FUJINON 25-1000mm PL Mount Box Lens Discussed

by Francesco AndreolaNovember 24^th, 2022

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During InterBEE 2022, Johnnie stopped by the FUJINON booth to learn more about their upcoming HZK 25-1000mm f/2.8-5, a beast of a lens that is here to fill a gap in the broadcast market segment.

Last month, FUJINON announced the development of the HZK25-1000mm, a box-style zoom lens designed for high-end broadcast applications. What’s peculiar about this lens is that it features a native PL mount rather than a B4 one, which is usually more common for broadcast glass.

At Inter BEE 2022 in Tokyo, Stosh Durbacz from FUJIFILM told us more about the reasons behind this design choice and the specific needs of today’s live productions. Let’s take a closer look!

FUJINON 25-1000mm: cinema aesthetics for broadcast

According to Stosh, in recent years broadcasters have been drifting away from traditional broadcast equipment to pursue a more “cinematic look”. Indeed, it’s not uncommon to see large-format cameras, like the Sony VENICE 2 or RED V-RAPTOR, being employed to cover live events.

However, pairing such cameras with existing long-reach B4 lenses requires the use of adapters, whose nature normally leads to some tradeoffs. That’s why FUJINON came up with a native PL mount box-style 40x zoom lens.

Along with its astonishing focal length range, this upcoming 25-1000mm lens features a fast aperture of f/2.8-5. This is quite impressive, especially on the long end, and makes the lens suitable for use even in dark environments. And most importantly, it results in images with a widely sought-after shallow depth of field.

Although the 28.5mm image circle is only enough to cover the S35 format, the lens integrates a 1.5x expander. When engaged, it grants compatibility with large-format cameras, such as the Sony VENICE 2.

The HZK25-1000mm was designed to meet the needs of solo camera operators, but can also be controlled remotely using ARRI and Preston FIZ wireless lens control systems. Additionally, Stosh acknowledged that other accessories, such as a rear filtration system, are currently under evaluation.

Price and availability

The company has not disclosed the final price of the FUJINON HZK25-1000mm yet. However, according to Stosh, it should be around $245.000. Currently, only two pre-production units have been produced, while the final product will start shipping towards March 2023.

For more information, please visit FUJINON’s website.

Have you ever shot with a mount box lens? What do you think about the upcoming FUJINON HZK25-1000mm? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!