Different shoots require different lens types. In the higher segment you can choose between a photography lens and a cine lens. The name says already says it: these are used by cinematographers, camera operators and DoPs (Director of Photography) for professional film productions. On the surface, there seem to be few differences when compared to photo lenses, but this appears to be deceiving, as there actually are some important properties unique for cine lenses. So what are the main properties of Cine lenses compared to photographic lenses?
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In film production it is very important that there is consistency between lenses. You don't want to have to reconfigure your matte box or follow focus every time you switch lenses. That is why a series of cine lenses from one series are almost identical in dimensions and weight, whether it is a wide or telephoto lens.
Equal glass color and contrast
In photography it is just less important that the lens color (this means the 'tint' or colour temperature of the image and not the color of the coating) and contrast are completely identical. This way, in photography you can also vary in color and contrast with different lenses and with that the 'look'. In a film production it is not very useful when every scene has a different color temperature and 'look' as it greatly extends the color correction work. That is why cine lenses are manufactured in such a way that they have the same color properties.
Lens breathing, focus breathing and parfocal
When using a zoom lens, with a cine lens it's important that the focus point is always the same. Having to refocus every time you zoom is very annoying. With photo lenses, the crop of the image may change during focusing. This is called 'lens breathing'. Something you don't want during a movie shoot.
Vignetting
The curvature of a lens causes the lens to transmit less light on the edges compared to the center, resulting in dark corners in the picture. This is called vignetting. With cinematic lens, this effect is limited as much as possible. The reason for this is that you can see this vignetting effect much easier with moving images than with a still image.
T-stops versus F-stops
F-stops are used in photography, T-stops in film. An F-stop indicates how much light is theoretically passing through the lens, while a T-stop indicates the actual amount of light hitting the light sensor. This is more consistent and reliable, making it more useful for filmmakers.
Price difference
Cinematographic lenses are a lot more expensive than photo lenses. The aforementioned differences explain these higher prices. Because consistency is paramount when the same results are to be expected from the lenses for a longer period, filmmakers are happy to pay the higher price. The build quality and technical construction of cine lenses must also be very robust, so that they can take a beating. Many film makers rent cine lenses because the purchase price is very high.