Legendary cine lens manufacturer Cooke Optics has announced a new series of full frame cinema lenses, the S8/i range.
The lineup features a massive 16 lenses in total, 7 of which are now ready to order and offer full frame production with an all-spherical design, along with an aperture of T1.4 throughout. These currently include 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 135mm focal lengths.
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A further 9 lenses will join the range from late 2022, and the full set will cover 16mm all the way to a massive 350mm – which is an insane range for cine glass, and will mean that no matter the shoot, you will be able to get a consistent look across all your lenses and scenes.
Development of the S8/i line was motivated by feedback from cinematographers wanting to create more realistic and film-like images with spherical lenses for digital motion capture.
The new optics produce breathtakingly beautiful images with an almost organic feel and a clean bokeh. To achieve this, Cooke has focussed on optimizing the contrast performance for the S8/i. Don't take our word for, though; below is a video showing the signature "Cooke look" that the S8/i series is capable of producing.
Watch video: The Cooke Look
Cooke’s design team – and Academy Award-winning designer Iain Neill, Chief Optics Advisor at Cooke – undertook a huge study to ensure that the S8/i’s contrast performance is maximized to suit the actual resolution of digital cameras (today and for many years into the future).
Under the body, S8/i is an all-spherical design that produces a near-telecentric output of light rays, which is efficient for sensors. It is characterized by smooth, spherical bokeh and minimal color fringing, enabling cinematographers to create sensitive and emotional images with a high degree of dimensionality.
With a maximum aperture of T1.4 across the focal range, the new lenses are among the very fastest produced for larger than full frame capture. They also offer greater control over depth of field and flare characteristics, while still providing excellent low light performance without graining.
The S8/i full frame series is now available to order in the following focal lengths: 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 135mm. Selected focal lengths will be available to view at BSC Expo in London from 7-9 April, Micro Salon AFC in Paris in April from 13-14 April, and NAB in Las Vegas from 23-27 April.
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