NAB2025 / New from NAB2025
Fujifilm Corporation developed the FUJINON LA30x7.8BRM-XB2 (LA30x7.8BRM), a 4K-compatible broadcast zoom lens that is compact, lightweight, and has a best-in-class 30x zoom. It is scheduled to be released in mid to late 2025.
The FUJINON LA30x7.8BRM-XB2 is compatible with broadcast cameras equipped with 2/3-inch sensors, and while it covers a wide range of focal lengths from 7.8mm wide angle to 234mm telephoto, it is compact and lightweight at just 190mm in length and weighing approximately 1.8kg. This lens comes equipped with a newly developed drive unit that can detect zoom, focus, and iris position information with high precision. The FUJINON LA30x7.8BRM-XB2 is designed to be ideal for applications such as virtual production and remote shooting.
The company will exhibit the LA30x7.8BRM at “NAB2025” international broadcasting equipment exhibition to be held in Las Vegas, from April 6th to 9th, 2025.
Development Background
In recent years, the rapid expansion of video platforms has led to an increase in a variety of video content, including news, documentaries, sports, and live performances. Meanwhile, video content shooting sites are struggling to keep up with the ever-increasing amount of content, and there is a growing need for equipment that can efficiently shoot high-quality video with a small number of people while keeping production costs down. In response to these needs, the company released the FUJINON LA16x8BRM-XB1A, a 4K-compatible broadcast zoom lens, in 2019. The reviews for this lens are well-received as a compact, lightweight lens, with a total length of 163.8 mm and weighing approximately 1.6 kg, as well as excellent cost performance.
Now, the newly developed LA30x7.8BRM is a 4K-compatible broadcast zoom lens that combines a best-in-class 30x zoom covering a wide focal length range from 7.8mm wide angle to 234mm with a compact and lightweight design of approximately 190mm in length and 1.8kg in weight, enhancing mobility on location. In addition, the newly installed drive unit supports highly accurate position detection of zoom, focus, iris, etc., making it ideal for virtual production, which combines a subject with a virtual background and shoots it, and for remote shooting where multiple cameras are operated simultaneously.
Fujifilm spends resources developing and providing broadcast lenses that meet the detailed needs of camera operators for many years, and in 2015 released the world’s first 4K-compatible broadcast lens. It also has a lineup of 8K-compatible broadcast lenses, and has led the way in high-quality video. The company says it will continue to develop and provide high-performance lenses, as well as accessories that support comfortable filming, to meet the diverse needs of video production sites.
FUJINON LA30x7.8BRM-XB2 Main Features
Best-in-class 30x zoom combined with compact size and light weight of approximately 190mm in length and 1.8kg in weight
By adopting a rear-focus system and utilizing the unique lens design technology that the company has cultivated over many years to optimize the lens configuration and control method, it has achieved both a best-in-class 30x zoom and a compact, lightweight design with a total length of approximately 190 mm and a weight of approximately 1.8 kg.
Although it is small and lightweight, it is capable of shooting from a wide angle of 7.8mm to a telephoto range of 234mm, reducing the burden of carrying the camera on your shoulder and allowing you to capture a variety of scenes with just one lens.
Equipped with a newly developed drive unit, it achieves high operability and functionality.
By outputting the position information of the lens’ zoom, focus and iris with 16-bit resolution, highly accurate position detection is possible. It is ideal for virtual production, which combines a subject with a virtual background image. It also supports remote shooting where multiple cameras are operated simultaneously, allowing for efficient operation by simplifying the shooting set and reducing the number of people required.
The zoom speed from wide-angle to telephoto is a maximum of 1.0 second and a minimum of 120 seconds. For live sports broadcasts, you can accurately capture fast-moving subjects, and for live music streaming, you can capture expressive footage with slow, smooth zooming.
High optical performance compatible with 4K throughout the entire zoom range
With Fujifilm’s proprietary optical simulation technology, the lens achieves 4K image quality across the entire zoom range by suppressing the loss of resolution at the periphery of the screen and all aberrations. In addition, the company’s proprietary multi-layer coating process, “HT-EBC (High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating)”, improves light transmittance and color reproduction.
Equipped with functions to support comfortable shooting
A single button on the drive unit provides electronic flange back adjustment, providing faster and more efficient adjustment compared to the manual process.
The macro function allows for closer than M.O.D. focus up to 0.05m from the front of the lens by sliding the unique focus ring forward. This enables the operator to film extreme close-ups without letting go of the focusing hand.
