High-End Prime Lenses – Cine & Photographic

If you are in the market for a set of consistently looking, tack-sharp, modern cinema primes with a pleasing bokeh, and if you’re predominantly shooting on Sony BURANO, VENICE or VENICE 2, FX9, FX6 or even FX3, look no further.

The ZEISS Nano Primes are perfectly optimized for these cameras. And in the near future, they’ll also work on other cameras with mirrorless mounts. The ZEISS Nano Primes start shipping in May 2024, and the set of six lenses will set you back 26,000 dollars or 23,000 Euros.

• cover full-frame sensors (even a bit more than that)
• Available Mounts: Sony E
• Available focal lengths: 18mm T1.5 / 24mm T1.5 / 35mm T1.5 / 50mm T1.5 / 75mm T1.5 / 100mm T1.5

Based on the famous Speed Panchro lenses, the SP3 series lenses are optically and mechanically optimized for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

These rugged and lightweight lenses are very compact and feature focus and iris rings that are in the same position across the series, enabling quick lens changes when using matte boxes and lens control systems like follow focuses. Each lens in the SP3 series can be easily matched with the Cooke Panchro/i Classic series lenses. All lenses in the series feature a fast T2.4 aperture. The 9-blade aperture creates smooth and round bokeh. The SP3 lenses feature a user-interchangeable mount, giving you the choice between Sony E, Canon RF and Leica L and M mounts.

A common 64mm front diameter and 58mm filter size across the series (except the 100mm focal length) allows for flexible filter solutions, no matter your budget and use case.

The Canon 35mm Sumire Prime T1.5 is a manual focus prime lens that covers full frame and Super 35 sensor formats providing center-to-edge resolution that supports 4K production.

It features a PL mount and has focus scales marked in feet or meters. The Sumire lens series is designed with the goal of creating pleasing facial close-ups across all ages, genders, and ethnicities. This effect is increased as the lens approaches its widest aperture.

The 35mm offers a maximum T-stop of 1.5 and has an 11-blade iris that provides round natural-looking, out-of-focus highlights for a pleasing bokeh. The lens barrel features 300° smooth rotation from close focus to infinity, giving you a high degree of precision and consistent focus.

• covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: ARRI PL
• Available focal lengths: 14mm T3.1 / 20mm T1.5 / 24mm T1.5 / 35mm T1.5 / 50mm T1.3 / 85mm T1.3 / 135mm T2.2

This is the ultimate set (and unfortunately you can only buy all ten or no lens at all)!

Create a look from the past with this Cine FF Classic Art Prime 10-Lens Set from Sigma with markings in feet and a PL mount. The set includes 20, 24, 28, 35, 40, 50, 85, 105mm T2.5 FF Classic Art Prime lenses, as well as 14 and 135mm T3.2 FF Classic Art Prime lenses.

Each lens features a 9-bladed iris that produces buttery, soft bokeh effects, and ghosting, flaring, and low contrast have been enhanced to produce that classical cinema look. Color reproduction is standardized across the lens line for easier color correction. Each lens utilizes Cooke /i technology that provides lens metadata to assist in post and visual effects production.

The lenses feature coatings on the front and rear glass to protect them from damage.

• covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: ARRI PL
• Available focal lengths: 14mm T3.2 / 20mm T2.5 / 24mm T2.5 / 28mm T2.5 / 35mm T2.5 / 40mm T2.5 / 50mm T2.5 / 85mm T2.5 / 105mm T2.5 / 135mm T3.2

Designed for use with digital cinema cameras, the full frame Leica 24mm M 0.8 f/1.4 Full Frame M-Mount Lens gives your images the classic analog curving focus roll-off for a more natural dimensional perception.

The line of M 0.8 M-Mount cine lenses can be used with M-Mount cameras and professional cine cameras such as RED, ARRI, and Sony VENICE with appropriate adapters. Also, since they are compact and light they can also be used with gimbals, drones, and underwater cameras where heavier lenses become impractical.

The line of M 0.8 lenses share similar characteristics such as a 77mm filter thread, an 80mm front diameter, a 36mm full frame image circle, and 0.8 MOD standard cine focus gear rings, making the lenses easily interchangeable in the field.

The 24mm lens has a close focus of 27", a maximum aperture of f/1.4, it weighs only 1.1 lb, and features lens markings in feet.

• covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Leica M
• Available focal lengths: 21mm f/1.4, 24mm f/1.4, 28mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/0.95, 75mm f/2.0, 90mm f/2.0

The Rokinon XEEN CF line of lenses features a lightweight carbon fiber housing and compact design while providing full-frame coverage for use with large sensor cameras.

This lens supports resolutions up to 8K in a small and lightweight form, which is well suited for use with mechanical and electronic stabilizer systems, as well as for studio and location productions. The lenses in the XEEN CF series all benefit from X-Coating Technology, which provides the XEEN CF lenses with a distinct look.

All lenses within the XEEN CF series are color-matched to avoid shifts when swapping lenses, and the 11-blade iris allows for a natural-looking bokeh.

• cover full-frame sensors (even a bit more than that)
• Available Mounts: Sony E / Canon EF / ARRI PL
• Available focal lengths: 16mm T2.6 / 24mm T1.5 / 35mm T1.5 / 50mm T1.5 / 85mm T1.5

The Canon CN-E 24mm T1.5 L F Cinema Prime Lens is a wide-angle, manual focus prime lens that covers Full Frame and Super 35 sensor formats.

The lens offers a maximum aperture of T1.5, useful when shooting in low light situations or when you want to capture that exceedingly shallow depth of field look. It has an 11-blade iris that provides round out of focus highlights for a natural looking bokeh.

The lens barrel features 300° of stepless, smooth rotation from close focus to infinity, giving you a high degree of precision and consistent focus.

• covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF
• Available focal lengths: 14mm T3.1 / 20mm T1.5 / 24mm T1.5 / 35mm T1.5 / 50mm T1.3 / 85mm T1.3 / 135mm T2.2

Ranging from 15 mm to 135 mm, the ten focal lengths available in the Zeiss Compact Prime CP.3 or CP.3 XD series cover all applications from wide-angle to telephoto.

The Zeiss CP.3 lenses feature advanced lens coatings, painted lens rims and special light traps within the barrel to eliminate unwelcome veiling glare and flares.

• covers full frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF / MFT / Nikon F / ARRI PL / ARRI PL with eXtended Data / Sony E
• Available focal lengths: 15mm T2.9 / 18mm T2.9 / 21mm T2.9 / 25mm T2.1 / 28mm T2.1 / 35mm T2.1 / 50mm T2.1 / 85mm T2.1 / 100mm T2.1 / 135mm T2.1

This Sigma FF High Speed 7 Prime Lens Kit with Case includes 7 full-frame Canon EF mount cinema lenses in 14mm, 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm focal lengths and a hard case with custom-cut foam inserts.

The 20mm through 85mm open up to a bright T1.5 while the 14mm and 135mm open to T2. Similar physical properties between the lenses in this set allow for quick lens changes in the field. Lens markings in luminous paint against the black finish help to clearly identify focus and iris position in dim conditions.

• covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF / Sony E
• Available focal lengths: 14mm T2 / 20mm T1.5 / 24mm T1.5 / 35mm T1.5 / 50mm T1.5 / 85mm T1.5 / 135mm T2

Tokina Cinema Vista prime lenses provide an image circle that covers full-frame sensors and is designed to provide sharp images even when recording images at 8K resolution.

These lenses share the same form factor, lens gear position, focus rotation, and front barrel diameter as the other Tokina Cinema Vista prime lenses. This makes on-set lens changes a fast and efficient operation.

It features a maximum T stop of 1.5, useful when shooting in low light situations or when you want to capture that exceedingly shallow depth of field look.

• covers full-frame sensors (even a bit more than that)
• Available Mounts: Canon EF / ARRI LPL / MFT / ARRI PL / Sony E
• Available focal lengths: 18mm T1.5 / 21mm T1.5 / 25mm T1.5 / 29mm T1.5 / 35mm T1.5 / 40mm T1.5 / 50mm T1.5 / 65mm T1.5 / 85mm T1.5 / 105mm T1.5 / 135mm T1.5

The Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM Lens is a high-end, wide-angle L-series prime designed for photo and video, featuring an ultra-fast f/1.4 aperture, smooth manual and autofocus controls.

If features minimal focus breathing, advanced optical elements to reduce aberrations, and a durable, weather-resistant build with coatings to prevent ghosting and flares.

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM is a high-speed, normal-length prime lens designed for full-frame RF-mount mirrorless cameras, featuring a bright f/1.2 aperture for excellent low-light performance and shallow depth of field control.

Advanced optics to reduce aberrations, a fast and quiet ring-type Ultrasonic Motor for autofocus, and a weather-resistant build with a configurable Control Ring for intuitive exposure adjustments make this a must-have for every RF camera owner.

The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM is a high-performance short-telephoto prime lens for full-frame RF-mount mirrorless cameras, featuring an exceptionally bright f/1.2 aperture.

An advanced optical design with Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics, and an ultra-low dispersion element give you superb clarity and color accuracy. It also includes an Air Sphere Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, a fast and quiet Ultrasonic Motor for autofocus, a configurable Control Ring for exposure settings, and a weather-resistant build for durability in various conditions. An all-around great portrait lens!

The Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is a compact, high-performance wide-angle prime lens, ideal for street, landscape, and documentary photography.

Part of the G Master series, it features two XA elements for sharpness and minimal aberrations, an extra-low dispersion element for color accuracy, and Nano AR Coating II to reduce flare. Its fast f/1.4 aperture allows for excellent low-light performance and depth-of-field control. The lens offers fast, precise autofocus with two XD Linear Motors and has a durable, weather-sealed design. It also includes a de-clickable aperture ring for smooth transitions in video work.

The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is an ideal portrait prime lens known for its flattering focal length and ability to create stunning bokeh and sharp images.

Part of the G Master series, it boasts advanced optics to minimize spherical and chromatic aberrations, ensuring high resolution and clarity. The fast f/1.4 aperture excels in low light and allows for precise depth of field control. Key features include a Nano AR Coating to reduce flare, an 11-blade diaphragm for smooth bokeh, and a robust, weather-sealed design. The lens also offers quick, quiet autofocus and intuitive manual focus control, with a de-clickable aperture ring for video use.

The Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 Lens is a versatile wide-angle prime designed for full-frame L-mount mirrorless cameras. With a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture, it excels in low-light conditions and offers shallow depth of field control.

Ideal for snapshots, street scenes, landscapes, and close-up shots, it features a minimum focusing distance of 9.5". The lens is optimized for video with minimal focus breathing and smooth exposure changes, supporting 4K video recording. Its durable design includes dust, moisture, and freeze resistance. The lens also boasts high resolution, a nearly silent autofocus system, and consistent handling with other Lumix S f/1.8 lenses.

The Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 is a compact and versatile standard-length prime lens designed for full-frame L-mount mirrorless cameras. Its 50mm focal length is well-suited for portraiture, landscapes, and general-purpose photography, offering a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture for effective depth of field control, especially in low-light conditions.

The lens features advanced optics including three aspherical elements, an extra-low dispersion element, and an ultra-high refractive index element, which collectively reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing while ensuring sharpness and color accuracy. A linear autofocus motor provides smooth, precise, and nearly silent focusing performance, making it suitable for both photo and video applications. The lens is also designed to withstand tough environmental conditions with its dust-, moisture-, and freeze-resistant construction, making it a reliable choice for various shooting scenarios.

The Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 is a compact and lightweight short-telephoto prime lens designed for full-frame L-mount mirrorless cameras. Its 85mm focal length is ideal for portraits and selective shooting, offering a modestly bright f/1.8 maximum aperture for depth of field control and a sleek design.

The lens features two extra-low dispersion elements to minimize chromatic aberrations and ensure high clarity and color accuracy. It employs a linear autofocus motor for fast and quiet focusing, making it suitable for both stills and video. Additionally, the lens is dust-, moisture-, and freeze-resistant, enhancing its durability for use in challenging environmental conditions.