LENSES
CINE LENSES
THE ZOOM ALTERNATIVE
Cine zooms offer all the advantages of cine primes, but can replace a whole range of lenses for the ultimate in flexibility. Optical quality is slightly compromised, as the lens has to perform at various focal length settings. Compared to DSLR zoom lenses, cine zooms are designed to minimise focus breathing and zoom shift. When you zoom in on a DSLR lens, the focal point shifts, so you have to refocus, and often the image moves slightly off centre. Cine zooms are built to minimise all these issues. They also have a large focus rotation angle like primes, another mechanical ring to control zoom and a third for iris. Again, many of the top brands like Cooke, Fujinon and Arri offer very large and expensive zooms. But there are some more affordable options, like the Zeiss LWZ.3 for Super 35 sensors, with a 21-100mm range. Even more affordable are lenses from Sigma, Fujifilm and Tokina. Sigma’s High Speed Zoom Line covers the Super 35 frame size and for full-frame is the FF Zoom, which is a 24-35mm T2.2 in EF and E-mounts. The High Speed Zoom is an 18-35mm T2 and a 50-100mm T2 available in EF, PL and E-mounts. Fujifilm has two cine zooms available in Sony E, Fujifilm X and MFT mounts. Fujifilm’s MK zooms are the MK18-55mm and MK50-135mm, which both feature a fast T2.9 speed right through the whole zoom range. Tokina is now offering the Cinema 50- 135mm and 16-28mm zooms in Canon fit, and budget brand Venus Optics has recently announced a Super 35 25-100mm T2.9 cine zoom in PL, EF and E-mounts.
“Compared to DSLR zoom lenses, cine zooms are designed tominimise focus breathing”
which are for smaller Micro Four Thirds sensors, but for larger sensor cameras at a more affordable price, there is Samyang with the Xeen range. The range is 14mm, 16mm, 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm in a family that’s designed for consistent size and optical performance. The lenses are available marked in metric or imperial distance scales for Canon EF, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, PL and Nikon F fittings. Samyang recently revealed a new series of smaller, lighter Xeen primes called the CF range made with carbon-fibre composite in the lens barrel. And a newcomer to the market with affordable prices
lenses from 14mm to 135mm in focal length, that are 4K quality for Super 35-size sensors. And Canon also has a vintage-look lens set called Sumire primes, which only come in PL mount, so don’t fit standard Canon cameras. Sigma offers a range of top-quality primes in its High Speed range. On most of the range, the optical design is shared with Sigma’s range of Art prime lenses designed for DSLR use. The cine range is housed in a traditional all-manual, metal body with a clickless aperture ring. Other high- end cine primes to consider include the Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon series, which includes standard primes and Cine Tilt versions. These have a tilt facility where, by turning a dial, the focal plane can be shifted by angling the lens to the camera body by up 4° either way from the standard zero setting. That allows the plane of focus itself to be altered by up to 80°. It’s great for shooting products close up so they can be kept sharp even at wide apertures, or for the ‘miniature world’ look. At a much reduced price point are lenses like the Veydra or Kowa ranges,
and good build and optical quality is Swiss brand Irix.
With only four lenses currently available, the range will continue
to expand, and the optics have many new features such as novel dual-control manual focusing rings. Proof that not everything has been done in cinema prime lenses yet.
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