Top gear from yesteryear rigs. Its 11-blade iris produces smooth, out-of-focus highlights, while the optical character complements Zeiss CP.2 primes. Its mount can be changed between PL, Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E and Micro Four Thirds. The LWZ.3 comes from an era when a lens was expected to outlive the camera attached to it, and that’s precisely why it’s still relevant today. 2016 Light heavyweight Specs that matter Price now: £9300/$6240 Sensor coverage: Super 35 Mount: Sony E, Canon EF, Nikon F, Arri PL, Micro Four Thirds Aperture range: T2.1-22 Iris blades: 11 Construction: 22 elements in 18 groups Dimension (lxd): 226x114mm/ 8.9x4.49in Weight: 2kg/4.4lb It’s called Lightweight, but its construction and optics are substantial erhaps it’s the German sense of humour, but calling a lens lightweight when it weighs 2kg ⁄ 4.4lb takes some explaining. Though, when the 21-100mm LWZ.3 T2.9-3.8 T* came out, Zeiss wasn’t comparing it with a photography zoom. This was a compact alternative to the seriously substantial cinema glass. Designed for Super 35 sensors, the Zeiss covers a useful range. Instead of carrying several primes, a filmmaker could go from a genuinely wide view through the classic normal focal lengths and into short telephoto territory without changing glass. There was a compromise, as maximum transmission is T2.9 at the wide end, gradually dropping to T3.8 towards 100mm. What you got in return was proper cinema-lens engineering. The LWZ.3 is Zeiss 21-100mm LWZ.3 T2.9/3.8 T* parfocal, so once focus is set, the subject remains sharp as you zoom. Stills-derived lenses haven’t managed that yet, so this transforms a zoom’s usefulness for a shot. Focus breathing is also extremely well controlled, exactly the detail that distinguishes a purpose-built cinema lens in everyday use. The focus ring has a huge 294° rotation, while dedicated geared rings for focus, iris and zoom ready the lens for follow-focus units, motors and professional
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November/December 2026
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