The Fujinon 19-90 Cabrio has been the gold standard of ENG style lensing since it’s release in 2012.

Remove the rocker and you have a fully function cinema lens. When Canon released the Cine-Servo 17-120 they knew exactly what lens they were aiming to knock of the podium. Can the 17-120mm push the Cinema/ENG standard to a higher level?

A Few Tech Specs for the Comparison:

Sony F55

ISO 1250

Sony RAW

S.Gamut.Cine/SLog3

Rec709 + Cine LUT Applied

Lights set to 5500K

No ND, Shutter Adjustments

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A few things jump out immediately after reviewing footage. The Fujinon runs very neutral while the Canon shifts warm. These lenses create 2 very different looks. It comes down to what does the project call for? Both lenses Vignette quite harshly while wide open. I noticed the Fuji doesn’t stop vignetting until T5.6 while the Canon seems to stop around T4.

The Canon seems to be sharper than the Fuji throughout the entire range. In todays sharp digital sensor world a sharper lens may not always be the better option. Sometime as DPs we want to soften the image quite a bit to aid in creating a film-like image.

The skin tone test really shows off the huge difference in looks these lenses create. The Canon creates a warm, golden glow on our models skin tone while the Fuji stays very neutral rendering a more realistic and neutral look. The softer sharpness of the Fuji really come into play here, the model’s skin looks softer. The Fuji has more contrast as well, its slight but the difference really makes our model’s eyes really pop.

The Bridge comparison was quick due to time but I wanted to backlight our model and see how that affected skin tone and contrast. Once again the color difference between the lenses really stands out. The warmth of the Canon really aids the skin tone in shadow. This won’t always be the best choice, there will be a time when I need cool shadows but for most of the doc work I do, the warmer shadows assist in telling the story. I prefer the contrast of the Fujinon though, the dynamic range of the F55’s sensor seems to be completely used. Those highlights on the ground behind the model seems to roll off a little smoother when compared to the Canon.

The Fuji and the Canon both aim to fill the same gap in lenses. Lightweight zooms that offer documentary/ENG style lensing that can transform into cinema zooms. Both of them do this well. I can’t say which creates a better look. I think the difference in looks can aid in different styles of storytelling. However, there are a few difference to note. The Fuji cost $39,800 while the Canon only cost $26,350. The Canon’s range is wider, it’s not a 2.95 throughout its entire focal range. It is a T3.95 once it passes the 100mm mark but this is still a useful option.

Both of these lenses are high quality options for documentary and cinema style shooting. When you are in a situation as a shooter where you have limited assistance and many setups to achieve, these lenses will aid you heavily in your day to day efforts. The Canon and Fuji achieve their images in very different ways, choose the one that suits your project.

Watch it in 4K!