FEATURE | I S LARGE FORMAT FOR REAL? PART 2
IMAGES New LF glass from Fujinon, Panavision, Sigma and Xeen
Mignon says: “Thanks to the Signature Prime lenses, I had my first encounter with large format. I discovered a new approach in my camera work, a new distance with the people I was filming. We can be closer to the action; a physical step that makes all the difference with the classical format I was used to.” Cinematographer, Dan Laustsen, agrees: “With the 25 mm Signature Prime lens, you feel like you are there in the scene with the actors. The lenses are lightweight and are not too sharp, but with a certain softness. PANAVISION ARTISTE The Panavision Primo Artiste lenses have been out for a year or so now and are a full series of T/1.8 prime lenses, making them potentially the fastest optics available for large format cinematography. The Artiste Series is the second lenses from Panavision to include a fully internalised motor and complete metadata compatibility. The series incorporates modern features, such as focus breathing control, even field illumination and optimised close focus performance. Pawel Pogorzelski shot Ari Aster’s Midsommar with the lenses and has this to say about them: “The new Artiste lenses took away the sharpness of the digital, but also lifted the blacks. In post, we could make sure the blacks weren’t crushed by the digital, but retain a little creaminess. These lenses are factory detuned Primo 70s, which have softer blacks and gave me that little glow.” Dan Sasaki, Panavision VP of Optical Engineering and Lens Strategy, believes the primary goal of the Primo Artiste line
is to “balance the intricacies of aberration control and the art of lens design to create a lens that produces images that resonate with our instinct to relate to painterly images that are identified by smooth transitions between surrounding objects”. SIGMA FF Sigma was relatively late to the large or full-frame market, but its Sigma Cine lens series will soon include LPL mount, the new lens mount optimised for the large format sensor, released by Arri last year. Compatible with full-frame image sensors, the FF Zoom Line offers great optical performance that’s required for high-resolution shooting in 6K and 8K. The lens is compatible with image sensors With the Signature Prime lens, you feel like you are there in the scene with the actors
larger than Super 35, so the new large format market. Again, as is the trend following feedback from users, this cinema zoom lens combines the image quality with a compact design. Sigma’s high-end prime lens line-up ranges from 14mm to 135mm, and covers T1.5 to T2. Sigma suggests that with the seven prime lenses from FF High Speed Prime Line, there is no need to change the lighting to shoot a variety of cuts. Companies like VMI Rental loves these lenses and has gone from no sets to five within 18 months. XEEN Xeen is the cinema lens side of Samyang and has been able to cover large format sensors for a while. Its prime lens range is from 35mm to 135mm with 50mm and 85mm in the middle; everyone has a maximum T stop of 1.5 except for the 135mm, which is T2.2. The lenses are available in five mounts. These are: PL, EF, F, E and MFT. DOP, Harvey Glen, sums these lenses up: “Impressive engineering. I didn’t notice barrel distortion or change of frame size when pulling focus – this is remarkable.” And DOP, Shane Hurlbut, comments: “I really like the way the lens looks.”
84 DEF I N I T ION | SEPTEMBER 20 1 9
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