Understand this much: I’m more aware than you are that lens choice is possibly the most critical part of the image creation process. I believe in lenses. I love lenses. I have owned lenses – and been owned by them. They’re the starting place for everything I do. If five minutes from now I spotted someone carrying a Pelican case marked 18mm, 24mm, 29mm, 35mm, 40mm and 50mm, their continued possession of it might well be in question.
That said – and not to denigrate lens-nerdism as a way of life – things are getting a little out of hand. When the ASC released its newly re-housed Todd A-O series last September, I started thinking: Do we really need any more of them?
As you review this hastily assembled, non-comprehensive list of presently marketed lenses, keep in mind that it only touches upon 35mm full-frame and some large format glass – and that each series\heading generally represents six to twelve focal lengths.
I could easily have doubled this inventory if I was willing to spend the time…!
Arri: Signature Primes, Master Primes, Ultra Series (via Zeiss partnership), Alura Zooms, Alfas, Master Anamorphics, Signature Primes\Zooms, DNA LF
Ancient Optics: Statera, Tamashii, Series 65 Cinema Primes, Petzvalux
Angenieux: Optimo Primes/Zooms, Type EZ Series, Legacy Series
Atlas Lens Co.: Kaizen 65 Anamorphic, Orion, Orion Silver Edition, Mercury
Bausch and Lomb: Super Baltars
Canon: Simire Primes, CN-E Primes\Zooms, RF-Cinema Zooms, Cine-Servo Zooms
Cooke Optics: S2, S3, S4\i, S7\i FF, S8i FF, Speed Panchro\i, Anamorphic\i families, Varotal\i FF Zooms, Macro\i FF Primes, Panchro 65i
Dulens: APO Mini-Primes, Triasic Close-Focus APO Prime
DZO Film: Vespid Prime, Vespid Retro, Vespid Cyber, Arles Prime, Arles Lustre, Pavo Anamorphic, Tango Zoom, Catta Ace, Catta Zoom, Pictor Zoom, Linglung Zoom
Fujinon: Premista LF Zooms, Cabrio Zooms, MK Series, XK Series Duvo HCK
Kowa: Cine Prominar, Evolution Anamorphics, Vintage Anamorphics,
Laowa/Venus Optics: VV\FF Primes, OOOM Zooms, Nanomorph Anamorphics, Proteus Anamorphics, Probe\Peri-Probe\Pro2be Macros
Leitz: Summilux-C Primes, Summicron-C Primes, Thalia Primes, Leitz Zooms, Hektor Primes, Elsie Primes, Hugo Primes, Henri Primes
Lensworks: Neo-AO Anamorphic Series, Type SK Customs, X-65
Meike: FF Primes, S35 Primes, Micro Four-Thirds Primes
NiSi: Athena Primes, Aureus Primes
Panavision Anamorphic: Ultra Panatar, Ultra Panatar II, B, C, E, G, T Series, Macro Ultra Panavision 70, Ultra Vista, Primo, Sphero 65, System 65, Primo 70
Panavision Spherical: Panaspeeds, VA, Primos, Artistes, LF Zooms, H Series, PVintage, S35 Zooms, Standard Primes, Super Speeds, Ultra Speeds
Rokinon/Samyang: Cine DS Primes, Xeen & Xeen CF Series, Cine Fisheye
Second Reef: Coral Anamorphics, Bun-G-Ring
Sigma: Sigma Cine FF, Super 35 Primes & Zooms
Sirui: Night Walker Series, Vision Prime 1 Series, Sniper Series, Jupiter Series FF Macro Primes, Jupiter FF Zoom, Venus\Saturn Anamorphic, IronStar Anamorphic Series
Tokina Cinema: Vista One Primes, Vista-C Series, Zooms
Tribe7: Blackwing7 Primes, Ezana Series LF
Viltrox: Epic Anamorphic Primes, Luna FF\LF Zooms
Zeiss: Supreme Primes, Supreme Prime Radiance, Master Primes, Arri\Zeiss Master Anamorphic, Compact Prime CP3, CZ2, Nano Primes, Supreme Zoom Radiance, Cinema Zoom, Lightweight Zoom
7Artisans: Spectrum Series, Vision Series, Infinite Series, Hope Series
Variety is wonderful, but endless choices are not. Many of my colleagues will squawk, but maybe we need to call a moratorium on the delivery of new objectives. If at this point you can’t find or create a pleasing look with what’s on hand, you should look for another line of work. Not to mention, so much bluster and pretentiousness is thrown around in descriptions of how lenses contribute to a story, it’s diluting instances of true artistry. Some of us tend to make the process of choosing them into something magical and dreamy, when in reality it’s more often based on a vague notion that becomes defined after the show is finished. Not to mention, with very few exceptions, by the time an image streams into the living rooms of the world, most idiosyncrasies have been neutered by the post-pipeline!
If the above roster isn’t enough, have a look at Jay Holben and Chris Probst, ASC’s amazing book, The Cine Lens Manual. Published in 2022, its 836 pages render a highly-informed deep-dive into the history and tech of almost every lens ever made. You’ll probably be cursing me as you sit up all night reading it, but you might also have the same thought I had on my last pass through it: I should live so long as to be able to test every one of them!
Great article, Richard!
Lenses are most important to the image; but it is always the eye behind them….
Crudo says:
Some of us tend to make the process of choosing them into something magical and dreamy, when in reality it’s more often based on a vague notion that becomes defined after the show is finished. Not to mention, with very few exceptions, by the time an image streams into the living rooms of the world, most idiosyncrasies have been neutered by the post-pipeline!
So very true, not only the neutering of the image by the post-pipeline, but what about the monitor in the living room of the viewer?
Greg – I always think of the monitor or the TV as the last stop in the post-pipeline…
So many budget choices, so few proper tests.
The problem I’m having is there are no proper tests for the micro-budget lenses and LA camera houses aren’t stocking any of them. In my case, for the M43 sensor format, the availability and budget only allow for two choices, the Sirui Night Walkers and Meiki Mini Primes. However, once one examines what’s on offer in both lines, the Meiki Mini Primes become the only choice (imagine an S35 lens package without a 24mm; c’mon, man).
Okay, fine. That kinda makes it easy, right? Lets look at some tests for the Meiki Mini Primes? Not. No serious AC takes them seriously so no one of any substance is properly testing them and publishing results.
Choices are great unless they’re all bad ones.
M. – You are being unduly negative in your approach! Understand this much: Whether it’s a micro-budget feature or a $200M studio tentpole, the challenges are always the same, (if only different in form or scale). Rather than considering the situation on your show to be detrimental, embrace the limitations and try to discover or create something new. I promise – you will be pleasantly surprised the results!