ZEISS Unveils Nano Prime Cine Lens Family for Sony E-mount
German optics manufacturer ZEISS has announced the launch of the Nano Prime family of cine lenses designed specifically for mirrorless full frame cameras. Initially available in Sony E-mount, the Nano Primes offer filmmakers a versatile cinematic look in a compact and lightweight design.
Covering a useful range from wide angle to telephoto, the Nano Prime lineup includes six focal lengths – 18mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm – all with a fast constant aperture of T1.5. ZEISS says the optical design enables extremely shallow depth of field for impactful isolation focus, while the elegant bokeh and harmonious focus fall-off produce an aesthetic that works for everything from documentaries to commercials to narrative productions.
The pleasing image characteristics can be combined with ZEISS’s high-end Supreme Prime lenses to cover different budgetary needs, making them suitable as B and C cameras on multi-camera shoots. The compact size also ensures the Nano Primes are at home on small production sets as well as in tight shooting confines.
Ergonomically, the lenses offer the familiar focus and iris ring positioning that cinematographers expect, with 90 degrees of iris rotation for fine adjustment. The long 280 degree focus throw supports accurate focus pulls, aided further by easy-to-read, calibrated scales on the lens barrels.
On the tech side, metadata such as focal length, focus distance and aperture is transmitted to compatible cameras, while additional lens data is available in the ZEISS CinCraft ecosystem for tasks ranging from post-production correction to camera tracking. The lenses also feature the IMS lens mount so they can be adapted to other camera systems in the future.
The ZEISS Nano Prime family, covering six focal lengths from 18mm to 100mm at T1.5, offers filmmakers using mirrorless cameras a versatile cinematic look in a compact form factor designed for mobility and flexibility in tight shooting environments. After unveilings at industry trade shows in Paris and London this month, the E-mount Nano Primes can be ordered now individually or in an affordable six-lens set.