Arri has expanded its Signature lens line up with the introduction of four Signature Zoom lenses. The lenses, with an extender for the longest of them, cover a focal length range of 16mm to 510mm.
They boast the “biggest combined cine zoom focal length range on the market”, and the same warm look as its Signature Primes, “with smooth, flattering skin tones, natural colours and elegant out-of-focus highlights,” according to the company.
The zooms are designed for use with any large-format or Super 35 sensor camera and have a “future-proof design” that accommodates HDR and 8K resolution. All four have a constant maximum aperture of T2.8, and Arri claims that “no other zoom system provides this degree of optically matched image quality, versatility and speed”.
The first two lenses in the range, due Q1 2021, are the 45-135mm and 65-300mm (plus a 1.7x extender for the 65-300, which makes it a 110-510mm T4.9), with the 16-32mm and 24-75mm to follow.
The Signature look is described as “characterful”, but this is not because of visible aberrations or imperfections. “Instead, the character is gently crafted on top of a base of matchless technological sophistication,” according to the company. Because the look is not based on aberrations it should offer fewer problems for HDR and UHD work, as these tend to exaggerate the aberrations of other lenses, which can create problems in post. The 8K resolution and deep shadow detail also lend themselves to future display requirements.
The zooms use a lightweight magnesium design, with in-built Arri LDS-2 Lens Data System to capture lens metadata and help simplify complex tasks on set and in post. Close focusing distances range from 19.4cm (from the front of the lens) for the 16-32mm to 1.337m for the 65-300mm.
The lenses have an LPL lens mount, which is an open, universal standard for cross-format shooting, and can be used with any large-format or Super 35 camera from any manufacturer. They also share the detachable magnetic rear filter holder of the Signature Primes, allowing filmmakers to change and personalise the look of the entire Signature lens system.
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