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Duo Vivo: The Lenses of Dual Lives
- Author: Sam Jorgensen
Fujifilm and Cine Visuals Present: Fujinon DUVO Zooms
Cinematic Heritage
Fujifilm and their line of Fujinon lenses are a premier leader in optical zoom and broadcast technology. As digital capture formats have increasingly caught up with the artistic demands and resolution quality of the film industry, the broadcast-side has come to embrace a more cinematic look and approach to their imagery. Desires for a cinematic look while still meeting the ergonomic needs of the high speed pace of broadcast have been heard by Fujinon. Their results – the DUVO series of zooms. Fujinon derives the term “DUVO” from a combination of the Latin roots for “Dual” and “Live” aka “Duo” and “Vivo”. In other words, these zooms are meant to act in two places at once. Both their character and preservation of ergonomic broadcast techniques as well as their built-in capability to easily switch between a S35mm sensor and a Full Frame sensor make them truly for dual living. The lenses come in three varieties: one box-type 25-1000mm, and then two portable zooms with ranges of 24-300mm and 14-100mm.
Handling & Adaptability
The DUVO lens series were designed with the changing look of broadcast in mind. Whether using the wheels for the large 25-1000mm for a wide and far reach across a stadium, or the more portable 24-300mm on the field, or going handheld in a tight space with the 14-100mm, each lens has its use cases and considers the needs of the operator.
25-1000mm
- The first of the series to be released in March 2023 – the 25-1000mm. Taking the approach of combining their premium cinema glass into their flagship box-type lens, this lens brings a cinematic, shallow depth-of-field look with more beautiful and curated bokeh than previous box-type lenses on a broadcast level. With a native PL Mount, the lens is designed for use in broadcast situations with cinema style cameras. The lens first came to be a cinematic option for broadcast and recording live events such as sports, concerts, or otherwise large arenas where operators need a quick way to grab a frame from a far distance. For S35mm, the focal lengths range from 25-1000mm – which is a 40x optical zoom. With the 1.5x extender to cover Full Frame, the focal lengths have a slight shift from 37.5-1500mm. Currently, this is the largest range a zoom lens can offer for a cinema-style camera. From 25mm-465mm the lens maintains an impressive T2.8 aperture. After that, the stops shift down to T5.0 by 1000mm, but still maintains excellent bokeh and shallow depth-of-field.
24-300mm
- The next in the series to be released, announced in September 2023, is the 24-300mm. With the popularity of the 25-1000mm and the combination of cinema glass and cameras with broadcast environments, Fujinon decided to create a lightweight portable version of their DUVO zoom. Weighing only 6.5 lbs, a tenth of the 25-1000mm, this lens could be used in handheld settings and gave operators a cinematic way to be on the ground. For large scale concerts or sports, operators could capture live events with cinema-style lenses and cameras with quick and ergonomic adjustments. Furthermore, they added the Zeiss eXtended technology to allow metadata to be written in the files in the camera, adding another layer of convenience. A remote back focus was also added to allow quick adjustments. The lens covers a focal range of 24-300mm for S35mm formats and 36-450mm for Full Frame formats. From 24-207mm, the lens maintains a T2.9mm making it extremely versatile in low light situations and ramps to a T4.2 by 300mm.
14-100mm
- The last to be released in this series so far, debuting in April 2024 at NAB and shipping in September 2024, is the 14-100mm. Designed for lightweight, run-n-gun, ergonomic handheld operating, this lens matches the look of the previous two lenses, covers a wide focal range, and weighs 5.8 lbs. Created to give productions speed and operators flexibility, this is the perfect lens for low budget productions, or documentary work where operators need to be quick on their feet for long hours without any compromise to image quality. With a fast aperture of T2.9 from 14-75mm and T3.9 at 100mm, precision and creativity can work hand-in-hand even in low light conditions. This lens has a close focus of 11” and a total lens length of 10.5”, allowing objects to be in focus half an inch away from the glass. With such refined close focus, total freedom is given to operators in their frames and flexibility in tight spaces. The lens ranges from 14-100mm for S35mm sensors and 21-150mm for Full Frame formats with the 1.5x built-in extender.
Image Fidelity & Focus
DUVO lenses are designed to maximize image resolution while still bringing a cinematic quality in a durable, user-friendly package. There is very little distortion across the frame, minimal aberrations or color fringing, and a clean consistent image across focal lengths within the zoom. The parfocal nature of these lenses are smooth and crisp with reliable and easy-to-use back focus control. All while maintaining a beautiful cinematic image that renditions colors and skin-tones in a pleasing way much closer to the feeling of film than traditional broadcast, bringing together the dual lives of the lens.
Image Circle
The image circle natively covers a Super 35mm format, however going along with its duality nature, the lens can be expanded to cover a Full Frame format. In each zoom is a built-in 1.5x extender that easily switches between the two formats, allowing ease of use on a wide range of camera formats. The lens is a native PL mount and designed to be coupled with cinema style cameras and be flexible across a wide spread of brands and sensor sizes. Each lens can match whatever camera is needed for the production and bring about a cinematic quality that lives up to that sensor.
Flare & Bokeh
As these lenses are expected to be used in high speed settings, flares are kept to a minimum to allow operators the flexibility to move and frame regardless of lighting. Using high tech extra-low dispersion aka ED glass, combined with large aspherical elements, and multi-layered coatings, the flares are crafted to be taken to a predictable and controllable level. This brings maximum performance for high speed demanding broadcast environments. Meanwhile, the bokeh is large, creamy, and cinematic, but gives the operator flexibility for control for quick decisions on framing.
These lenses are available for rent at Cine Visuals. For inquiries or testing appointments email info@cinevisuals.com or call (323) 244-2552.