GL Optics Rehoused Leica R Super Speeds

Vintage lenses never get old—and not just in hobbyist circles! In fact, the #1 movie in the box office right now—an ARRI ALEXA LF-shot superhero blockbuster—used lenses inspired by vintage characteristics of falloff and subjective detuning to achieve magnificent results.

Because vintage is always in style, GL Optics has made a business out of rehousing vintage lenses for modern day shooting conditions. And recently, the manufacturer has done its usual magic with the Leica R Super Speed prime lenses.

The Leica Super Speeds—with various versions built between 1960 and 2000—are emblematic of the vintage, spherical lenses cinematographers have come to admire. They preserve impressive sharpness with creamy fall-off, which has a flattering impression on human subjects, with excellent skin rendering.

The Leica Super Speeds’ soft, inviting look is complemented by ample warm flares, opposed to the sleek, cold flares of anamorphic lenses. Whereas anamorphic’s 2x squeeze will busy any frame with more information—Leica Super Speeds naturally have a spacious, organic feel to their compositions.

The 14-blade irises create pleasant bokeh, which gracefully finds its way in the beautifully soft aesthetic of these vintage primes. Check out Sharegrid’ visual demo (below) of the Leica R 80mm prime, which showcases the Super Speeds’ creamy bokeh and comfortable breathing at a wide open 1.4 aperture.

The rehoused Leica R Super Speeds provide full frame coverage on the newest camera systems like RED Monstro 8K and ARRI ALEXA. This is better than the alternative—lenses with smaller image circles, which cause the image to crop and force you to purchase an adapter to achieve full-frame, such as the Atlas Orion. But, the full frame Leica R lenses makes the most use of its compositions and avoid the frustrating crop factor of cheaper camera systems.

Not only are the Leica R Super Speeds full frame, but their PL mount—the standard among professional cinema cameras—allows wide use among camera bodies. Luckily, the Leica Rs are easy to convert to other mount systems by simply attaching an adapter for whichever camera mount is needed; such usual suspects include Sony’s E-mount or Canon’s EF mount. With full frame capabilities and a PL mount, the Leica R Super Speeds are built for compatibility.

The rehoused lenses feature 330° rotation for smooth and precise focus adjustments (imperial units), with the exception of the 19mm, which has a rotation range of 120°.

Because the original Leica R-series primes were built over a long period, cinematographers search all over to put together a set built within a similar timespan. As this in-depth history explains (from 2m00s to 4m10s), Leica’s manufacturing techniques naturally shifted throughout the years; and these changes in manufacturing can be apparent if comparing, say, an R Super Speed from 1962 with another from 1994. Although the R-series has always been chasing organic, spherical images, your lens pairings may vary slightly in the nuanced characteristics of the image, as the oldest builds contain more artifacts, aberration, and uncontrolled flare characteristics.

But, if you’re able to find a package of Leica R Super Speeds built around the same years, with similar serial numbers to prove it—then you can have the utmost confidence in your primes.

For example, Bokeh Rentals’ seven-lens package is comprised of Version 4 lenses from Leica’s R-series which have since been rehoused by GL Optics. This means that you can shoot organic, genuine Leica R Super Speed images without worrying about startling inconsistencies in aberration or flares. The one exception, however, is in the widest lens, which is a V2.

Packages of the Leica R Super Speeds vary across rental houses. Bokeh Rentals’ Leica R package is built for efficiency, as all shot sizes are possible, without any superfluous lenses to weigh down your bag (or your budget).

The seven-lens bundle is comprised of: 19mm T2.8 (V2), 24mm T2.8, 28mm T2.8, 35mm T2.8, 50mm T1.4, 80mm T1.4, 135mm T2.8.

The bundle is surprisingly consistent for a vintage rehousing. Two lenses have a maximum aperture of T1.4, whereas the other five lenses are two stops behind at a capable T2.8. These differing F-stops technically mean that the 50mm and 80mm Super Speeds fall under Leica’s Summilux classification—whereas the T2.8 lenses are grouped under the Elmarit title. These titles refer exclusively to the T-stop capabilities of the lenses, and do not signify any other explicit design modifications between lenses.

Beyond aperture capabilities, all seven lenses have a 95mm front diameter for filters, such as ND or polarizers, which means less equipment needs to be purchased and carried around while shooting.

Because there’s a wide range of Leica R Super Speeds out there—and they’re all packaged in different combinations by different retailers—it’s hard to get a firm reading on the general price range. Some used six lens packages are sold for $15,000, whereas some single lenses can be found for $2,000. Therefore, it comes down to users to seek out packages that align with their expectations and shooting circumstances. Of course, if users aren’t looking for a permanent commitment to the Leica R Super Speeds, they could always rent them for a much lower price.

If you’re looking to rent Leica R Super Speeds, why not consider Bokeh Rentals?

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The Kowa Cine Prominar Anamorphic Lenses

When Were the Kowa Anamorphics Built?

The Kowa anamorphic cine lenses changed the trajectory of the anamorphic look from its beginning.
Built by NAC Image Technology from the late ‘50s to the ‘70s, the Kowa Prominar Anamorphics debuted as a series of four primes: the 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm. Their look embraces a low contrast and generally warmer color tone not commonly seen in anamorphics today.

Perhaps in-part due to anamorphic’s routine use with science fiction and blockbuster films, modern anamorphic primes render lens flares with a cool, blue tint. Before that trend took hold, however, the original Kowa Prominar anamorphics produced its bold lens flares with warm colors.

See the Kowa Cine Prominar Lens produce its unique lens flare:

Kowa Anamorphic Lens Test from Radiant Images on Vimeo.

From their release to when manufacturing ceased in the 1970s, the Kowa Anamorphics were a favorite among filmmakers, inspiring modern-day rehousings and emulations. In fact, rehoused Kowa Anamorphic primes have been used on films like First Man, A Star is Born (2018), and No Sudden Move.

WHO BUILT THE KOWA CINE PROMINAR LENSES?

NAC Image Technology was founded in Tokyo, 1958, by Seiji Nakajima.

The Founder’s son now operates as NAC’s President, and although the company doesn’t hold the same household-name status as ARRI or RED, it’s highly influential to the modern camera market. In fact, NAC’s optical department is one of only two authorized by ZEISS to test its equipment and products.

NAC Image Technology’s cameras are also the standard in the automotive industry for recording high-speed crash tests. For instance, the Memrecam ASC-3 M16 (pictured right) is one of dozens of NAC products that can shoot thousands of frames per second. Additionally, NAC has made headlines for supplying its high-speed machines for the Tokyo Olympics and even for winning an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts of Sciences.

Although NAC Image Technology has moved from consumer filmmaking to become a leading innovator in high-speed cameras, the company’s roots lie in filmmaking—as its reputation was built on the early success of the Kowa Anamorphic lenses.

ARE THE KOWA ANAMORPHICS IN USE?

Thankfully, a handful of optical manufacturers and rental houses have stepped in to make the Kowa Prominar’s distinguished look accessible for modern-day filmmakers. Although the Kowa Cine Evolutions were built as an emulation of the Prominars, the original lenses have been preserved and rehoused for the latest camera systems.
The original Kowa Anamorphic lenses are 2x anamorphic lenses—meaning that its horizontal field of view is twice that of its spherical equivalent. This 2x field of view makes it perfect for manufacturing spectacle on the big screen. Combined with its gentle contrast and heavy flaring, the Kowa Cine Prominar primes create a dynamic, vintage-feeling image with anamorphic dimensions.

P+S Technik, a Germany company founded by ARRI engineers in 1990, is the leading rental house keeping the Kowas relevant. The Technik team equips the Prominar Anamorphics with a durable exterior to withstand modern filming conditions while retaining the same form factor and weight as the original glass. Also, the interior elements are repaired to ensure top image performance, while “keeping the origin character”.

P+S Technik’s rehoused lens package comes with four focal lengths: 40mm T2.2, 50mm T2.2, 75mm T2.5, and 100mm T3.2. P+S Technik also outfitted the lenses with a universal front diameter of 80mm, so swapping between lenses can be accomplished without rearranging any filters. Also, all four lenses have an equivalent image circle 31.1mm and shoot in Super 35 format. They require a PL mount or corresponding adapter.

Anyone looking to coopt the Kowa Prominar look may notice some packages also include a 32mm and 135mm lens—but these are actually Kowa Evolution primes. The Evolution primes are not the same as the vintage Prominars—but synthesized emulations that are often thrown into the lens package to expand the focal range. If you’d prefer to not add the Evolutions to your Kowa Prominar package—but still require the focal range—you can attach a wide angle adapter to turn the 40mm lens into a 30mm.

The Kowa Cine Prominar lenses are a fantastic legend of anamorphic cinema. They can be purchased directly from P+S Technik for 4,800 € (about $5,300) each. The Prominars can also be found at some rental houses for more affordable rates.

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Atlas Orion 25mm T2 Anamorphic

Nowadays, there’s a lot of noise in the affordable anamorphic market, and Atlas Lens Co. is making its Orion series a topic of conversation. Whether it’s with the original Anamorphic Orion series or its Limited Edition spinoff, Atlas is feeding the growing demand for ~$10,000-tier anamorphic primes.

Recently, Atlas has released another lens in its successful Anamorphic Orion series. This new addition, the 25mm T2—complements the preexisting 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 80mm, and 100mm set.

This set, often compared with the Xelmus Apollo Anamorphics, is capable of T2 across the board; which is pretty good for this 25mm lens and exceptional for the longer lenses of the set (especially the 100mm).

The wide open capabilities of Atlas’ new 25mm prime work hand-in-hand with its stunning anamorphic look—as the Atlas Lens Co. official website describes it: “waterfall bokeh”, “streak flare”, and “pleasing barrel distortion”.

Atlas shot a dynamic racecar promo with the Orion 25mm showcasing its speed, smooth shooting, and remarkably subdued distortion. Daytime exteriors, shooting directly into the sun, showcase the Orion 25mm’s incredible ability to control the highlights of a bright daytime sky while simultaneously capturing the dark asphalt of a professional, wet-down racetrack—without any artificial lighting.

Although most users won’t be run-and-gunning with the Orion 25mm, the extensive imaging capabilities are sure to come in handy on tight shoot days.

Clearly, the 25mm was built to extend the abilities of the Orion line. For example, the 25mm has a closer minimum focus than the 32mm, and still has a 31mm image circle, which is a rather understated accomplishment for a wide angle prime.

However, the 25’s front diameter is a different size than the Orion’s six other lenses. While certainly not nearing a dealbreaker, DoP’s should keep this spec in mind when planning to use the Orion set, so they can prepare additional filters for switching setups.

The 25mm Atlas Orion comes with an interchangeable mount system and can be purchased from the manufacturer with either a native PL or EF mount. The focus ring has an exceptional 270° rotation, and focal measurements can be ordered in either metric or imperials units.

Despite all the impressive demos with stunning visuals and technical achievements, there is a downside to the 25mm (and the Orion Anamorphic set altogether) that might change some renters’ minds. And this has to do with its shooting formats.

The Atlas website carefully phrases that the Orion 25mm is Full Frame, LF and VistaVision capable—but that’s only if the primes have Atlas’ 1.6x LF extender attached. What this means is that for real, edge-to-edge coverage in formats larger than S35, users will need to purchase or rent the $1,849 attachment. Therefore, it’s not exactly accurate to call the Atlas Orion 25mm a Full-Frame anamorphic prime—at least not on its own.

This shortfall only constitutes a small asterisk for the Orion Anamorphic series, which is, all-in-all, a stunning anamorphic prime series. In fact, Atlas’ Orion lineup was so successful that the Glendale-based optical manufacturer released a Limited Edition “Silver Edition” that retains the original’s form factor while tweaking the inner mechanics for a more expressive, differently-colored lens flare; since, after all, anamorphic flair is this package’s focus.

By releasing the 25mm as the seventh lens in the Orion series, Atlas Lens Co. has saved its most impressive invention for last. An anamorphic prime that can get this wide—with such seamless distortion management—at such a wide aperture—certainly pushes the series forward.

The Atlas Orion 25mm T2 anamorphic can be ordered directly from the manufacturer’s website for $14,995, which includes a $4,995 deposit made at checkout. The price stands about one-half more expensive than the Orion 32mm ($9,995), and even more expensive than the remaining lenses of the Orion series, which cost $8,995 each, no deposit required. Also, buyers should note that because the 25mm anamorphic prime came as a late addition to the Orion series, it is not included in Atlas’ six-lens Orion package. Therefore, the 25mm should be rented separately.

If you’re interested in renting the Atlas Orion 25mm T2 Anamorphic, why not try out Bokeh Rentals?

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Retuning a Canon CN-E into a Canon K35 Prime

For decades, the Canon K35 primes have been coveted by cinematographers, big and small-screen alike. These exceptional lenses are rare, expensive—and have now become a starting point for many optical manufacturers.

Recently, a family-run camera warehouse in Seattle has teamed with Duclos Lenses, a California cine lens supplier, to create the legendary K35’s newest, closest admirer—by retuning the Canon CN-E primes.

Side by side comparison – Credit (Newsshooter)

What is the Canon CN-E prime?

The Canon CN-E is a prime cinema lens, available in 14mm (T3.1), 20mm (T1.5), 24mm (T1.5), 35mm (T1.5), 50mm (T1.3), 85mm (T1.3), and 135mm (T2.2).

These primes are remarkably built; protected by a water-resistant housing, with dual focus markings, and a smooth 300° focus rotation. The CN-E primes are full frame, with consistent 114mm front diameters and similar weights among lenses.
The Canon CN-Es are designed for a warmer, more organic look with 4K performance—setting it apart from the high contrast, ultra-sharp trend in digital filmmaking. Because of this bend towards the vintage, the CN-Es are often compared to the Canon K35s.

Like the Canon K35s, the CN-E primes cover Super 35 sensors—but unlike their 70s inspiration, the CN-Es are built to Canon’s EF mount, the standard for Canon SLRs and DSLRs. Although camera manufacturers like ARRI and RED do sell EF-to-PL mount adapters, they sometimes come with drawbacks that ward away consumers, such as the inability to collect metadata or use autofocus. Since adapters can have flimsy performance, cinematographers have been looking for crafty workarounds.
That’s why Duclos, for years, has been offering a service to re-mount EF lenses with a PL mount. This way, customers can make their CN-E primes fully functional on PL-mount cameras like the RED Dragon, ARRI Alexa, or Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro.
Now, Duclos is working with Northwest Camera Co. to take the CN-E’s naturalistic, vintage-styled look and retune it to directly mimic the Canon K35 primes. By “respacing elements and recoating a number of internal elements”, the companies are providing filmmakers with a more affordable, modern method of recreating the hallowed look of the Canon K35s.

What is the Canon K35 cine lens?

Canon debuted the K35 prime in 1976, thenceforth making a name for itself in a market dominated by Zeiss, Cooke, and Panavision. The K35’s fast, super speed capabilities incorporated aspherical elements in all focal lengths to provide a sharp image with exceptional bokeh and falloff. In these ways, the Canon K35 primes have helped usher in a new era of Hollywood cinema.

Since being used to film classics like Barry Lyndon and Aliens in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the K-35’s look has aged well into the modern market. They’re sharp and fast enough to compete with the digital-age competition—but they also stand out against modern lenses, as they have lower contrast, a smooth focus quality, trademark purple and orange flares, and striking bokeh. In recent years, they’ve been used on films like American Hustle, Manchester By The Sea, and Her—either directly owning the vintage throwback or appropriating its softer, dreamier image style. The K35s have also proved usable in the fast-paced schedules of modern television, becoming regular implements on shows like Preacher, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Westworld. 

Despite decades of service to film and television, the K35s are difficult to acquire, as there’s a limited number of sellers and the lenses themselves are exceptionally expensive (a six-lens set of K35s goes for $2,000/day). Although the Canon FD lenses have served as a budget alternative, Northwest Camera Co. and Duclos Lenses’ CN-E primes could help fill that gap.
These tweaked CN-E lenses stand apart from Canon’s Sumire prime lenses, which were also designed with the K35 in mind. Matthew Allard, ACS, contacted Northwest Camera Co. to find out exactly how the two lens designs differed. The company responded: “…the only real difference happens when you use the lenses wide open… this ‘look’ quickly goes away as soon as you stop the lens down to T2.0. This makes it hard to mix and match stops and keep a consistent look. Our re-tuned CN-E primes feature a much bigger optical development than the Sumire.”

K35 on a Budget

If you’re interested in retuning the Canon CN-E’s for a K35-adjacent look, Northwest Camera Co. and Duclos Lenses offer two retuning options: including or excluding the EF-to-PL mount conversion.

The CN-E retuning alone costs $2000 per lens, whereas a retuning-plus-rehousing to a PL mount is $3650 per lens. These retuning prices do not include the actual cost of the CN-E lens, itself, which should be purchased from the manufacturer or a third party before the retuning. The cost of obtaining a Canon CN-E prime cinema lens varies between suppliers, but a seven lens CN-E prime kit can be found for $28,460, or about $4,000 per lens.

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XELMUS APOLLO VS. ATLAS ORION ANAMOPRHICS

Since their release in 2018, Atlas’ Orion series of anamorphic lenses have become remarkably popular among digital filmmakers. This six-lens package of primes includes a 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 80mm and 100mm lens.

Xelmus put itself on the map in 2019 by launching the Apollo series of full-frame anamorphics, also comprised of six focal lengths: the 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 135mm.

The Atlas Orion and Xelmus Apollo have retail prices of $14,000 and $12,000, which means they’re the rare class of lenses that can capture professional-grade images and remain somewhat accessible for modest budget productions, whether independent films, music videos, or commercial work.

These two lens series live in the price-tier that’s nearing state of the art, but still significantly less expensive than Hollywood-ready anamorphics like the Cooke FFs (~$36,000) or the Zeiss Master Anamorphics (~$43,000).

Therefore, these lens series rose to the top of the heap as cinematographers looked to satisfy the newest, most polished rendering of that coveted anamorphic-digital look.

XELMUS APOLLO – BETTER LARGE FORMAT COVERAGE

The most notable distinction between the Orions and Apollos lies in the recording formats. Although Atlas advertises Orion’s ability to shoot anamorphic full-frame, there is a critical limitation: The Orion can shoot Super 35 sized frames with its 31mm image circle size—but to shoot anything larger with edge-to-edge coverage, cinematographers will need to attach a 1.6x LF Extender. While this doesn’t necessarily compromise image quality, the need to purchase an accessory, not-to-mention depend on the extender shot-by-shot, could be a dealbreaker for filmmakers who prioritize large format shooting. Xelmus’ Apollo lenses, on the other hand, have image circle sizes ranging from 33-60mm, and are much more capable of shooting formats larger than S35.

The 1.6x LF extender turns an 80mm lens effectively into a 127mm

ATLAS ORION – BETTER UNIVERSAL T-STOP

Although the Apollo lenses have a larger image circle, the Orion lenses have more extensive aperture capabilities.
The Orion lenses have a universal maximum T-stop of T2.0-T16, giving its anamorphic look incredible low light ability. Additionally, the more flexible the aperture is, the more control the user has over lens flares—an essential trademark of the anamorphic look. The Xelmus Apollo lenses, on the other hand, have maximum T-stops that range from T1.6 to T2.8. If you’re renting multiple lenses—as most users would be when using primes—this could make the Apollos trickier to implement. For instance, if you have a complex lighting setup for a scene that requires multiple focal lengths, the DoP needs to be sure that the aperture setting used is shared between lenses, or else changing lenses will require reconfiguring the lighting altogether. This could become a familiar headache for lower budget shoots that need as much natural light as possible and can’t afford lengthy set-ups between takes.

CONVENIENT MECHNICAL DESIGNS – BOTH LENSES

Although the differing apertures complicates swapping out Apollo lenses, both the Apollo and Orion lenses have similar enough lengths and weights; the former ranging from 4.52” to 17”, and the latter ranging from 6.7” to 10”. As far as weights, the Apollo ranges from 3.3lbs-4.29lbs, and the Orion from 4.7lbs-6.7lbs. Weights and lengths aren’t usually among the primary considerations for those renting gear, but when cinematographers are prepping their rigs and shotlists, a few pounds or inches could mean a world of difference in terms of scheduling and gear requirements.

The Atlas Orion Look

Whereas the Apollo stretches to cover large formats, the Atlas Orion is more focused on a consistent anamorphic visual style. As Atlas’ official site lays out, the Orion lenses embrace traditional anamorphic qualities, like “waterfall bokeh”, “streak flare”, and “pleasing barrel distortion”.

Even though the Atlas Orion Anamorphic lenses can’t shoot full-frame, they still have plenty of applications. Take, for example, this Ariana Grande music video with over half a billion Youtube views:

Although some setups in the video don’t take the Orions to their maximum capabilities—you can still recognize the lenses’ impressive potential. The anamorphic quality brings the expanded field of view to this music video, which allows more information to be packed into the frame, as a 50mm shot on an anamorphic lens has a wider field of view than 50mm spherical. The result is a more dynamic frame, which is perfect for music video and commercial projects, in which time is of the essence. The Orion lenses also create beautiful anamorphic flares, such as the vibrant sun flares present in the daytime exteriors.
Atlas released a limited, “Silver Edition” of its Orion line in 2021. These lenses are built from the same mechanical design of the original Atlas set, but tweaked for more expressive, neutral-colored lens flare, and different falloff characteristics.
The Xelmus Apollo Look

Interestingly, Xelmus designed its Apollo lenses to include Panavision’s patented anti-mump technology to limit frame breathing to the vertical axis. This means that when the focus is racked, the frame won’t widen in both dimensions. It’s a subtle change, but frame breathing is noticeable enough that, in the 1950s, leading Hollywood stars complained of their faces looking bloated when racking focus (appearing as though they had the mumps).

The Xelmus Apollos also have superior close focus when compared to both editions of the Orions. For instance, even the Apollo’s 135mm lens can capture crisp images from 20 inches away, whereas the Orion’s 100mm lens can only focus on an object 42 inches away.

The above Josiah Johnson music video showcases the Apollo’s anamorphic look, including everything from its chromatic aberration, close focus capabilities, and striking light flares. In comparison to the Orions, the Apollos aim to minimize barrel distortion on its wider lenses, as visible in the wide tracking shots.
Atlas Orion Anamorphics or Xelmus Apollo Anamorphics?

Because these two lens packages have comparable price points, Individual users should have a list of priorities before visiting rental houses. If a cinematographer wants anamorphic in a larger format more than all else, then they’re better off with the Xelmus Apollo package. However, if S35 is more than enough, and the cinematographer in question is more attracted to a nuanced anamorphic style with vintage throwbacks, then the Atlas Orion series is most likely the answer.

DoPs should do their research beforehand and check out plenty of demo footage before deciding which lens packages’ look to embrace. Either way, both the Xelmus Apollo lenses and Atlas Orions are safe bets for capturing stunning anamorphic images in 2022.

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Oscars 2022 Cinematography – Cameras & Lenses Used

This year was a turbulent one for the film industry. The landscape has changed drastically, as some big-name films produced for theatrical instead went to streaming, the festival-to-streaming-platform pipeline has gained strength, and an in-flux industry was thrown even further by the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the industry unrest, this year has produced an exceptional set of films.

IndieWire reached out to the cinematographers in contention for the next Oscars ceremony to learn more about the gear used in the year’s best movies.

Of those 29 camera breakdowns, Bokeh Rentals chose the top 10:

C’mon, C’mon

DP: Robbie Ryan, Dir: Mike Mills

Format: 2.8k ArriRaw

Camera: ARRI Alexa Mini

Lens: Panavision primos; Zoom 19-90/p vintage

This black-and-white drama from auteur Mike Mills had its look designed, in part, by the method of shooting, itself. As DP Robbie Ryan puts it, the ARRI Mini “held up well to all the other cameras and I felt it was very quick and versatile in the way we needed to shoot”. Because the film’s main narrative is broken up by strands of a podcasting storyline, the production used different lenses to segment the alternating story threads, which are all blended together under the blanket of black-and-white. As Ryan puts it to IndieWire, “It’s a joy to work in the black and white world!”

Dune
DP: Greig Frasier, Dir: Denis Villeneuve
Format: Large format digital anamorphic and open gate spherical
Camera: Alexa LF
Lens: Panavision Ultra Vista Anamorphics; Panavision H series spherical

According to DP Greig Fraser, “film felt too nostalgic, and Alexa by itself felt, for this film, too digital” to capture the real-life desert environments of Dune. So, the filmmakers used vintage glass when shooting on the IMAX cameras, and employed “newer, yet curated glass in the Ultra Vista Anamorphics” when shooting non-IMAX systems. By incorporating vintage elements to be used with the newest, 8K Alexa LF, Fraser was able to give a tactile, real-world feel to this sci-fi epic. This strategy seemed to be across-the-board, since the filmmakers opted for practical sets, real locations, and practical effects to give life to the science fiction world. Fraser also notes that there was “a strict adherence to accurate lighting in every scenario” that “helped integrate the visual effects into the live action photography”.

The French Dispatch

DP: Robert Yeoman, Dir: Wes Anderson

Format: 35mm film; 5213 for color, 5222 for black and white

Camera: ArriCam ST; ArriCam LT

Lens: Cooke S4’s for the spherical 1.37 sequences; Arriflex Master Anamorphic for the anamorphic 2.40 sequences

Longtime collaborators Anderson and Yeoman first used the Cooke S4s on The Grand Budapest Hotel and “loved the look and character” of the lenses so much that they’ve used them again for The French Dispatch. Yeoman notes that he frequently fills the frame with Anderson’s lively ensemble of actors—which wouldn’t work with older, vintage anamorphics that tend to be sharp in the middle and softer on the outside of the frame. Therefore, Yeoman and Anderson chose to shoot The French Dispatch on the newer ARRI Master Anamorphics.

The Green Knight

DP: Andrew Droz Palermo, Dir: David Lowrey

Format: ArriRaw Opengate 6.5K

Camera: Alexa 65

Lens: ARRI DNA

According to Palermo, he and Lowrey “wanted the world of The Green Knight to feel wide and epic, yet intimate and immersive… the Alexa 65 allowed us to get close to our subjects without losing a sense of their place within a landscape”. The ARRI DNA lenses are another combination of vintage and state-of-the-art, as it involves the retuning and rehousing of vintage lenses for Large Format frames; much like The Green Knight’s dazzling mix of classic folklore with breathtaking digital filmmaking that speaks to our time.

Licorice Pizza

DP: Paul Thomas Anderson & Michael Bauman, Dir: Paul Thomas Anderson

Format: 35mm

Camera: Panavision Millenium XL

Lens: Panavision C Series and a few custom made lenses from Panavision

Interestingly, both Paul Thomas Anderson and Michael Bauman are credited as the Directors of Photography on this charming period piece. This collaboration, greatly indebted to the looks of 70s cinema like American Graffiti, employed the Panavision C Series lenses, as they “were an essential foundation for getting some of the classic looking ‘70s flares”. Also, the team maintained a close relationship with Panavision, and used some custom lenses from the manufacturer, which they thoroughly experimented with in various camera tests that doubled as music video shoots in the year before production.

No Time To Die

DP: Linus Sandgren, Dir: Cary Jogi Fukunaga

Format: 35mm anamorphic 4-perf; IMAX 70mm 15-perf; 65mm 5-perf

Camera: Panavision XL2; IMAX MSM; IMAX MKIV; Panavision System 65; Arri 765; Arri 435; Arri 235

Lens: Panavision G-series anamorphic; IMAX Hasselblad

No Time to Die was shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren using a combination of both IMAX 65mm and anamorphic 35mm. Unlike most DPs nowadays, Sandgren doesn’t like to depend on postproduction to find the film’s look, as film allows him to capture most of the movie’s look on the day. He notes, “I like to use celluloid for two reasons. One: because it expands my toolbox, where the look changes with the size of the negative, the type of stock and processing. And two: each frame is unique.”

The Power of the Dog

DP: Ari Wegner, Dir: Jane Campion

Format: ArriRaw

Camera: Alexa LF

Lens: Panavision Ultra Panatar 1.3x Anamorphic

This straight-to-Netflix festival favorite relied upon a large format camera with exceeding technical capabilities that could handle both the extreme weather exteriors and delicate low light interiors pursued by veteran auteur Jane Campion. DP Ari Wegner “knew I needed a sensor whose technical limitations I was familiar with, so I could push it right to the edge of its capabilities without going beyond”. He added, “When paired with older lenses, a modern sensor I think is particularly beautiful.”

Red Rocket

DP: Drew Daniels, Dir: Sean Baker

Format: Super 16

Camera: ARRI SR-3

Lens: Panavision Auto Panatar 1.44x anamorphic lenses for super 16mm; Zeiss Super Speeds; Canon 11.5-138 zoom; Iscorama-54 1.3x front anamorphic adapter

From the jump, Baker and Daniels were intent on shooting Red Rocket on Super 16 anamorphic. Daniels describes the decision, “It added an elegance and sophistication that helped offset the grittiness of the story and the locations. We were after a more classic 70s look with zooms, comedic whip pans, invisible dolly shots and elegant one’rs”. They shot with Panavision Super 16 lenses that were designed with a 1.44x squeeze factor to end up with an aspect ratio of 2.40.

tick, tick, BOOM!

DP: Alice Brooks, Dir: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Format: Redcode R3D 5:1 – 7k 6:5 – 2x Anamorphic

Camera: Panavision DXL 2 Sony Betacam with a Canon Macro

TV Zoom Lens; Canon Super 8 with fixed zoom lens

Lens: Panavision Anamorphic G-Series Detuned

DP Alice Brooks and director Lin-Manuel Miranda’s visual conception of their Netflix musical-film was inspired by New York street photography. Panavision’s anamorphic G-series de-tuned lenses helped place the film in its 1990 setting, while serving modern standards alongside the large format Millennium DXL 2, which has a RED Monstro sensor, 35 Megapixels, and can shoot with 16 stops of latitude. As Brooks says about her gear: “The special “lens recipe” we created combined with the large format camera allowed for an interesting mixture of techniques to create the feeling of aged, textured photography.”

The Tragedy of Macbeth

DP: Bruno Delbonnel, Dir: Joel Coen

Format: 4K ArriRaw

Camera: ARRI Alexa LF

Lens: Cooke S7s

Delbonnel cites his search for a “modern black and white look” that made him and director Joel Coen excited to embrace the resolution, sharpness, and crisp rendering of the Alexa LF. They found the perfect lens series with the Cooke S7s, as they had a “roundness in the falloff” that played well with the lighting scheme of very hard shadows mixed with backgrounds of soft light. As Delbonnel told IndieWire, this pairing was his and Coen’s interpretation of the story, and to them, it just felt right: “A movie is one interpretation of a story. A different director and a different cinematographer would have a different interpretation of the same script and it would be a different movie”. He continues: “We just thought that Academy aspect ratio and black and white were a good way to support our first idea, which was: not fighting Shakespeare’s language, be as ‘abstract’ as possible, and finally create a rhythm with light and shadows.”

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Angénieux Optimo Ultra Compact FF Zoom Lenses

Angénieux has been making top tier gear for the film industry since the 1950s, usually breaking new ground in large formats or enhanced form factors. A few years ago, for example, the French optical manufacturer began producing full-frame, lightweight Optimo Prime lenses, which have since found even more success for a brand that’s already popular among filmmakers.

Since then, Angénieux has designed and begun selling a zoomable follow-up under the Optimo banner—the Optimo Ultra Compact FF Zooms.

There are only two lengths to this Angénieux package—because with such extensive focal ranges, a third lens is unnecessary.
The 37-102mm Optimo Ultra Compact Zoom first debuted in September 2021 and has since been followed by a wide-angle counterpart.

The 37-102mm lens—called the Ultra Compact Standard—weighs a nimble 2.6kg (6lbs). It covers an image circle of 43,6mm, officially making this zoomable, full frame glass.

Although the 37-102mm zoom covers a stunning range of shot sizes—it was followed up with a wider angle zoom lens to give even more flexibility to filmmakers while retaining the rugged, lightweight form factor of the Standard.
This full frame, wide-angle zoom lens is 21-56mm, and impressively covers the exact same image circle as the Ultra Compact Standard lens.

More than most lens series on the market, the Optimo Ultra Compact Zooms from Angénieux were built with painstaking consistency. Both of the set’s two lenses have a maximum aperture of T2.9, which is a feat for zoom lenses, since the mechanics required to zoom often limit aperture capabilities.

Also, both the Standard and Wide Angle have a front diameter of 114mm. This means that when you do switch lenses, you can use the same size neutral density or polarizer filters—which not only saves users a few dollars, but more efficiently, saves more space in travel backpacks and gear cases on shooting days.

In addition to aperture, image circle size, and front diameter, both Optimo Ultra Compact Zoom lenses share an identical zoom ratio of 2.4x, close focus of 600mm, metadata capabilities, and 310° degrees of rotation on their focus wheels.

All these similarities look nice on a sales sheet—but they have powerful implications for users. Because the Optimo Standard and Wide Angle zoom lenses share all these seemingly minor specs, users don’t have to adjust their operating style when they switch between lenses. The Optimo Ultra Compact Zoom lenses are built to be sturdy, reliable equipment that can backstop the unrehearsed, spontaneous shooting conditions that usually accompany zoom lenses.

As far as zoom lenses go, these two lenses are built to a high standard. They feature excellent center to edge performance, no ramping (neither focus nor aperture), and very low distortion, which is fantastic for lenses that can push as wide as 37mm and 21mm.

Angénieux describes the Optimo Ultra Compact look as “the perfect homogeneity of color, contrast, and resolution”. Pushing against the current trend in anamorphics, Angénieux is leaning towards a contained look without any loud flares or artificial chromatic aberration. This aversion to streaks, flares, and other visual additives is what makes the Optimo Ultra Compact Zooms adaptable to shooting conditions. Whereas most high-end Prime lenses may be more suited for intricate lighting rigs and time-consuming camera set-ups, the Optimo Ultra Compact Zooms are versatile, built for a shooting style that involves camera movement, dynamic shooting conditions, and on-the-fly considerations.

The Standard and Wide Angle lenses have been built to shoulder the wear-and-tear of zoom lenses, with a rugged, compact exterior and durable optical mechanics. The Optimo Ultra Compact Zooms are designed to withstand extreme shooting environments—both lenses operating successfully in conditions from -20°C to 45°C (-4°F-113°F). These lenses are built with a PL mount, making them widely usable among pro cinema camera bodies. Similarly, they can be attached to ARRI FF4 and FF5 follow-focuses, for example.

Because the Optimo Standard and Wide Angle Ultra Compact Zooms are remarkably versatile zoom lenses, you may not need to rent the whole package. It’s possible that a production plans a visual style that won’t call for any shots wider than 37mm—in which case the Ultra Compact Standard should be sufficient for the entire shoot. On the flip side, if a production is leaning heavily on wider shots with some looser mediums, they might find the capabilities of the Standard lens superfluous, and choose to shoot only on the 21-56mm.

After all, Angénieux’s mission behind the Optimo Ultra Compact Zooms was to build hyperfunctional, highly durable, nearly all-purpose lenses; and this twosome fits the bill.

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VAZEN Anamorphic – Full Frame Ana’s on a Budget

Straight out the gate, VAZEN is an optical manufacturer founded in 2019 with the express purpose of building professional anamorphic lenses at a relatively affordable price. Whereas the Cooke lenses cost $32,000 for full frame anamorphic coverage, each item of VAZEN’s full frame series costs $8,000 from the manufacturer directly.

As with all optics companies, VAZEN’s builds started with simpler capabilities, such as anamorphics for micro four thirds sensors, which are sized at 18mm x 13.5mm with a diagonal of about 21.6mm. Micro 4/3 systems have a crop factor of 2.0, leading to a tighter, cropped-in image.

Now, VAZEN is bringing its anamorphic appeal to systems with larger sensors: full-frame sensors, which by comparison, have an image sensor size of 36mm by 24mm, and a crop factor of 1.0.

VAZEN is effectively placing itself at the most accessible entry point for low-budget filmmakers as the gap closes between affordable gear and full-frame filmmaking.

This new anamorphic FF (full frame) package from VAZEN is made of a 50mm, 85mm and 135mm prime.

The primary selling point of this lens is full frame anamorphic at a staggeringly low price point—so, certain functionalities that would exist in a ~$30K lens might not be in play with VAZEN’s FF set. For example, unlike sets that cost ten times its price, the VAZEN FF lineup does not have a universal maximum T-stop. The 50mm can open as wide as T2.1, whereas the 85mm and 135mm can stop up to T2.8. These figures aren’t gamechangers of the field, but they are surprisingly versatile for budget anamorphics. It may take an extra few minutes to swap out lenses between setups—but for such a lightweight, low-cost lens set that can shoot full frame anamorphic, the light capabilities are nothing to complain about.

These three lenses are remarkably lightweight, which means that full frame anamorphic is becoming even more mobile. Many demo reels of the VAZEN FF line go places where FF anamorphic has never been, such as in skate videos or naturally lit city tours. In the video below—which uses VAZEN’s FF line on a full frame Panasonic S1H—take note of the lenses’ incredible ability to capture wide frames in its wide, anamorphic aspect ratio.

It’s only been a few years, but VAZEN is paying close attention to feedback from buyers. It released the 85mm lens first—and it seems that off the response, the company tweaked certain features of the 50mm and 135mm. When the 85mm was first sold, ACs noted that while the focus markings were in feet, they were recorded, bizarrely, in feet only—instead of feet-and-inches. So, any markings that were not in whole feet were represented by decimals—leading ACs to misinterpret the lens’ 5.5 feet marking, for example, as 5’5”. VAZEN quickly fixed this confusing design oversight with appropriate feet-and-inches marking on all later releases. The manufacturer has also altered other quirks that online consumers nitpicked, such as mismatching fonts on the exterior housing—indicating that VAZEN plans to upkeep its brand image within its specialty market.

Focus and iris rings are geared into the lenses for motors on more enhanced rigs and easier use among focus-pullers. Clearly, VAZEN sees a path to the future with its full frame anamorphic lens set, which is why it includes an interchangeable EF/PL mount to encourage use among a variety of full frame systems, such as the RED RANGER MONSTRO or ALEXA Mini Lf.

This is a budget lens package, so minor quirks should be expected. For example, you may notice slight barrel distortion in the 50mm, slightly chromatic aberration in certain shot setups, or a slight decline in focus ability on the telephoto lens at close focus. As with most gear shortcomings, the faults are circumstantial and can be worked around with some creativity (if deemed problematic).

But, the fact remains that VAZEN’s three-lens package is an exceptional build that is already expanding the opportunities of low-budget projects. Full frame anamorphic has always been a mile marker for the quality of a lens set, and it’s safe to say the VAZEN is reaching that status with less resources than its high dollar competitors. With time, more and more of the film community will be able to create those authentic anamorphic flares in that unique, much-coveted aspect ratio.

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URSA Mini Pro 12K

Blackmagic Design has revolutionized the affordable cinema camera game before by combining spectacular resolution, superior workflow, and nifty form factor—and the 21st century manufacturer is doing it once again with the URSA Mini Pro 12K.

The company website describes the product as “the world’s most advanced digital film camera”. But what’s most important isn’t the limits of the new URSA’s functionality—it’s where the impressive features meet price.

Before jumping into the URSA Mini Pro 12K’s specs, you must look at its price: $5,995 for the camera body. This is a remarkably affordable camera for its capabilities, which advance the game for digital cinema cameras as a whole.

The URSA Mini Pro 12K was essentially designed by placing a new sensor into the lightweight, magnesium alloy body of the URSA Mini. The Super 35 sensor has a size of 27.03mm X 14.25mm and is capable of shooting at a resolution of 12,288 X 6,480, equivalent to 80 megapixels per frame. That’s a patently high pixel count for any digital cinema camera. Beyond the aesthetic difference that comes with better resolution, the 12K resolution gives users more creative flexibility in postproduction—as a 12K frame provides plenty of room to crop and stabilize when rendering to a 4K or even 6K frame.

In fact, this incredible resolution could technically reach IMAX resolution standards—as mentioned by Blackmagic Design in a previous press release. Although this wouldn’t constitute “true IMAX” (it wouldn’t be in IMAX’s analog format)—and it certainly wouldn’t hold a candle to the images of IMAX’s world class, extremely limited cameras—this comparison does shed a light on this Blackmagic consumer camera’s highly impressive image production.
Beyond resolution, the URSA Mini Pro 12K has 14 stops of dynamic range. To assist with light manipulation, there is also a four-position ND filter wheel with clear, 2-stop, 4-stop, and 6-stop IR ND filters.
The URSA can shoot 60fps at 12K, 120fps at 8K, 120fps at 6K (Super 16), and up to 240fps in 4K (Super 16). These capabilities on such an inexpensive camera make this device a great contender for stylish music video or commercial work—as well as useful for VFX-intensive productions.

The URSA Mini Pro 12K is outfitted with the standard PL mount for cinema lenses—but is also interchangeable and can be switched out to a Nikon F-mount or a Canon EF-mount.

Blackmagic Design also put a lot of effort into the software embedded within the URSA. The company has its own video codec, Blackmagic RAW, that makes post-production workflow even smoother. Blackmagic RAW files from the URSA Mini Pro 12K—even at its highest resolution—can be edited directly in the computer without use of a proxy. Blackmagic RAW is cross platform, available for free, and includes a developer SDK so consumers can incorporate Blackmagic RAW functionality into their own software.

To handle the large amounts of data, the URSA Mini Pro 12K has dual built-in CFast and UHS-II SD Card slots, capable of recording 900MB/s and 500MB/s, respectively. There’s also a SuperSpeed USB-C expansion port that can record up to 900MB/s. Below are the bitrates of the URSA Mini Pro 12K’s full resolution, and an interactive data rate calculator can be found on Blackmagic’s website.

Versatility lies at the center of the URSA Mini Pro 12K’s design. Whether it’s the lightweight form factor, groundbreaking pixel count, various frame rates, fluid RAW workflow, or most importantly, it’s affordable cost—the URSA Mini Pro 12K serves as an accessible entry for consumers eager for the world of Super 35 digital cinema.

The URSA Mini Pro 12K sits at a very comfortable price of $5,995. On its higher end are the ultra-professional bodies like the RED Ranger Monstro and ALEXA Mini LF, which go for about $59,000. Just above the URSA is the Canon C300 for about $10,000. Therefore, this might be the most affordable S35 digital cinema camera out there, at an opportune price point for filmmakers that want to advance beyond DSLRs.

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ATLAS ORION ANAMORPHIC: LIMITED SERIES SILVER EDITION

Atlas Lens Co. has become a major player in the expanding market of anamorphic lenses, starting with the launch of its Anamorphic Orion series in 2018. Following the popularity of the Orion—a cheaper alternative to higher-end anamorphic primes—Atlas is now offering a limited series alteration of the Orion—dubbed the ‘Silver Edition’.

This series comes in a package of six different focal lengths: 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 80mm, and 100mm. It’s a versatile series of primes with a wide range, suitable for a full film production. It’s worth noting that because these are anamorphic lenses with a 2x squeeze, a 32mm Silver Edition lens would have a comparable frame to about 16 or 20mm on a spherical lens. Therefore, these lenses cover everything from wide establishing shots to intense close-ups.

Atlas Orion Silver Edition lenses all comfortably cover Super 35 format; and for full, edge-to-edge coverage on larger format sensors, such as ARRI LF, Sony VENICE, RED Monstro and others, users should attach the Atlas 1.6x LF Extender. This is because the SE lenses cover up to a 31mm image circle. Atlas has a side-by-side demonstration of the 1.6x LF Extender here.

Atlas Lens Co. didn’t build these lenses specifically for large format filmmaking—it focused on optimizing its Orion lens set for a superior anamorphic look. And these anamorphic lenses are remarkably fast—the Silver Edition package has a universal T-stop of 2.0, among the faster end of modern lenses. A highly capable aperture is particularly useful in anamorphic formats, as the ability to “stop up” aids in the creation of light flares, and the wider aperture also embraces anamorphic’s distinct depth of field.

Check out this visual demo of the Orion Silver Edition (on a RED Komodo). The sleek visuals still perform wonderfully in daytime exteriors, and can even render beautiful sun flares that tastefully complement the image:

Atlas designed the Orion Silver Edition as a limited-release modification of its Orion series. And so, the SE is built off the same mechanical design of the Orion lenses, but with different optical tuning to optimize the anamorphic look. The exact changes are twofold:

First, Atlas tweaked the Silver Edition to have even more dynamic and expressive lens flare. The flares now have neutral flare characteristics that take on the color of the light source. The new SE lenses pushes back against the established blue-green anamorphic flares that have become so popular in recent years. Not only do these differently colored flares give the digital-anamorphic look room to grow, but on a practical level, filmmakers are able to rely less on VFX or postproduction to create artificial flares.

The second big improvement in the new Atlas Silver Edition is the optimized tuning system, which provides a different focus fall-off characteristic. The original Orion Series’ target through-focus is set to 50% fore and 50% after in the focus plane; whereas the Silver Edition is built so the clearest focus lands at 25% into the depth of the target focus, with a smooth 75% fall-off behind the target focus. Essentially, this gives a smoother, longer fall-off to the focus, giving nuance through an extended focus gradient.

Examine the contrasting looks of the original Orion series and Silver Edition re-tuning in this side-by-side video from Atlas Lens Co.:

With its recent modifications to the Orion, Atlas has put a stronger, more expressive image into the Anamorphic Silver Edition lenses—and they have quickly become a rare find in the marketplace.

The Orion Anamorphic Silver Edition prime set is best utilized as a complete package, rather than renting out individual pieces, as is more common with zoom or specialty use lenses. The lenses are relatively easy to swap out, as they have common front diameters of 114mm and are similarly sized. To encourage this, Atlas has only sold the Orion Anamorphic Silver Edition in its entire package.

The six-lens set costs $89,000 in full, which comes down to about $14,800 per lens. Because this is a re-tuning of an existing series, Atlas Lens Co. has limited Orion Silver Edition production to 100 sets, so anyone interested in renting may need to check with a few rental houses. Additionally, the set comes with 2 custom ATA travel cases.
The SE lenses are available in metric or imperial scales. They are sold in the standard PL mount, but there is an interchangeable mount system for adapting to other mount systems, such as EF.

The Orion Silver Edition is an excellent continuation of Atlas Lens Co.’s anamorphic prime series—and available to rent now from Bokeh Rentals.

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