In an interview with TimesTech, Arun Babu, Associate Director and Head of Digital Camera, instax and Optical Devices Division, FUJIFILM India, highlighted how FUJINON’s next-generation lenses are transforming real-time visibility, AI-driven surveillance, and India’s growing OTT and broadcast ecosystem. He explained how optical innovation is no longer niche but a core enabler of smart cities, disaster response, public safety, and the nation’s vision of next-gen digital infrastructure.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: How are next-generation FUJINON lenses enhancing real-time visibility and situational awareness in critical areas such as disaster response, public safety, and border surveillance across India?
Arun: Next-generation FUJINON lenses are designed to address one of the most pressing needs of our time, i.e., real-time visibility in mission-critical environments. In areas such as disaster response, public safety, and border surveillance, the ability to capture clear, high-resolution visuals in dynamic and often low-light conditions is indispensable.
FUJINON’s advanced optical technologies, including ultra-telephoto zoom and high-precision aspherical lens elements, enable operators to monitor vast terrains, and detect minute details. This becomes especially crucial in India, where challenging geographies demand optics that can perform consistently. What sets these lenses apart is their ability to integrate with modern surveillance and command systems, ensuring that decision-makers have actionable intelligence in real time.
TimesTech: With India pushing towards smart cities and digital infrastructure, what role do high-performance optical technologies play in strengthening transport networks, crowd monitoring, and AI-powered surveillance systems?
Arun: As India accelerates its smart city and digital infrastructure initiatives, high-performance optical technologies are becoming the silent backbone of this transformation. Transport networks, for example, demand constant monitoring of highways, metro systems, and airports, where FUJINON lenses deliver ultra-clear high-resolution imagery that enables traffic management systems to detect incidents, regulate flow, and ensure commuter safety in real time. Similarly, in crowd monitoring – be it during festivals, sports events, or public gatherings, the ability of these lenses to capture expansive wide-angle views while zooming into critical details helps authorities maintain order without compromising efficiency.
Advanced cameras and analytics rely heavily on input quality, and high-resolution optics ensure that it can accurately identify faces, read license plates, and track anomalies. Optical devices are enablers of smarter, safer, and more connected urban ecosystems. In India’s journey to build resilient and future-ready cities, the role of optics is therefore non-negotiable.
TimesTech: FUJIFILM lenses are widely recognized in global sports and broadcast ecosystems. How are they redefining the way audiences in India experience live sports telecasts and OTT content streaming?
Arun: FUJINON lenses’ impact is increasingly evident in India’s rapidly growing live sports and OTT ecosystem. With cricket, kabaddi, football, and emerging leagues drawing massive viewership, audiences today expect nothing short of cinematic quality in their telecasts. High-performance FUJINON broadcast lenses, known for their superior zoom ranges, 4K and HDR capabilities, and precise colour reproduction, ensure that every detail is captured with stunning clarity. This level of immersive detail elevates the viewing experience, making fans feel as if they are part of the action rather than passive spectators.
For OTT platforms, where binge-worthy sports and entertainment content is consumed across a variety of devices, the consistency of FUJINON optics ensures that visual fidelity is maintained regardless of screen size. Moreover, as India transitions to a 4K-first viewing culture, driven by affordable internet and smart TVs, the demand for professional-grade optics in content creation and live streaming has skyrocketed.
TimesTech: From OTT productions to drone-based cinematography, what new possibilities are FUJINON cinema lenses creating for filmmakers and creators in India’s rapidly evolving media landscape?
Arun: India’s media and entertainment industry is in the midst of a creative revolution. From big-budget OTT productions to indie storytelling, the demand for uncompromising optical quality has never been higher. FUJINON’s cinema lineup gives filmmakers the ability to craft visually appealing narratives with extraordinary detail and consistency. Whether it is capturing the grandeur of a period drama or the intimacy of a close-up, these lenses empower creators with the flexibility and fidelity needed to meet global cinematic standards.
It is exciting that these lenses are opening new possibilities in emerging areas like drone-based cinematography and virtual production. Lightweight yet robust lens options allow aerial filmmakers to achieve breathtaking shots without sacrificing stability or image quality. Similarly, in the OTT space where speed, scale, and creative experimentation drive storytelling, cinematographers are leveraging FUJINON’s versatility to deliver high-quality content tailored for diverse platforms and audiences.
TimesTech: Optical systems were once considered niche tools for specialized industries. Why do you believe advanced optics are now becoming a core requirement for multiple sectors, including infrastructure digitisation and surveillance?
Arun: Optical systems have become foundational to how modern economies operate. The push towards infrastructure digitisation, smart surveillance, and more, has created an environment where high-performance optics are important. Cameras and sensors alone cannot deliver actionable intelligence unless paired with advanced lenses that provide clarity, reach, and precision in real time. This is especially critical in a country like India where large-scale urbanization, rapid mobility growth, and public safety challenges require reliable visibility across diverse environments.
Optics are now viewed as enablers of digital transformation. For instance, smart cities using surveillance for crowd and traffic management, or disaster response teams relying on ultra-telephoto lenses for situational awareness, advanced optics are at the core of these mission-critical systems. In this sense, optics are moving from being ‘specialized equipment’ to ‘strategic infrastructure’, and their role will only deepen as India accelerates its digital future.
TimesTech: Looking ahead, how is FUJIFILM India planning to align its optical innovations with the growing demands of AI integration, real-time monitoring, and India’s vision for next-gen digital ecosystems?
Arun: Our focus is on aligning optical innovation with the broader digital transformation journey of the country. As India invests in AI-driven ecosystems, our lenses are being designed to deliver optical precision besides integrating with emerging technologies. For example, next-generation FUJINON lenses are engineered to support AI-assisted analytics by capturing sharper, distortion-free imagery that enables machine learning models to deliver more accurate insights in real time.
We also see optics playing a critical role in building sustainable and scalable digital infrastructure. Whether it is enabling real-time crowd monitoring during large public gatherings, or powering the clarity behind high-resolution OTT and broadcast experiences, FUJINON lenses are being developed with future-ready capabilities in mind. Our roadmap is focused on combining optical engineering with AI compatibility and versatility. And as India moves toward its vision of new digital ecosystems, our optical solutions remain a trusted backbone for clarity, precision, and resilience.
