Zeiss line of cine lenses for DSLR video (and stills)
As I reported back in February, Zeiss has now made it official with its new line of CP.2 Cine lenses, based on the Zeiss ZE / Zeiss ZF.2 optical line. The lenses offer ZE (for Canon) or F (for Nikon) or PL mount.
Shooting high-definition (HD) video using a DSLR is an explosive trend, leading to DSLRs being used as backup cameras on major films, the recording of certain popular TV shows, independent film-makers, videos supplementing traditional photography (eg weddings), and of course, your everyday self-made videos.
Carl Zeiss is addressing this rapidly growing market by showing/introducing at NAB in April a new line of Cine lenses for DSLR video. I expect to have some of these lenses for review around that time. The optical design is the same as the existing Zeiss ZE optics for Canon EOS (which are the same optics as for Nikon ZF/ZF.2), but the lens barrel and mechanics are completely different.
See my Guide to Zeiss ZE / Zeiss ZF Lenses.
The target market for the new Zeiss Cine lenses includes independent film-makers, high end TV shows, even the big studios using DSLRs as 2nd cameras. The appeal is that the Zeiss offerings are a small fraction of the price of existing Cine lenses, such as the Zeiss Master Prime series.
There are substantive differences between the cine lenses and the ZE line:
- Each lens is hand-selected in Germany eg “cherry picked”;
- The diaphragm has 14 aperture blades, resulting in a near-perfect circular aperture (14 blades vs 10 is possible because of the larger diameter lens barrel);
- All lenses have 300° of focus rotation, with all new gearing designed for luxurious and accurate focusing for video use;
- A consistent size for each lens, with a 112mm frontal area;
- PL/EF/F mount for Canon EOS or Nikon;
- The mount is interchangeable to future-proof the investment. (Changing mount requires backfocus adjustment and is not a field operation).
The new Cine lenses will be available as a 6-lens kit (customer choice of lenses) for approximately US$20,000, an extremely aggressive price point for Cine lenses (the Zeiss Master Prime series costs $20K or more per lens!). They will also be available individually for approximately $3500 per lens. Final pricing will be announced in the April time frame, and will depend on various factors, including currency exchange rates. (But with the Euro looking at risk, this might mean favorable US prices at long last).
Canon and Nikon DSLR users might be very tempted to choose these lenses for regular still-photo shooting: they are hand-picked and the build might prove appealing to those who want the very best. I personally will be lusting after the 100/2 Makro-Planar with that 14-blade diaphragm, but being Canon only is disappointing. Then again, until I experience the size/weight/ergonomics I'll reserve judgment.
OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 13.04.2010. The trend of filming in high definition using a digital SLR camera is unstoppable. Moviemaking today is unthinkable without this technique, whether for independent filmmakers, television producers or professional still photographers who wish to expand their services. Optics specialist Carl Zeiss now introduces the world’s first set of cine lenses designed especially for HDSLR cameras: the Compact Prime CP.2 lenses.
Why change the mount on the camera when you can change it on the lens? The Compact Prime CP.2 lenses deliver great flexibility by introducing interchangeable mounts that allow the lenses to be used with a wide range of cameras, from traditional cine to HDSLR systems. Available with three different mounts – PL, EF and F – this new family of ZEISS lenses enables cinematographers to be completely free in their choice of camera systems while ensuring a high consistency of images. Furthermore, the lenses can be upgraded to any number of existing or future cine and still cameras while enabling cinematographers to still utilize the same set of lenses.
Like their predecessors, the Compact Prime CP.2 lenses are made for a rigorous life on the set. The ergonomics have been improved compared to standard SLR lenses. The lenses’ cine-style housing dimensions, focus and iris gear positions, and front diameter are the same for the standard lens set. The longer focus rotation and the possibility for manual focus give users the flexibility they demand. The iris opening consists of 14 high-precision blades, which stay consistently round and symmetrical over the entire T-stop range. This translates into natural and pleasing out-of-focus highlights and a smooth bokeh. Together, they help create and capture special moments on film. The modern lens design and tight tolerances ensure low distortion, high resolution and excellent color rendition for sharp, punchy images.
The Compact Prime CP.2 lenses cover a full-frame 24 x 36 image format without vignetting. They will be based around a common aperture of T2.1 for the standard set, which is an improvement over the first generation of lenses.
Carl Zeiss will present these new lenses for the first time at the NAB show in Las Vegas (April 10-15). They will be available from June 2010.
