a blog by Matthew Duclos
The legend of the Angenieux 12x zoom is one that most cinematographers know by heart. Since the original 24-290mm T2.8 first landed on sets, it has been the gold standard for long-range cinema zooms. With the introduction of the Optimo Ultra 12x 65, Angenieux is expanding that legacy to the medium format market in more than one sense of the word with a truly impressive bit of optical engineering that packs a massive punch.
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Framing charts aren’t particularly exciting, but they’re one of the more useful tools you can have on hand during camera prep. At Duclos Lenses, we produce high-quality, purpose-built focus, distortion, and framing charts for professional use. They’re designed, printed, and finished in-house to be consistent and reliable across repeated tests. But that process takes time and attention to detail. There’s design, printing, curing, prep, etc. …none of it is instant. And occasionally, a project comes up where you just need something now. Duclos FrameGen started as a way to fill that gap.
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Canon has officially introduced the Cine-Servo 40-1200mm T5.0-10.8, a new ultra-telephoto zoom that expands the company’s long-running Cine-Servo philosophy in a meaningful and ambitious direction. Framed by Canon as “Your Vision, Extended” and promoted as offering an “extraordinary zoom range in a compact footprint,” the lens is clearly designed to capture attention while reinforcing Canon’s position in the hybrid broadcast and cinema space.
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There’s something inherently bold about launching a new lens series with a 16mm, especially when that lens is designed to cover a 65mm image circle. NiSi’s latest announcement, the 65 PRIME 16mm T2.9, isn’t just another ultra-wide. It’s a statement of intent. And having seen an early prototype firsthand, it’s one that carries more weight than you might expect.
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There’s a fine line between innovation and indulgence in the world of cinema optics. Every so often, a new “look” emerges – not from the meticulous engineering of glass and coatings, but from the collective mood of an industry chasing something intangible. Character. Texture. Imperfection. Or, as it’s now being called – vibe. This year, Duclos Lenses leans into that ambiguity with the introduction of a groundbreaking new product.
Continue reading “Duclos Lenses Develops New Synthetic Coating Technology”
DZOFilm’s new Arcana series enters an increasingly crowded anamorphic market with a familiar promise: deliver cinematic character without the traditional tradeoffs. Compact, lightweight, and relatively affordable, Arcana positions itself as a practical alternative to larger, more demanding anamorphic systems. The real question is not what it claims to do, but how much of the anamorphic experience it actually preserves in the process.
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NiSi’s Athena primes earned attention by offering a clean, modern cinema lens platform at a price point that made sense for owner-operators, small productions, and growing rental inventories. The Athena Rewind series builds on that same foundation, though it is more accurate to describe these lenses as a modified version of the existing Athena primes than as an entirely new lens family.
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Zeiss has announced the new Aatma Primes, a nine-lens full frame T1.5 cinema set that places the company squarely back into the conversation around vintage inspired optics. Covering focal lengths from 18mm through 135mm, Aatma is positioned as a more character forward option within Zeiss’ modern cinema lineup while retaining contemporary mechanics and workflow compatibility. In a market already dense with lenses aimed at nostalgia, Aatma presents an important consideration. Is this a meaningful refinement of Zeiss’ recent direction, or simply another option competing for attention?
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Vintage camera lenses from the mid-20th century often develop a yellow or brown tint as they age. This “yellowing” results in a warm color cast and reduced light transmission, impacting image quality. At Duclos Lenses, our technicians frequently encounter this issue in classic optics across a wide variety of lens brands. This article endeavors to explain the technical causes of lens yellowing and outlines the process of de-yellowing – the restoration of clear glass – using ultraviolet (UV) light. We will delve into the physics behind the discoloration, the UV treatment procedure (sometimes called annealing or bleaching), as well as the associated effects, risks, and benefits. The intended audience is lens technicians and engineers, so we will prioritize scientifically grounded knowledge over speculative or anecdotal information.
Continue reading “Thorium-Induced Yellowing in Mid-Century Lenses – Cause, Effect, and Solutions”
Leitz Cine has announced their newest lens line: the Hektor Primes, a six-lens set designed for today’s mirrorless cameras. Compact, consistent, and unapologetically character-driven, the Hektors represent a notable shift for Leitz Cine as they step into a price bracket and design philosophy aimed less at rental houses and more at working cinematographers who want artistry without sacrificing reliability or build quality.
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Sigma has officially pulled the curtain back on the 28-45mm T2 FF, the first release in its brand-new AF Cine Line. Launching November 6, 2025, this lens is more than just another short zoom; it’s Sigma’s declaration that autofocus has a place in professional cinema production. Available in L-Mount and Sony E, the 28-45mm arrives with cine-style mechanics, the optical pedigree of Sigma’s Art series, and a high-response linear actuator for fast, near-silent autofocus. For Sigma, this is both a technical showcase and a philosophical challenge to decades of manual-only cinema tradition.
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Over the past decade, the world of cinema optics has opened up. Lens manufacturers, responding to the growing demand for flexibility, have embraced modularity—giving end-users the option to swap mounts, service mechanical components, and yes, even adjust their own back focus. This accessibility is a win for the working cinematographer, but with it comes a flood of assumptions and, frankly, some dangerous misinformation. Grab a cup of coffee and read on for a more in-depth understanding of this commonly misrepresented feature.
Continue reading “Understanding Shims in Cinema Lenses”
Laowa has added a long-awaited piece to their expanding ultra-wide cine arsenal: a factory-built PL-mount version of the 10mm T2.9 Zero-D VV Cine. With support confirmed for professional motion picture cameras, this release rounds out what is arguably one of the most complete ultra-wide full-frame prime sets in recent memory. But while the optics remain unchanged, the mount matters.
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Tokina has expanded its character-forward “Portrait” edition of the Vista-P lineup with a new 180mm T1.9—the series’ first telephoto focal length. Pre-orders are now open, with shipments expected to begin in October 2025. Here’s how it fits into Tokina’s growing cinema lens ecosystem.
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SIGMA’s latest foray into high-end cinema optics comes with a respectable technical achievement. The newly announced Aizu Prime Line is not just another set of fast cine primes. It’s the first complete set of full-frame T1.3 cinema lenses, an achievement that places SIGMA in rare company and challenges long-standing norms in lens design.
Continue reading “SIGMA Aizu Primes: A Love Letter to the Art of Cinematography”