is designed for UltraHD broadcast applications and is compatible with 4K 2/3-inch broadcast cameras. With a compact and lightweight design, a 22× zoom ratio and a focal length from 8mm in wide angle to 176mm in telephoto, the UA22x8 excels in capturing a broad range of applications, including live sports, program production and news reporting.
