--
Shooting car chases, rocket tests, and flying action hero scenes from thousands of feet in the air requires a camera/lens combination that's sturdy, flexible and sharp. For one of the world's top aerial cinematography companies, Hawthorne, CA-based Gyron Systems International, a division of Wolfe Air Aviation, Ltd., those requirements led them to pair the 25-300mm Cabrio zoom from FUJIFILM/FUJINON with the RED Helium 8K camera.
Wolfe Airs new FUJINON 25-300mm Cabrio lens and Gyron camera system
There are no second takes, no actors' marks or posh trailers with aerial cinematography, said Jesse Brunt, Director of Photography/Gyron Operator, Wolfe Air and Gyron. We make adjustments as they happen. Focus buzzing, blurry images and bad composition are unacceptable when you're burning fuel and spinning rotor blades.
The rugged design of the 25-300mm Cabrio makes it ideal for aerial cinematography, according to Brunt: Everything with aerial conditions is subject to extremes - weather, temperature, abusive conditions in general along with extra wear and tear. The 25-300 has been engineered to take the beating flying through the sky dishes out.
Wolfe Airs Dan Wolfe during the first integration of FUJINON 25-300mm Cabrio zoom with Gyron system
All lenses in the Cabrio series feature exclusive detachable servo drive units for electric zooming, focusing and iris. Mounting the unit enables remote control of zoom, focus, and iris adjustment. The 25-300 servo is optional making it suitable as a standard PL lens or as an ENG-style lens.
Lens making is a discipline and a calling, added Brunt. Fujifilm has made themselves the leader in this craft. There's no perfect circle in mathematics, and there's no perfect lens in filmmaking. However, Fujifilm builds and designs lenses with the intention of making the perfect circle.
With the conditions surrounding aviation - moving targets, time constraints, physical risk - zooms tend to be the lens of choice for this type of shooting. The focal length range of the lens and its ability to maintain sharpness and focus provides Gyron with the biggest bang for the buck, according to Brunt: We get the maximum range of focal length along with incredible sharpness and a constant T-stop [to 273mm]. The optics in the Cabrio preserve color and sharpness like nothing we've seen before in a zoom. *Modulation transfer function (MTF) is the main improvement, with less chromatic aberration and improved coatings on the 25-300.
The Cabrio's crystal clear image capture is also a plus when shooting for clients such as Boeing, NASA, SpaceX, etc. who are most interested in pixel count, resolution, and clarity. When those are the top must-haves for a client, RED/FUJINON is the immediate answer.
The zoom's ability to maintain sharpness when shooting fast-moving objects also makes it ideal for shooting high-speed car chases from the air. Brunt reports the 25-300 is on heavy rotation when Wolfe Air and Gyron shoot for shows like Top Gear (U.K and U.S. versions); Jay's Garage (NBC); and was recently used for a feature film called American Dresser with actor Tom Berenger that includes a great deal of aerial shots.
Shooting a moonless night in Los Angeles recently showcased the 25-300's clarity in a unique way. Thanks to its sharpness, we were able to push the ISO much further with this lens. The look we captured was simply stunning.
Wolfe Air is renowned for its prowess capturing action on the ground and in the air. The company's fleet includes a Learjet, Twin-Cessna and an A-Star helicopter, which have been used for airborne cinematography on feature films (including Iron Man, Transformers, Sully, Interstellar); sports productions (for X-Games, ESPN, Nascar, Fox Sports); military/government promotional and training films (all branches of the U.S. armed forces, the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, NASA); footage for large commercial manufacturers (Boeing, Cessna, Cirrus Aircraft, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, NASA, etc.); and all major airlines.
As example of footage shot by Wolfe Air and Gyron with the FUJINON 25-300mm lens, please click on the link below for a promotional film for the Condor Squadron Officer's & Airmen's Association. The Condor Squadron is a nonprofit that flies WWII and North American AT-6 airplanes in formation over parades, memorial services and events commemorating veterans:
condor squad Fujinon from Jesse Brunt on Vimeo
.
Jesse Brunt, Director of Photography/Gyron Operator, Wolfe Air and Gyron , with fully installed Gyron and 25-300mm Cabrio on a helicopter ready for a shoot
FUJINON lenses by Fujifilm are known for high quality eloquent images and have been used in various production sites including movies, TV commercials, and live sports broadcasts around the world. Fujifilm will continue to tap into its optical, high precision forming and assembling technologies that have been nurtured over many years in the field of video expression, to further expand and enhance its 4K lens lineup, thereby addressing the diversifying needs of production sites.
# # #
About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division provides consumer and commercial photographic products and services, including: photographic paper; digital printing equipment, along with service and support; personalized photo products; film; and one-time-use cameras; and also markets motion picture archival film and on-set color management solutions to the motion picture, broadcast and production industries. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the graphic printing industry. The O
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
05/05/2026
SVG is proud to announce Warner Bros. Discovery's Techwood Studios in Atlant...
05/05/2026
With no operator required, AutoMic workflow automates talent identification on U...
05/05/2026
A crash in 2015 set the industry back, but this winter proved that drones are he...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
05/05/2026
New drum machine book campaign incoming
Bjooks have announced that during Superbooth 2026, they will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the product...
05/05/2026
Flagship all-in-one production bundle updated
The latest version of Native Instruments' flagship virtual instrument and plug-in bundle has just been ann...
05/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host RF Testing Innovations Forum 2026, helping design engine...
05/05/2026
L3Harris provides communications, electronic warfare, sensors and mission systems that enable Virginia-class submarine crews to operate with confidence in conte...
05/05/2026
The company grew by 7.6% in net revenue and 16.3% in EBITDA, achieving a 33% inc...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
-- 
