ACADEMY
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LENSES
PREMIUM CINE PRIMES
shading characteristics. Zeiss provides a plug-in software so you can automatically adjust the images in DaVinci Resolve. Firmly in the premium category are the cinema lenses from Sigma, with the High Speed 50mm T1.5 full-frame prime costing £3299/$3499. Coming soon is a range of these lenses with i/Technology, for communication with the camera. The lenses are all-metal and the 50mm has 13 elements in eight groups, with one aspherical and three FLD elements. These are made from Sigma’s high-end coated glass. As the optical design is shared with Sigma’s range of Art prime lenses designed for DSLR use, it means the glass is produced in higher numbers and the optical development has already been paid for by the stills department. Hence Sigma being able to offer such high-end glass at a price that serious filmmakers can afford. Unlike the Art lenses, the cine range is housed in a traditional, all-manual metal body with a clickless aperture ring. The focus ring has a 180° rotation for precise control, and both rings use standard 0.8M gearing for use on rigs and follow focus systems. The other lenses in the Sigma range also share the same position and sizes for the controls, so it’s fast and easy to change lenses between shots – there’s no messing around with changing rigs. The iris has nine rounded blades for a smooth, circular bokeh and it certainly works, as out-of- focus highlights are pleasingly smooth. There is no discernible focus breathing, so as you change focus the image stays the same size in the frame – a key bonus of a true cinema lens. Other high-end cine primes to consider include the Schneider- Kreuznach Xenon series. IMAGES The high-end lenses tend to offer the widest focal lengths yet retain optical quality, like this 14mm Sigma (above) or 18mm Zeiss CP.3 (left)
“There are improved lens coatings for sharper images with less ghosting and flare”
It’s possible to drop ten grand on big- name primes from the likes of Arri, Angenieux, Cooke, Leica or Zeiss, but these are out of the reach of most filmmakers. Of the major camera manufacturers, Canon has the widest range of cine primes. The company offers a full set of stunning EF-mount CN-E prime cine lenses, from 14mm to 135mm in focal length, that are 4K quality for Super35 size sensors in the C-range of cine cameras. Canon also offers a vintage or classic look with its new Sumire primes, but these are vastly expensive so largely a rental option, and they only come in PL mount. A set of seven Canon CN-E primes costs around £18,000/ $24,960, so is a serious investment. Legendary German lens maker Zeiss does have vastly expensive lenses but also has a range of more affordable glass called Compact Primes. The popular CP.2 range was recently redesigned, and these newer CP.3 lenses are smaller, lighter, more consistent in size and even more high- tech, all without a huge increase in price. There is a ten-strong range comprising 15mm, 18mm, 21mm, 25mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 100mm and 135mm
lenses. All the CP.3 series have a 95mm front diameter and are now all the same size, apart from the 100mm and 135mm telephoto lenses, which are slightly longer. There are improved lens coatings for sharper images with less ghosting and flare. It’s in the body of the lenses and the internal mechanics that the engineers have spent the majority of their time. The focus ring is very smooth and light-feeling. This means focus motors need less power to operate. Zeiss has fitted the CP.3s with the advanced mechanical focusing design from its Ultra Primes and the ball bearing system from the Master Primes, hence the smoothness. Like the CP.2 range, the CP.3s have user-interchangeable lens mounts available in PL, Nikon F, Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mount. The CP.3 range comes in standard or XD versions (the latter stands for extended data). The XD lenses cost more – a 50mm version costs £5214/$5790 compared to the £3654/$4390 standard version. This buys you Cooke/i data connections and an extra Lemo socket that can output extended lens data on distortion and
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