PRESS RELEASE
SYDNEY, 4 September 2013 – In order to fulfil one of its many broadcasting requirements for the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, Pacific Broadcast recently purchased two new FUJINON XA99×8.4BESM DIGIPOWER 99 Premium Field Lenses.
Pacific Broadcast’s Matt Percy explained, “The XA99x8.4 ultra-wide field production lens offered us a zoom range of 99x, a focal length of 8.4 to 832mm, and MOD of 2.9m. This was ideal as we were looking for great zoom lenses with excellent stabilisation to shoot ASP World Championship Tour events across Australia and throughout the world.”
The XA99x is f1.7 to 341mm and f4.2 at 832mm and offers FUJINON’s DIGI POWER digital controls (featuring F number limit), Quick Zoom, two-shot presets and a 2X extender.
Percy continued, “The XA99x Ultra Wide is outstanding in its class because it combines high-performance imaging, a long zoom reach, and an ultra-wide angle. It’s extremely rugged, versatile, and reliable and as I mentioned, ideal for live sports production like surfing. The lens is also a perfect fit for our Grass Valley LDK-8000 HD camera chains and whilst it’s a powerful lens it’s not too heavy or bulky which is an added bonus.”
The XA99x8.4 also features a patented image stabilisation technology which is especially critical for long-distance HD shots and according to Percy, the unique technology doesn’t come more into its own than on a surfing tour.
He added, “This lens is incredibly wide at the wide end for a box lens and yet its near focus ability is also excellent. This means when we are shooting coast lines and surfers in full flow through heat haze, sea spray and mist the images are not only sharp but rock steady, despite the distance, thanks to the amazing image stabilisation. It really is a very impressive lens that gives you the best of both worlds. To be honest, if we could always use a 99x lens by default, we would.”
High-resolution 16-bit encoders are standard on the XA99x8.4 making it suitable to virtual, robotic, and digital signage, among other applications. FUJINON’s exclusive GO-Technology improves image resolution and chromatic aberrations at all focal lengths. The 2/3-inch telephoto field lens employs the latest High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating (HT-EBC) resulting in richer colours and greatly improved blue response and transmittance. HT-EBC coupled with FUJINON’s exclusive Aspheric Technology reduce ghost and flare and increase light transmission.
Matt Percy concluded, “The XA99x8.4’s proprietary anti-fogging design minimises lens fogging and reduces downtime due to moisture, a critical concern when shooting in all types of weather conditions – especially ones where there are many atmospheric particles to deal with such as those emitted by surfable ocean waves! We’ve tried all types of box and field lens but dollar for dollar the XA99x8.4 is definitely one of the best by far.”