The ARRI Signature Zooms T2.8 might be the highest quality, highest valued lenses on the market. ARRI, the goliath manufacturer responsible for the ARRI Alexa camera system, designed its Signature Zoom lenses as a member of the Signature Lens family.
This means that the Signature Zooms and Signature Primes share an identical look, making them interchangeable for shooting. This shared, Signature look contains “smooth and flattering flesh tones”, incredible color rendition and impressive shadow detail.
Check out this demo from Bars-Pro showcasing the uncanny resemblance between ARRI’s Signature Zooms and Signature Prime lenses:
The most potent reason to choose the Signature Zooms over the Signature Primes is the time saved by having multiple focal lengths in one lens. That’s why ARRI’s Signature Zooms cover the extensive range of 16mm-510mm (including the use of a 1.7x extender).
There are four lenses in the Signature Zoom series:
16mm-32mm Signature Zoom T2.8
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Front Diameter: 156mm Weight: 3.5kg Close Focus: 19.4cm / 7.6” |
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24mm-75mm Signature Zoom T2.8 |
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Front Diameter: 156mm Weight: 3.5kg Close Focus: 19.4cm / 7.6” |
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45mm-135mm Signature Zoom T2.8 |
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Front Diameter: 114mm Weight: 9.1kg Close Focus: 65.6cm / 25.8” |
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65mm-300mm Signature Zoom T2.8 |
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Front Diameter: 156mm Weight: 9.1kg Close Focus: 133cm / 52.5” Covers ~110mm-510mm with 1.7x extender |
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Aperture
The ARRI Signature Zooms have a universal aperture of T2.8, remarkably fast for zoom lenses. All lenses can zoom without ramping, a common flaw among less expensive zoom lenses. Ramping is a byproduct of certain zoom builds in which aperture cannot remain stable as the focal length changes, even mid-recording. All four of these zooms, however, avoid ramping altogether.
The Signature Zoom Extender 1.7x turns the 65mm-300mm into about a 110mm-510mm. The downside to the extender, beyond the additional purchase or rental, is that the extender lowers the aperture capabilities significantly to T4.9. Therefore, anyone planning on using the Zoom Extender should be prepared with enhanced lighting tools, whether indoor or outdoor. The Signature Zoom Extender also works with the 280mm Prime, turning that into a 480mm/T4.9.
Mount System
ARRI built its Signature Zoom set with an LPL mount, the newest mount from ARRI following its industry-standard PL mount. Unlike its predecessor, the LPL mount enables use of the Lens Data System or Lens Data System 2.
These Signature Zoom Lenses incorporate the newest metadata system, ARRI’s Lens Data System 2. The LDS is a useful tool that displays and captures lens and camera-related data. The LDS can be employed on set for displaying lens and camera data with the use of ARRI’s handheld unites, such as the WCU-4 unit.
The Lens Data System also captures metadata that can be used to streamline postproduction processes, especially with regard to VFX-intensive productions. The ARRI LDS system embeds the metadata into the original files; so most of the time, there is no need for coordination between 1st ACs, who handle the LDS during filming, and the postproduction departments who can rely on the camera and lens metadata, such as focal length, depth of field, and shooting settings. However, if you are using the ARRI Signature Zooms, it’s worth double-checking the post-to-VFX pipeline to ensure that ARRI’s metadata is accessible with your specific hardware setups.
Form Factor
The ARRI Signature Zooms are durable pieces built with Magnesium barrels. The Magnesium composition gives the lenses a solid feel while keeping them lightweight. The combination of sturdy and versatile is why the Signature Zooms will last decades while shooting in the most challenging of environments.
Versatility is imperative for any system of zoom lenses, even moreso than Primes. Clearly, ARRI designed its Signature Zooms’ lightweight bodies for on-set convenience, as less time is wasted finagling with setups and modifications. Similarly, these four Signature Zoom lenses have exceptional close focus abilities that will lead to less times swapping lenses on set. For example, the 16-32mm lens can achieve sharp focus of an object only 7.6 inches away from the lens, a remarkable achievement for such an intricately designed, telescoping lens.
Focus markings are in feet or meters, depending on the rental house. Focus markings can be switched after purchase.
Rear Filter Holder
The detachable rear filter holder on every Signature Zoom is another feature of convenience. Unlike most other lenses, where filters are slid into threading at the front, the detachable rear filter holder.The detachable rear filter holder allows filmmakers to modify their image in-camera with minimal hassle. The filter holder can hold the more common filters like NDs and polarizers, but filmmakers can also experiment with different images by adding things like glass elements, nets, and other DIY materials for various creative effects. Although the lens must be removed, it’s faster than using a matte box. Adjusting your image with filters on set allows you to see your image in camera, opposed to a complex LUT/monitor system, or even worse–waiting until post.
ARRI Signature Zoom Price
The ARRI Signature Zooms are among the priciest lenses on the market. This should be expected, as zoom lenses’ telescoping abilities require much more intricate, careful, and expensive design. Especially those without ramping and with a universal aperture as fast at T2.8.
Thankfully, you may only need a single Signature Zoom for your production, so long as the focal range covers the shots you need. If you have the 45-135mm Signature Zoom, for example, all shot sizes from wide to closeups are covered, in theory.
Purchasing an ARRI Signature Zoom isn’t feasible for most users, as individual lenses can go from $50,000 for the 45-135mm or $75,000 for the 75-300mm with the 1.7 extender included.
Of course, you can always rent for much, much cheaper, and still get the same use out of ARRI’s incredible, top-of-the-line Signature Zooms.
Considering renting? Why not check out Bokeh Rentals’ ARRI packages!
•Rent the ARRI Signature Zoom T2.8 lenses at Bokeh Rentals
Contact us to customize a package to suit your production needs at low prices!
