Let’s look at the best cine prime lenses for the Red V-Raptor camera.
First, here are some criteria for the lenses to qualify:
- True cine lenses, not rehoused still lenses.
- Must at the very least cover an image circle of 46.3 mm.
We won’t be looking at specialty lenses or anamorphic lenses. We’ll cover those in a separate article.
Here’s a list of the best cine prime kits available for the Red V-Raptor:
| Feature | ZEISS Supreme | Angenieux Optimo | Cooke S7/i | Leitz Cine THALIA | Panavision Primo 70 |
| Aperture Range^ | T1.5-T22 | T1.8-T22 | T2.0-T22 | T2.8-T22 | T2.0-T22 |
| Front Diameter (mm) | 95/114 | 95 | 110 | 95 | 114 |
| Blades in Iris | 16 | 9 | 9 | 15 | N/A |
| Image Circle (mm) | 46.3 | 46.3 | 46.31 | 60 | Covers Alexa 65 |
| Close Focus (mm)^ | 460 | 407 | 500 | 300 | 407 |
| Weight (kg)^ | 1.2 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 1.64 | N/A |
| Focal Lengths in KIt | 15-200mm | 18-200mm | 16-135mm | 24-180mm | 14-250mm |
| Consistent Length?* | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Largest Consistent Aperture** | T1.5 | T1.8 | T2 | T2.9 | T2.0 |
| Focus Rotation (degrees) | 300 | 300 | 270 | 270 | N/A |
| Price for 50mm (B&H, USD)^ | $20,625 | $23,273 | $23,400 | $30,700 | Rental Only |
**If three of the lenses (among the middle five) are T1.5 but the other two are T2.1, then the largest consistent aperture is T2.1.
^For the 50mm lens in the lineup. For the Leitz Thalia it’s a 55mm.
My favorites?
I’ve only shot with a few of these, but for what it’s worth, my two favorites are:
Leitz Cine THALIA
These are probably the lenses I wouldn’t hesitate to use right now if I had them. Note the following:
- 15-blade iris, which is probably enough (Master Primes have only 9)
- Future-proof – use it on anything.
Angenieux Optimo Primes
I had a chance to test them at Broadcast India (just the 40mm), and I’ve seen sample videos and to be honest, the look is incredible:
- Smooth bokeh and great skin tone
- Warm organic look – matches Optimo zooms
- Angenieux are experimenting with removable aperture blades and an internal lens element!
Further reading:
