FUJINON MKX18-55mmT2.9

High-performance cinema lens for X Series

The lens delivers high optical performance and comfortable operability for professional video shooting. Along with MKX50-135mmT2.9, MKX18-55mmT2.9 is the first full manual cinema lens to be compatible with the X Series interchangeable camera. In the 35mm format equivalent, MKX18-55mmT2.9 covers a focal distance from 27mm to 84mm and achieves a constant T2.9^*1 aperture across the entire zoom range, enabling a shallow depth of field as well as a beautiful bokeh effect. The lens design is optimized for shooting videos as it minimizes focus shift and optical axis shift while zooming, and reduces lens breathing (the change of angle of view during focusing). The lens also features three rings to enable manual and independent operation of focus, zoom and iris (aperture), all with the gear pitch^*2 of 0.8M (module). The focus rings can rotate fully up to 200 degrees to facilitate precise focusing. These features make the lens very comfortable and convenient to operate.

Advanced optical performance

MKX18-55mmT2.9 uses an optical construction comprising 22 glass elements in 17 groups, with six super ED lens elements and two ED lens elements.

It has T2.9 aperture across the entire zoom range which facilitates the increasingly popular style of bokeh effect with shallow depth-of-field. This also eliminates the need to re-adjust lighting, contributing to shortening shooting time.

The MKX lens achieves advanced optical performance despite its compact and lightweight body by incorporating the benefits of short flange focal distance of X Mount into optical design to the maximum extent. This accommodates shooting with a limited number of people.

The electrical contact to communicate with the X Series camera not only corrects the distortion and the color/brightness shading, but also achieves various color expressions with Film Simulation modes.

Optical and mechanical design

Supress focus shift while zooming

The front focusing group of lens elements and the zooming group of lens elements are driven independently from one another to suppress focus shift while zooming, which eliminates the need to re-focus after zooming in or out. The optical and mechanical approach means there is no time lag as seen in an electrical control system.

Supress lens breathing

The use of the front inner-focusing system controls lens breathing (change of angle of view during focusing which achieves smooth focusing in an impressive scene.

Supress optical axis shift while zooming

Manufacturing technology developed for conventional FUJINON cine lenses is applied to control optical axis shift while zooming, achieving intended composition every time.

Comfortable operability

The focus ring features a rotation of a full 200 degrees to facilitate precise focusing even when shooting with a shallow depth-of-field where a high degree of precision is required.
The lens features three fully manual rings to enable independent adjustment of focus, zoom and iris (aperture). This enables intuitive operations which cannot be attained with an electrical mechanism that typically causes time lag.
All the operation rings have a gear pitch of 0.8M, the same as all other FUJINON cine lenses, which allows the use of all standard third party accessories for video production, e.g. Follow Focus that enable accurate and smooth focusing.
The iris supports seamless adjustment that is free of clicking. This enables precise and silent exposure adjustment while also preventing camera shake caused by the clicking.

Standarized design for ease of operation

Only one matte box between the MKX lenses is needed with a 85mm front diameter.
Only one filter size between the MKX lenses is needed with a filter thread of 82mm.
The gears for the three rings are positioned in the same place so as to eliminate the need to re-position accessories when switching MKX lenses.
The lenses have a macro function that allows shooting close-up to broaden the range of scenes that can be covered with one lens.
MK18-55mm: Minimum Object Distance^*1 of 0.38m (wide end)
MK50-135mm: Minimum Object Distance of 0.85m (wide end)
The lenses feature a Flange Focal Distance adjustment function^*2 to achieve optimum camera and lens matching, bringing out the lenses’ full optical performance.

NOTES

*1 T-stop value is an index that indicates brightness of a lens based on its F-stop value and transmission rate. The smaller the value, the greater amount of light the lens transmits.

*2 Distance between gear teeth.

*3 Distance from the image-forming plane to a subject

*4 The position of lenses’ image-forming plane can be adjusted according to each camera’s flange focal distance (distance from lens mounting reference plane to sensor