New Fujinon HD zoom lenses

Fujinon has introduced new lenses for 2/3-inch and 1/2-inch format cameras, in its Select and Exceed series ranges.

The 2/3-inch XA20sx8.5BMD (pictured above) and 1/2-inch XS20sx6.3BRM Exceed lenses "offer excellent telephoto performance at a price level you might expect of SD professional lenses," said Paul Goodwin, Divisional Head Broadcast & CCTV Products Division, at Fujinon's UK and Ireland distributor, Pyser-SGI.

They are suitable for video conferencing and pan and tilt systems. "Both lenses offer HD telephoto reach at a very effective price. Either lens will produce a head and shoulders image at around 12 metres from the subject," he said.

The XA20sx8.5 has a focal length from 8.5 to 170mm. Maximum relative aperture is F1.8 up to 113mm and the minimum focusing distance is 0.9m from the front of the lens. Weight is 1.48kg without the lens hood. The focal length of the XS20sx6.3 is from 6.3 to 126 mm. Features include: Inner Focus, Quick Zoom, Cruise Zoom and digital servo control.

The 1/2-inch format Select Series ZS17x5.5 BERM ENG-style HD lens (pictured) includes a 2x optical range extender and the fast digital servo package found on Fujinon HD Premiere series lenses. "The Select range is priced at a similar point to SD broadcast lenses, yet offer excellent HD image quality and all the options of the Digi-Power servos," added Goodwin.

Features include: Inner Focus, Quick Zoom, and Zoom Limit to confine zooming within the desired shooting angles. The ZS17x5.5 has a focal length of 5.5 to 94mm, increasing to 188mm with the 2x extender. Maximum relative aperture is F1.4 up to 77mm, and MOD from the front of the lens is 0.6m. It weighs 1.58kg without the lens hood.

By David Fox