Our Full-Frame Lenses In 2021

IT’S 2021 AND FULL FRAME IS HERE TO STAY…

Cinematographers have been loving the high-resolution images paired with the natural field of view and beautiful bokeh that the format offers. We are proud to offer full-frame cameras from all the major camera companies and a large selection of vintage and modern lenses that suit the look of each individual project. Let’s take a look at our current lens offerings and what new lenses are on the horizon….

PRIME LENSES

ARRI SIGNATURE PRIMES

The Signature Primes were recently used to shoot the Oscar-winning film ‘1917’. For the physical size they are extremely lightweight being housed in magnesium alloy. Instead of making another set of lenses that are clinical with minimal flare, Arri opted to make a lens with softer contrast, unique flaring, and subtle swirly bokeh. Thanks to the new LPL mount, the rear of the lens sits closer to the sensor. Being that these lenses have a shorter flange depth they have very little light fall-off around the edges and resolve extremely well on a high resolution sensor. All nine of our current lenses are a fast T1.8 across the board. One of my favorite features about these primes is the addition of a “zoom” element inside that moves in conjunction with the focus element. This element eliminates any breathing the lens has while focusing which makes focus transitions unnoticeable. Click here to check out a test we shot on the Alexa LF.

ZEISS SUPREME PRIMES

The Zeiss Supreme primes are compact, robust, and beautiful. All the Supremes share a fast T-stop of T1.5. Instead of making a set of sharp and clinical lenses, Zeiss followed the same path as Arri. They opted for a softer tonal contrast with smooth focus roll-off and creamy out of focus areas thanks to the 16 iris blades. The Supreme Primes pair nicely with our set of Compact Zooms CZ.2 15-30mm, 28-80mm, and 70-200mm. Our set currently consists of 25, 29, 35, 50, 65, 85, 100, and 135mm. More focal lengths will be added in late 2021.

TOKINA VISTA ONE PRIMES

The Tokina Vista One primes are a set of six lenses that all share fast T-stops of T1.5 and unique gray housings. The standout feature is the single-coated optics that result in more flaring and slightly reduced contrast. Compared to other lenses in their price range these lenses offer little to no breathing and chromatic aberration. They are also one of the few primes to have edge to edge sharpness wide open, a feat only the Summilux-C and Signature Primes are capable of. The Vista One lenses are also one of the few full-frame sets to offer an 18mm focal length which make them a great option for super-35 cameras as well.

NIKON PRIMES BY ZERO OPTIK

The Nikon AI-S primes were Nikon’s last manual focus primes from the 80’s before auto focus came to be. Our set of ten Nikon primes range from 15-135mm and are re-housed by Zero Optik. The look is unlike any other lens. Wide open these have a pleasing leica-like glow and stopped down these primes have bold colors, natural contrast, and unique flares. Due to their life as a still photography lens, they have extremely high resolving power on full-frame sensors and subjects separate nicely from backgrounds. Zero Optik upgrades the iris during rehousing to 16 blades which helps the backgrounds melt away even more. Click here to see a test we shot with the 58mm T1.3 and the Mini LF.

CANON CN-E PRIMES

Our Canon CN-E primes are modified with PL mounts and are ready for full frame sensors. Of all our full-frame primes, the CN-E’s have the widest focal length of 14mm. These primes are sharp and contrasty and resolve on large resolution sensors very well. The CN-E’s prioritize skin tones and have the classic warm look known to Canon. Although they do suffer from some CA wide open, they are an excellent option when the budgets not there for K35’s. Currently our set consists of 14, 24, 35, 50, 85, and 135mm.

CANON K35 PRIMES

The vintage Canon K35 primes were released in the 1970’s. They are compact lenses with fast T-stops and a 14-blade iris for circular, natural, bokeh. Overall they have slightly lower contrast and less saturation then modern lenses and flare very easily. Our set consists of 18, 24, 35, 55, and 85mm however the 18mm is the only prime that does NOT cover full frame. Our set has been rehoused by the folks at Zero Optik.

ZOOM LENSES

ANGENIEUX EZ ZOOMS

The EZ zooms fill a void in full-frame lenses where users need a flexible, lightweight, zoom lens for run and gun situations. The unique feature of these zooms are the switchable rear optics designed for either super 35 or full-frame sensors. The rear optics for full-frame is essentially an expander that is expanding the image which changes the lenses stop from a T2.0 to a T3.0.

ANGENIEUX OPTIMO ULTRA 36-435MM

The new 12:1 has been completely redesigned from the ground up. Thanks to the new optical and mechanical design, the lens features switchable rear optics designed for three different sensor sizes: super-35, ultra-35, and full-frame/vista vision. The new lens has less breathing, less distortion, and better sharpness wide open than its predecessor.

FUJI PREMSITA ZOOM

The Premista zoom lenses are an exciting new lineup from Fujinon that arrived at the perfect time. Manufacturers have to make sacrifices while designing zoom lenses but Fuji figured out a way to strike a perfect balance of focal length, stop, and quality. The 28-100mm is the perfect all around zoom on a full-frame sensor that found a sweet spot in the zoom range. It features a constant T2.9 stop with minimal breathing, low distortion, high contrast and subtle sharpness. Skin tones look wonderful and are not overly sharp. This lens does not have a defined “look” per se which makes it the perfect compliment to ANY prime lens set on the truck. It has been used frequently alongside the Arri Signature Primes.

ZEISS COMPACT ZOOMS

The Zeiss CZ.2 zooms cover a wide focal length range from 15-200mm across three lenses. All three lightweight zooms feature low breathing and distortion, high contrast, and circular bokeh thanks to the 18 blade iris. These zooms were purpose built to resolve fine detail on high resolution sensors and match other Zeiss lenses nicely.

UNIQUE LENSES AND ADAPTERS

PETZVAL PRIMES

The Petzval 58mm and 85mm are two super fun lenses that feature optical designs from the late 1800’s. This results in a period look featuring swirly bokeh that gets more extreme at the edges but is sharp in the center making it a perfect portrait lens. Both lenses are designed to cover the full-frame format and have been rehoused with modern mechanics by the folks at TLS. Click here to check out a test we shot with these primes and the Sony Venice.

LAOWA PROBE

The 24mm Laowa probe is a full-frame specialty lens designed for capturing unique perspectives. Some say it simulates a “bugs eye” field of view. It has become popular on food and product shoots for its unique ability to fit into hard to reach places and makes small details leap off the screen. For such a small front element the lens resolves details extremely well but is much slower at a T14, so make sure you have plenty of light! Our Laowa probe has a PL mount and gears on the focus and iris.

LAOWA 12MM

This lens has two standout features: its compact size and extreme angle of view. The only other full-frame 12mm cine prime in existence is the 12mm Arri Signature Prime and although the two primes are in completely different leagues, the Laowa performs very well for the price.

CANON FD 400MM

Due to the wider field of view of full-frame sensors, tight shots are harder to pull off. The Canon FD 400mm is a still lens that has been converted to a PL mount making it easier to get super tight shots on a full-frame cinema camera. I like it because it is lightweight and has a fast aperture of F2.8. The front outer diameter is the perfect size for a clip-on 6x6 LMB-4 mattebox.

DUCLOS 1.7x EXPANDER

The Duclos 1.7x Expander uses a optical design that increases the field of view of a super 35mm lens and stretches it out to fill a full-frame sensor. It does however result in 1-1/2 stops of light loss but can be handy for those who want to use lenses that don’t natively cover larger sensors. I have found it extremely useful on Cabrio and Optimo zooms and surprisingly, the quality is fantastic.

MORE TO COME

Our commitment to full-frame won’t stop here. We look forward to expanding our lens and camera options even more in 2021.

Have more questions about full frame lenses?
Give us a ring at (513) 723-1742.

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By Eric Girgash

Eric Girgash is an award-winning DOP and Photographer with over a decade of experience shooting across the globe.

Eric has won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Cinematography and is available to hire as a DP in the USA or abroad.

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