All filmakers will be happy to know that Zeiss announced the launch of plenty of new lenses in 2012. Chritian Bannert from Zeiss released an interview at FDtimes (Click here to download the pdf). That is what is coming:
1) In 2012, Carl Zeiss will add wider and longer focal lengths to their existing line of Compact Prime CP.2 lenses. The current ZEISS Compact Prime Lens set consists of 9 lenses.
2) Zeiss will also introduce a line of very compact and lightweight zoom lenses to complement the CP family.
3) Christian said, “We have the technological benefit that we believe can produce anamorphic lenses the likes of which no one has been able to do before. Our new anamorphic lenses will be on the market very soon. We would like to announce 2:1 anamorphic lenses next year, at NAB 2012, and show real products at IBC 2012.” The lenses will not be 1.3x squeeze—representatives at Carl Zeiss feel the real anamorphic look comes with 2x squeeze. Christian Bannert concluded, “This will be a complete family of anamorphic lenses, with all the focal lengths needed to shoot a movie. As experts in photographic lenses for more than 120 years, we know the specs and hurdles. We can offer something unique to the market. It will be really revolutionary.”
P.S.: The Zeiss CP.2 primes on [shoplink 15756 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
16 Responses
i would like to see 1,3x anamorphic lenses.. i don´t know but i like more 2,66:1 than 3.55:1 ratio
WTF? It’s not pocketable! 😉
It’s great to see more and more varied lenses being released for the system! 2012 should be a great year for M4/3 lenses.
“WTF? It’s not pocketable!”
Yeah – if these are COMPACT prime lenses, I wonder how big standard lenses are :).
Hand truckable? 😉
If they’re adding zoom, that means they must have autofocus, right? It is painful to zoom AND focus at the same time.
ya this has nothing to do with 4/3 or micro4/3 admin
ya this has nothing to do with 4/3 or micro4/3 lenses admin
The Zeiss lenses will fit on Micro Four Thirds cameras. I guess this means the news can be posted on 43rumors 😉
I don’t believe these are m43 mount lenses. They can be adapted, but they aren’t native. This is more for the GH2 crowd (i.e. the videographers).
Cp.2 Zeiss lenses can be ordered with a m4/3 mount.
Cool! My bad. Still more for the GH2 crowd (i.e. not me) but cool none-the-less.
I don’t get what all the fuss about anamorphic is about…
What is the difference/advantage of such a lens against filming with a regular lens and cropping to anamorphic in post?
…because you use the full resolution of the sensors rather than cropping and throwing away those pixels.
Cropping to ultra-wide screen aspect ratio from a standard 1:1 lens means you have to throw away vertical resolution (i.e. your 1920×1080 becomes 1920×540 if you want a 3.55:1 ratio). If you use an anamorphic lens, you keep the vertical resolution and stretch the horizontal, so you’re still recording and using all 1920×1080 pixels. Of course, whether that’s worth spending the many thousands that such a lens is likely going to cost is another question entirely.
the anamorphic also does something to flares of light and bokeh. but some find it ridiculous because zeiss pride themselves with eliminating flare. people find zeiss too clean for this. most new lenses with coating are.
These will be PL mount for motion picture application and will likely be in the Master Prime zone price wise or higher. So for those uninitiated to the cost of real cine lenses that’s $20-30k per lens. Don’t get too excited unless you have a real feature budget.
It’s also about the depth of field characteristics. I’ve shot on more than one anamorphic film and the reasons for choosing this format are far more complex than just bokeh and format.
Anamorphic lenses are also notoriously difficult to focus which makes the job of 1st AC on an anamorphic shoot particularly difficult. I know, I’ve done it.