Angenieux Optimo Ultra Compact Cine Zoom Lenses – Full Pack Announced

Lens News

by Jakub HanNovember 30^th, 2022

Angenieux Optimo Ultra compact cine zoom lenses are available now. Both 37-102mm T2.9 and 21-56mm T2.9 zooms cover large format sensors up to VV and come with PL mount. They also support Angenieux IRO technology and can have the rear elements changed to a U35 version for Super35 open gate sensors. Then these lenses become a 28-76mm and a 16-42mm T2.2 respectively.

Last year in September, the French lens manufacturer Angenieux announced the first lens of a planned duo of compact full-frame cine zooms – the Angenieux Optimo Ultra Compact 37-102mm T2.9. Back then, it was more of a development announcement without the exact price information.

Recently, during the Camerimage 2022 film festival, Angenieux finally announced the full-pack version of the new Optimo Ultra Compact zoom cine lenses. Both 37-102mm and 21-56mm T2.9 full-frame lenses are now available including the interchangeable rear optical elements. Let’s take a look at the details.

Angenieux Optimo Ultra Compact – full pack available

The new full-frame series of Optimo spherical compact cine zoom lenses come with PL mount option only and consists of two models:

• Angenieux Optimo Ultra Compact 37-102mm T2.9
• Angenieux Optimo Ultra Compact 21-56mm T2.9

The company states that these lenses are the direct descendants of the Academy-awarded Optimo 15-40mm and 28-76mm lenses from 15 years ago. Unlike these older cine zooms, the new Optimo Ultra compact zooms cover full-frame and up to VV sensors, as well. For Super35 sensors, Angenieux has a very clever solution called IRO.

Angenieux’ interchangeable rear optics technology (IRO)

This unique approach called IRO (interchangeable rear optics) means that the rear optical element can be taken off the lens and changed with a different one. Angenieux offers two rear elements for these lenses:

• Full-frame rear element: this comes on the lens and covers large format sensors as I mentioned above
• U35 rear element: this element basically works as a speed booster. When equipped, these lenses respectively become a 28-76mm and a 16-42mm T2.2. The image circle then covers Super35 sensors up to an open gate mode of the new ARRI Alexa 35 for instance.

Thanks to this approach, both Optimo Ultra compact zooms are pretty flexible and can use their full potential on both full-frame/VV and Super35 sensors.

Lightweight PL cine zooms

Angenieux claims that the image quality is consistent from open to closed aperture and at every focal length and focus distance. The iris is also capable of closing completely. The balance of contrast, color, and resolution offer the Angenieux “cinematic look”. The close focus of both lenses is 0.6m (2ft).

Angenieux is proud of the low weight of both lenses. The 37-102mm weighs 2.5kg (5.51 lbs) and the wide-angle 21-56mm lens weighs 2.8kg (6.17 lbs). More technical information and specs of each lens can be found directly on the Angenieux product page 21-56mm or the 37-102mm product page.

Price and availability

Both Optimo Ultra compact lenses are available now. They can be purchased in three different versions:

• Full-frame only
• Super35 only (with U35 rear element)
• Full-pack (including both full-frame and U35 rear elements)

The pricing is currently known for the full-frame-only option, which has been set to $49,900 per piece.

Traditionally, Angenieux cine zooms and primes are rather rental-house lenses. I think this will also be the case for these new Optimo Ultra compact zooms, although there will probably be a few DPs interested in investing in these.

Do you use Angenieux cine lenses for your work? How do you like the look? What do you think of these new Optimo Ultra compact zooms with IRO? Let us know in the comments section below.