While 2024 has obviously been the year of AI, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of… well, also AI. But also large-format cinematography. On the heels of the announcement of the new Fujifilm GFX Eterna and other exciting new cameras like the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K, interest in large-format is certainly set to pop off in 2025.
To get in on the excitement Cooke Optics has announced its entry into larger format cinema with the new Panchro 65/i lens series specifically engineered for 65mm imager cameras. Let’s take a look at how we got here with Cooke Optics and how this new lens series should bring a vintage look to the large-format future.
Cooke Optics Panchro 65/i Lens Series
From Cooke Optics’ announcement, the company shares that since it was very much an early supporter of larger format cinema and actually released limited runs of the Double Speed Panchros and Duopanchros in the early 1950s to support both VistaVision and 65mm film formats.
These lenses would go on to be used to photograph many famous films like Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and To Catch a Thief, and have led Cooke to where we are today. With an increasing number of camera manufacturers embracing 65mm digital imagers, Cooke plans to provide filmmakers with the Panchro 65/i series to bring the signature Panchro look to larger formats and widen the lensing options available to filmmakers who are embracing the large format.
Price and Availability
Known for precision and artistry in lens design, Cooke Optics shares that they have carefully crafted these Panchro 65/i lenses to preserve the unique aesthetic qualities of the Panchro line. Aberrations are skillfully integrated into the optical design and the result should deliver that classic Panchro feel across a much larger image circle.
The Panchro 65/i will include six focal lengths:
- 30mm
- 40mm
- 55mm
- 75mm
- 100mm
- 152mm
All of the lenses are set to offer a minimum T-Stop of T22 with the 55mm, 75mm, and 100mm set to offer the fastest maximum T-stop of T2.5 while the 30mm and 40mm will offer T2.8 and the 152mm will offer T2.9.
Cooke Optics has not yet shared pricing and availability for the lenses just yet, but we expect we’ll be getting more info here in early 2025. For more info you can learn more on Cooke Optics’ website.
Author: Jourdan Aldredge
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
