IronGlass Rehousing for Zeiss Standard Speed Series Announced

Lens News

by Francesco AndreolaAugust 27^th, 2024

Lens rehousing company IronGlass recently announced their latest project built around the iconic Zeiss Standard Speed cinema lens series. Preserving the look of the donor glass, their modification aims at expanding the lifespan of these classic lenses by providing fluid, modern mechanics. Pre-orders are now open.

A major player in lens rehousing based out of Ukraine, IronGlass rose to fame by modifying vintage Soviet optics for cinema use, and we recently had the chance to conduct a hands-on review of the MKII version of their housings. You can check it out here.

However, the company has also started to venture into other lens series. Last year, they launched the Carl Zeiss Jena rehousing project, and more recently, they partnered up with Ancient Optics and succeeded in rehousing the Tokina 28-70mm f/2.6-2.8 zoom – a task that many previously considered “impossibile”. Now, it’s Zeiss Standard Speed lenses’ turn. Let’s have a look!

IronGlass revives Zeiss Standard Speed lenses

The Zeiss Standard Speed lens series was introduced between 1964 and 1975. Originally, these PL mount cinema optics were engineered for use with Arriflex 35mm film cameras, so they still cover Super 35mm sensors in the digital era.

We’re talking about quite a large family of lenses, covering from 10 up to 180mm, that has been an industry standard for decades. The lenses are known for delivering sharp, natural-looking images, beautiful flares, as well as a soft and smooth bokeh. Almost all focal lengths in the MKII iteration of the Standard Speeds are T2.1, with a few exceptions being the 14mm T2, the 60mm T2.9 Macro, and the 180mm T3.

With IronGlass’ modification, the lenses will get an entirely new housing and mechanics while still retaining the ARRI PL mount. One of the most significant improvements is the replacement of the original helicoid focus mechanism with a state-of-the-art CAM-based system that should enhance smoothness and precision when pulling focus. Additionally, the original 80mm front outer diameter of lenses ranging from 16 to 180mm will become 95mm.

Price and availability

IronGlass is now taking pre-orders for their Zeiss Standard Speed rehousing, but please keep in mind that you need to provide the donor glass. The regular price of the rehousing process ranges between $3,500 and $4,000 per lens, depending on the focal lengths and delivery date:

• Wave 1 includes 16/24/32/40/50/85/135mm – $3,500 (delivery in Q4 2025);
• Wave 2 includes 10/12/14/20/28/60/100/180mm – $4,500 (delivery in Q4 2026).

However, you can benefit from an early-bird discount if you pre-order before September 30th, 2024 (or within the first 20 orders). The amount of the discount varies depending on the extent of your pre-order deposit:

• 25% deposit: $3,400 per lens ($100-600 off)
• 50% deposit: $3,250 per lens ($250-750 off)
• 100% deposit: $3,000 per lens ($500-1000 off)

For more information, please visit IronGlass’ website here.

Have you ever shot on Zeiss Standard Speed glass? Or do you own a set? What do you think of this new rehousing project from IronGlass? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!