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Cooke Optics has just introduced a new set of 7 full-frame spherical lenses, the Cooke S8/i FF, with 9 additional products joining the series by the end of 2022. These state-of-the-art lenses come with a fast maximum aperture of T1.4 across the whole series and high-end optical characteristics to meet the technical requirements of today’s high-resolution digital imaging.
With over 100 years of history, Cooke Optics doesn’t need an introduction. The famous Cooke Look is known and loved by many cinematographers around the world.
The company already has some full-frame options in their arsenal, including the S7/i T2.0 primes, the Panchro/i Classic FF, and the Varotal/i cinema zoom. However, with the introduction of the new Cooke S8/i full-frame spherical cinema primes, the manufacturer aims at offering cinematographers an even faster option. Let’s have a (Cooke) look!
The new Cooke S8/i FF series currently consists of seven focal lengths: 25, 32, 40, 50, 75, 100, and 135mm. However, the company announced that 9 additional lenses will join the set by the end of 2022. Once completed, this extensive series of 16 full-frame spherical lenses will range from 18 to 350mm!
The new seven S8/i FF lenses share the same maximum aperture of T1.4 throughout the entire range and a nine-leaf linear module iris assembly. They are designed to cover FF and larger-than-FF sensors. Thus, the fast aperture will allow DOPs to achieve an extremely shallow depth of field and gather tons of photons in low-light situations.
In developing this new series, the Cooke team and Academy Award-winning designer Iain Neil put their main focus on contrast and resolution. According to the company, these lenses will meet the resolution requirements of modern digital cameras for many years to come.
Given Cooke’s historic expertise (and the price of their glass), we can expect exceptional optical performances from these lenses. According to the company, the new S8/i series should deliver the well-known Cooke Look with a “film-quality” feeling to it.
The spherical bokeh should look smooth and clean, while all optical imperfections, including chromatic aberrations and distortion, have been kept to a minimum.
Overall, all lenses feature a compact form factor for what they have to offer. Their weight ranges from 2.1kg for the 50mm to 3.185kg for the 135mm. Moreover, the seven lenses have the same front diameter of 104mm, 270° focus throw, and iris drive gear with 90° excursion. Numerous calibrated and easily-readable focus markings are displayed on each side of the lens.
Finally, these S8/i glass seems to be very long-lasting. Indeed, all lenses feature a scratch-resistant PTFE hard anodized finish that makes them solid and durable.
Being part of the /i family of glass, all focal lengths feature a cable connector near the mount to enable smart communication between the lens and compatible cameras and accessories. Supported data include:
The seven new Cooke Optics S8/i FF spherical lenses are now available to order in both PL and LPL mount options. As it was to be expected, these exclusive, state-of-the-art lenses are not cheap. Indeed, each lens costs $34,650, with the exception of the more expensive 135mm ($36,100).
Moreover, if you’d like to get your hands on some of these beauties, the company announced that selected focal lengths will be on display at upcoming BSC Expo, NAB, and Micro Salon events.
How do you like the “Cooke Look”? What do you think of this new series of high-end cinema glasses? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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Francesco Andreola is an Italian filmmaker. He currently teaches the Video Technology class at the European Institute of Design (IED) in Milan.He’s the co-founder of Outdoor Studio, a media production company specialised in creating visual contents for the mountain sports world.
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