a blog by Matthew Duclos
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.
Continue reading “NiSi Introduces 65 PRIME 16mm T2.9”
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.
Continue reading “DZOFilm Introduces Arcana Primes – A Hybrid Approach to Anamorphic”
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.
Continue reading “NiSi Hits Rewind on Athena Primes”
The Vespid II primes arrive with more than just a fresh coat of paint. DZOFilm has taken the core appeal of the original Vespid series and supercharged it with faster apertures, metadata support, and a refined lineup built for modern filmmaking. These lenses are not simply a sequel, they are a bold statement that DZOFilm is listening to creators and pushing their designs into territory once reserved for higher end cinema glass.
Continue reading “DZOFilm Vespid II Review: Speed, Metadata, and a Bold New Lineup”
Leitz Cine quietly expanded its HUGO series this week with the announcement of a brand new 40mm T1.5 lens. Revealed on August 25, the addition rounds the set out to a total of 14 focal lengths spanning 18mm through 135mm.
The HUGO series quickly grabbed attention among cinematographers for the pleasing rendering they impart on the image and as more robust build than the M 0.8 primes that they replaced. Much of the glass in the series comes from Leica M rangefinder optics, known for their signature character and natural falloff toward the edges. While Leica does not currently make a 40mm in their M line, this lens was developed with support from Leica Camera designers to ensure it matched the spirit of the series.
Continue reading “Leitz Expands Hugo Line: Adds 40mm T1.5”
Canon has long been a trusted name in both photography and cinematography, but it’s been a while since we’ve highlighted any new releases from the brand. The last time we dove into their products, it was nearly two years ago, with the CN-E Flex Zoom lenses. Since then, Canon has been relatively quiet, especially as other brands have adapted to the mirrorless market. However, Canon recently launched the VCM L hybrid lenses, a series designed with promising features that could be particularly useful for video creators. The question is, how do they hold up for filmmaking, and more importantly, can they be Cine-Modded?
Continue reading “Canon VCM L Lenses for Filmmaking: A Complete Review for Hybrid Video Creators”
After a five-year hiatus and a slew of rumors suggesting that ZEISS was bowing out of the still photography market, they’re back with a bang. Enter the Zeiss Otus ML line—a reimagining of the beloved Otus family that promises to shake up the mirrorless camera world. Today they are unveiling two focal lengths: 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4.
The Otus ML lenses are intended to push optics in this new generation of mirrorless cameras. The original Otus primes to this day remain at the pinnacle of optics so the question is: Can the new iterations compare? Buckle up, this is going to be a long one.
Continue reading “ZEISS Otus ML: The Return of Legends, Now for the Mirrorless Generation”
In the fast-paced world of filmmaking, particularly on tight and chaotic sets, every second counts. That’s why the introduction of the Bun-G-Ring, a new filter-mounting system, could offer some relief—at least for those frustrated with the time-consuming task of taping filters in place. While not exactly a revolutionary new category of equipment, the Bun-G-Ring promises a more secure, faster, and reusable solution for mounting filters to your lens—no tape required. The question is, does the industry really need yet another filter system, or does the Bun-G-Ring offer something uniquely useful, particularly for documentary filmmakers?
Continue reading “The Bun-G-Ring: A New Way to Mount Filters?”
Laowa has unveiled its Nanomorph 1.5x LF Anamorphic series, designed to cater to filmmakers seeking full-frame anamorphic lenses at a competitive price point. Promising professional-grade optical performance, the Nanomorph LF lineup introduces compact, lightweight lenses with a consistent 1.5x squeeze ratio and customizable flare options. Here’s a detailed look at what these lenses bring to the table.
Continue reading “Laowa Introduces 1.5x Full Frame Anamorphic Primes”
Over the past year, a fresh batch of exciting lenses has emerged, adding new flavors to the ever-evolving lens industry. While these releases have certainly stirred the pot, as the saying goes, the technique you use can make all the difference in the final dish. Now, Sirui enters the scene with their bold campaign for the 40mm T1.8 1.33x AF Anamorphic Prime, leaving us to wonder: Will this new ingredient enhance the overall recipe, or will it be a flavor that fades into the background?
Don’t worry there are no more references to food going forward.
Continue reading “The Sirui 40mm T1.8 1.33x is Anamorphic AF”
Cooke Optics has just expanded their acclaimed S8/i Full Frame (FF) lens range with the addition of the highly anticipated 21mm T1.4. This new focal length extends the versatility of the S8/i line, enabling cinematographers to capture stunning wide-angle shots while maintaining the signature look that Cooke is known for.
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What an exciting past couple of years we’ve had right? I mean regarding lenses. You got that? Okay good.
Yes, even in the past year alone we have had some incredible new products come out that have showcased the evolution of the cinema lens technology. Compact full frame cinema lenses have gained popularity for their portability, optical quality, and ability to deliver stunning visuals without compromising on performance. Never before have quality optics and this much variation between them been accessible to filmmakers. We pulled a few options in this category from our inventory to take a look at what they have to offer you.
To preface, this list only contains a few of the many Full-Frame/Vista Vision lenses on the market. Including s35 and even anamorphic lenses for sale would be exhausting and we don’t have enough coffee around today. We’ll save them for future blogs though. Stay tuned for that.
Now, let’s dive in.
Continue reading “Lens Guide: Compact Full Frame Cine Primes”
Sirui has expanded its Nightwalker lineup with two new additions designed to enhance the creative capabilities of filmmakers and content creators alike. With a plethora of mount options including: Sony E, Canon RF, Fuji X, Micro Four Thirds, and L-Mount versions, these primes appear to be the Swiss army knives of the affordable compact cine lens category.
Continue reading “Sirui Nightwalker 16mm & 75mm T1.2 Primes”
NAB. The stage on which brands throughout the industry showcase their newest products shined extra bright this year. However, as a shop specializing in optics, we had our focus on the new lenses out on the floor. Enter the new DZOFilm Arles Primes VV cine primes.
Continue reading “First Look: DZOFilm Arles Cine Primes”
It’s been quite a while since Zeiss released a new cine lens. In fact, the Supreme Primes were the latest addition to the Zeiss cine family. A few focal lengths have been added such as the Supreme 15mm and if we want to really stretch Zeiss portfolio additions, we can also include the Supreme Radiance – Zeiss’ answer to the vintage lens craze. Aside from those, there really hasn’t been a whole lot of buzz out of the German lens manufacturer. That’s about to change!
Continue reading “Zeiss Announces Nano Primes – Fast, Compact, Cine Primes for Mirrorless Cameras”