Cine zooms that cover large sensors are considered rare. The technology needed to develop such glass is exceptionally complicated. That’s why the price tag of cine-zoom large format lenses is extremely high. Anyway, the brand new Fujinon Premista 28-100mm T2.9 and 80-250mm T2.9 Full Format Zoom Lenses are ready to preorder with a price tag of $40,000. Meet this magnificent piece of glass. 

The rise of the zoom cinema large format glass

Recently, lens makers get entirely dedicated to adapt their glass to cover large sensors. In regard to primes, there are many options in the market. However, Cine-zoom glass is another animal. ZEISS and Angenieux are genuinely in the making, and now is FUJIFILM which introduced us at NAB the “Premista” Series which are two cinema zoom lenses: The “FUJINON Premista 28-100mmT2.9” and the FUJINON Premista 80-250mmT2.9-T3.5”.

Consequently, there is now demand for zoom lenses that not only cover the image circle of the new sensors, but that also provide high optical performance and versatility

Watch FUJIFILM’s marketing video below:

As stated by FUJIFILM: “For 17 years, Fujifilm has been making high-quality Cine optics for Super-35 sensor cameras in the very successful FUJINON Premier, Cabrio and MK ranges of lenses. More recently, many cinema digital camera manufacturers have launched cameras equipped with large format sensors*1 to give cinematographers a different format to help them bring their cinematic vision to the screen. Consequently, there is now demand for zoom lenses that not only cover the image circle of the new sensors, but that also provide high optical performance and versatility”.

Click to enlarge the table below which shows the main specifications of the Premista Series:

Availability

In the first launch from this Series, in August 2019, Fujifilm releases the standard zoom lens Premista28-100mm that gives the T-stop value of 2.9 across its focal length range of 28-100mm. The telephoto zoom lens Premista 80-250mm with the focal length range of 80-250mm at the T-value range of 2.9-3.5 will join the lineup by the end of 2019. However, they can both be pre-ordered from B&H.

Interesting to see how that cinema zooms will match the new ALEXA Mini-LF. Anyway, let’s talk about the price.

Price

The Fujinon Premista 28-100mm T2.9 Full Format Zoom Lens PL Mount is the cheap one: only $38,800. The telephoto 80-250mm T2.9 costs $39,800, which sits in the middle between ZEISS and Angenieux full frame Optima regarding the price.

Would you invest in a large format cine-zoom lens? Comment below.