The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and the Fujinon MK cinema lenses are probably the best quality combo for videographers and indie filmmakers.
Since Canon revolutionized the camera business by adding video recording to it’s large sensor still cameras (we all remember the non-existent record button on the 5D Mark II) we are all used to using still lenses for video production. But that comes with a couple of caveats that “real” camera operators don’t like to deal with.
Fujinon MK Cinema Lenses – No Breathing And Parfocal
The most obvious thing is no smooth aperture change since in most cases the aperture is controlled through the camera and not the lens itself. As a “DSLR-shooter” you just had to get used to the 1/3 iris changes. With the Fujinon MK Cinema Lenses, you now get real cinema lens performance for your beloved E-Mount camera and with some custom mount help even on your Micro 4/3 powerhouse like the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K or tha Panasonic GH5.
With the Fujinon MK Cinema Lens, you don’t have the typical “breathing” of still lenses while changing focus. You won’t notice any breathing with these lenses whatsoever.
Another downside of still zoom lenses is, they don’t keep the focus point when you change the focal length. Since the Fujinon MK Cinema Lenses are parfocal, they don’t do that. All you need to do is setting the back focus and that’s it. Your focus will always stay at the right point even when changing the focal length.
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A Significalt Range Shift – Good AND Bad
With a crop factor of around 1,9 you will lose some of that wide angle range, giving you a 33mm equivalent for the 18mm wide end. But the good news is, this will give you a significant boost in range on the long end from a 135mm full-frame equivalent to 250mm.
Renting Or Buying – That’s The Question
Yes these cinema lenses are still very expensive and in a real production environment you’d still rent them out. But when you look at the usual cinema lens price tag it’s not really impossible for a full time shooter or a small production house to actually buy these lenses and use them as the main work horse combo.
