In Broadcast - April 2014 - 58

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

WWW.INBROADCAST.COM | ISSUE 30 - APRIL 2014

N E W S

InFOCUS

Developments In Broadcast Camera Optics
Rapid progress in broadcast camera technology during recent years, not least the advent of
DSLR-based cameras, has been bolstered by advances in third-party optics...

By David Kirk
Contributing Editor

any cameramen today select
their lens package at the same
time as they buy the camera head,
usually from the same manufacturer.
The critical element in 2014 is the
need for optics that match the high
level of detail obtainable from latestgeneration 4K cameras. Shooting
in the highest possible resolution
has long enabled photographers,
film-makers and television
programme-makers to extend the
life of productions beyond current
standards. 4K originated content has
the incidental advantage that it will
upconvert to 8K much more cleanly
than any 2K or sub-2K source.
An increasing number of cameras
and camcorders now come with
integral variable-magnification
optics, such as the recently
announced Q3 from Camera Corps.
The Q3 incorporates a 20x zoom
lens within a spherical robotic head
approximately the diameter of a
Compact Disc.
The following is a summary of new
developments in broadcast camera
optics ranging from high-end
models to a vest-pocket portable,
the latter being Schneider Optics'
latest offerings for the Apple iPhone.
Angenieux' Optimo DP 25-250 is
a PL-mount 10x zoom lens designed
for use with S35 digital cameras.
Features include T3.5 aperture, 1.22
mm minimum object distance, 31.4
mm image circle, metadata interface,
internal focus, an integrated holder
for standard screw-in ﬁlters, plus
a focus ring with interchangeable
metre or feet scaling. Options
include front protective glass and
Panavision, Canon EF or Nikon F
mounts. Weight is 7.3 kg and length
is 377.4 mm (PL-mount) or 372.3
mm (Panavision).
ARRI has introduced the ﬁrst three
focal length versions (35, 50 and
75 mm) of the ARRI/Zeiss Master
Anamorphic lens series. These are
capable of shooting at T1.9 and
incorporate a newly developed iris
with 15 aperture blades. Claimed
features include near telecentric
optical design to reduce colour
fringing and shading at the image
corners. New lens barrels provide
improved dust and water protection.
Designed for modern digital
cameras, they can also be used with

analogue ﬁlm cameras. 60, 100 and
135 mm lenses complete the lineup.
Canon's HJ15ex8.5B KRSE-V is
a high-deﬁnition production lens
with a variable angle prism image
stabiliser which provides motion
compensation over a wide range
of disturbance frequencies. It is
designed to reduce the effects of
movement ranging from low-speed
jolting associated with handheld
and shoulder mounted shooting
to the higher vibration frequencies
encountered when operating from
wheeled vehicles, boats or aircraft.
Zoom ratio is 15x. Focal length range
is 8.5 to 128 mm. Minimum object
distance is 0.8 metres, reducing
to 10 mm macro. The lens weighs
just under 2 kg and measures
approximately 170 x 119 x 239 mm.
Cooke Optics' miniS4/i lenses
are claimed to provide the same
optical quality, resolution and
reliability of the company's S4/i
and 5/i ranges while being smaller,
lighter and more affordable. The
lenses also incorporate improved
sensors that provide data to postproduction teams.
Fujifilm Europe recently
introduced two new lenses for
3-CCD or CMOS high-deﬁnition
cameras. The TF4XA-1 has a ﬁxed
focal length of 4 mm and a maximum
aperture of F2.2. Equipped with a
C-Mount, it is designed for 1/3 inch
cameras. Iris and focus operation is
manual, including locking knobs at
three different positions.

FUJINON's 17x zoom lens

The TF4XA-1 has two ﬁlter threads.
One (the M27x0.5) is a conventional
ﬁlter thread on the inside of the
housing. The second (M30.5x0.5)
is on the outside. Another new lens
for 1/3 inch HD 3 CCD or CMOS
cameras is the XT17sx4.5DA-R11
17x zoom. This covers a focal
length range of 4.5 to 77 mm, which
equals an angle of view (horizontal

Angenieux's Optimo DP 25-250 lens

x vertical) of 56° 9' x 43° 36' at the
wide end or 3° 34' x 2° 41' when
using the longest focal length of
77 mm. The XT17sx4.5DA-R11
is equipped with a C-mount and
offers a maximum aperture of F1.6
plus a minimum object distance of
0.95 metre. Zoom, focus and iris
are motorised.

IBE-Optics' PLx2 lens

IBE-Optics' PLx2 optical extender
doubles the focal length of 35 mm
PL-mount lenses. It uses highindex low-dispersion glass and is
optimised for digital cameras. The
PLx2 is claimed to accommodate
the widest array of PL-mount lenses
of any doubler. The extender is also
designed to mount to any digital cine
camera with a native PL-mount. It
will also clear the spinning mirror on
ARRI and Aaton 35 mm cameras.
The PLx2 projects an image with
a diameter large enough to cover
all commonly used 35 mm formats,
including 5K on a Red Epic and the
full 4:3 frame of an Alexa. Minimum
image circle projection is 32 mm.
Maximum input aperture is F1.8.
Panavision has introduced a new
line of Primo lenses, the Primo V
series, speciﬁcally designed to work
with high-resolution 35 mm digital
cameras. "Cinematographers tell
us that the hyper-sharp sensors in
today's digital cameras can result
in images that are harsh and lack
personality," comments Panavision's
VP of Optical Engineering Dan
Sasaki. "The Primo V lenses bring
the smooth, organic ﬂavour of Primo
lenses to the high ﬁdelity digital
image." Modiﬁcations are claimed
to eliminate the coma, astigmatism,

and other aberrations introduced
by the additional glass between
the lens and the sensor. The Primo
V lenses are compatible with any
digital camera equipped with PL
or Panavision 35 mount systems.
They cannot be used on cine
cameras. The internal transports
and mechanics of the Primo V lenses
retain the standard Primo feel. A set
of Primo V primes includes 14.5,
17.5, 21, 27, 35, 40, 50, 75, and 100
mm focal lengths.
Schneider Optics recently
announced that its add-on lens
system for the Apple iPhone is
available for the iPhone 5. The new
Series 2 system offers a larger family
of lenses, including a new Macro and
Super Wide. The iPro Lens system
gives the iPhone interchangeable
macro, wide angle, super wide,
ﬁsheye, and 2x telephoto lenses.
A bayonet mount securely fastens
the lenses to a custom outer case.
The new ﬁsheye offers 180 degrees
of view with a larger image circle
and sharper images than the earlier
version. With a 150° increase in
width, the super wide doubles
the ﬁeld of view of the iPhone's
built-in lens.
Zeiss' Compact Zoom CZ.2 is a
4K-ready lens with zoom lengths
of 28-80 and 70-200 mm. It is
intended for handheld or Steadicam
applications or for projects in
conﬁned spaces. Features include
an interchangeable mount, 36 x
24 mm full-frame coverage, no
focus shift over the zoom range,
cine-style housing, circular iris,
ﬂare suppression and calibrated
focus scales.

Panavision's Primo-V series

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In Broadcast - April 2014

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