Fujinon Cabrios--anyone use them with Preston, C-motion etc and internal motors?

[Charles Papert]

Oh, I gave it all away in the title. I'm interested if anyone has used the Fujinon Cabrio lenses with their internal motors connected to the 3-channel MDR of a Preston or other manufacturer. Wondering how responsive the internal motors are compared to classic outboard motors.

[James Davis]

Zoom servo motor is brilliant, used it on a jib job wired into the main loom of the jimmy jib, not with a Preston or other stand alone LCS, but it worked as you would expect it to with a normal broadcast camera setup except we were shooting on Epic with one of these lenses.

 

Sorry cant offer feedback on the focus/Iris but the zoom servo felt just as responsive as your typical one on a normal broadcast lens with servo control.

 

We ran a single channel Preston with external motor for the focus.

 

Hope that's of some help.

 

James

[Charles Papert]

Thanks James.

 

I would certainly expect parity with broadcast-lens servos but I'm curious how it competes with film-style motors. Speed/accuracy etc. Also wondering if with the rocker mount onboard, must all three motors be engaged or can you pick and choose, i.e. allow operator to control zoom via servo and also control iris or focus via Preston.

[Afton Grant]

I'm using the 19-90 quite a bit on the show I'm currently on. I came in after shooting had begun to replace someone, so I didn't have anything to do with prep - they're using the traditional MDR with three motors. I'm on full time now for the rest of the season, so I will look into this and report back. I'm interested myself.

[Jarrett P. Morgan]

Based purely on size, I imagine the internal motors are not as fast as a DM-1X or the like, but, considering how well designed the lenses are, I am sure the internal motors have enough torque to be satisfactory.

(BTW, topic followed, I am quite interested in this myself, though for purely academic reasons)

[Philip J. Martinez SOC]

I have had problems with my gimbal mounted zoom control. I use the bebob. It is slow and I have had problems with it not working on some of the 19-90's ( I have no idea why) My zoom control works fine on ENG lenses.

[Thomas English]

What is word on the streets about the image quality of this lens? Its the kinda lens we as Steadicam Ops could own and actually get onto a lot of jobs! Those Optimo s have been very popular over the years.

[Charles Papert]

A lot of people are quite enthused about the lens because of the wide focal range and compact size. Fujinon has been killing it of late, with their Premier series being highly regarded (many feel they deliver equal quality to primes), the Alura series are great and now the Cabrio is fast becoming the go-to lens for run-and-gun large chip shooting.

 

I have heard a few concerns about the lens including breathing issues, but that depends on who you talk to. I've been hoping to test it against my handheld Aluras.

 

The possibility of simplifying/lightening the front end of the camera by eliminating two or more Preston motors is indeed enticing...

 

Street price is around $38K.

[Aaron Medick SOC]

I've used this lens a few times. I've used my gymbal mount G-zoom with it with BFD No issues.

My issue is image quality. I ended up in a job with 3 epics with an anginieux 28-76, canon 30-105, and the cabrio. The cabrio was so soft and low contrast, we had to switch it out. The canon was surprisingly beautiful. I'll definitely never use the cabrio again unless I need the ENG functionality or of course the decision is out of my hands.

[Mark Schlicher]

Used the Cabrio on a reality series on an F5. The zoom rocker didn't have the adjustability of a true ENG lens. Likewise the lens was neither wide enough nor long enough to realize the shooting flexibility the DP was used to and would have preferred. That said, it was nice to have something close to an ENG lens, considering we were shooting ENG-style.

[Osvaldo Silvera SOC]

That's about the only lens to shoot a reality show on an F5 that is available right now. Makes it nice and light.

I worked on a long form spot for Jaguar where I was handheld with the cabrio on an Alexa, with wireless, and Preston on board. Not light but it was well balanced. I can imagine the F5 was pounds lighter.

It was almost me as the DP on that job you were on Mark. almost by like 30 minutes when it came time to the decision.

[Alan Rencher]

Apparently, the new Heden Carat receiver plugs directly into the Cabrio to control FIZ.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Alan Rencher

[Charles Papert]

Alan--looking at the pictures of the Carat, it looks like a typical Bartech style controller with a single knob. If it was to control iris and zoom as well, perhaps it lets you cycle through the functions with the same knob, but that's hardly a classic FIZ. Otherwise--where the other two controls?

[Alan Rencher]

I've been trying to get info from Heden about it. The IBC press info said it was a FIZ, and their tweets also said it was a FIZ. Look at their tweets: @hedenmotors

[Charles Papert]

I did look at the tweets, and saw a picture of a unit with a single knob on it. Regardless of what they are calling it. Maybe it lets you zoom and iris with your mind.