Cooke Optics launches S8/i FF spherical lenses for full frame production

Cooke Optics has announced the launch of the S8/i Full Frame (FF) series of seven lenses for full frame production with an all-spherical design and T1.4 throughout, these currently include 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 135mm focal lengths. A further nine lenses will join the range from late 2022.

The S8/i are a cutting edge, state-of-the-art high-speed full frame lenses motivated by feedback from cinematographers wanting to create more realistic and film-like images with spherical lenses for digital motion capture. An evolution of the Cooke Look®, S8/i produces breathtakingly beautiful images with an almost organic feel and a clean bokeh.

To achieve this, Cooke has focussed on optimising the contrast performance for the S8/i. Good resolution is, of course, vital with a modern lens. Crucially, human perception of resolution is tied to contrast, so an observer will perceive a sharp image due to the synergy and balance of both.

Creating film-like images and the Cooke Look®, requires the optimisation of contrast. Cooke’s design team – and Academy Award® winning designer Iain Neill, Chief Optics Advisor at Cooke – undertook a huge study to ensure S8/i’s contrast performance is maximised to suit the actual resolution of digital cameras (today and indeed for many years into the future).

Under the body, S8/i is an all-spherical design which produces a near telecentric output of the light rays which is efficient for sensors. It is characterised by smooth, spherical bokeh and minimal colour fringing, enabling cinematographers to create sensitive and emotional images with a high degree of dimensionality.  

Faster 

With a maximum aperture of T1.4 across the focal range, the new S8/i FF lenses are amongst the very fastest produced lenses for larger than full frame capture. They also offer greater control over depth of field and flare characteristics, whilst still providing excellent low light performance without graining. 

Lighter 

Compact and light, agile and easy to use, the new S8/i FF lenses have been created for a wide variety of situations and today’s compact cameras. Being lighter, however, has not compromised strength, durability, or their exceptional image quality. 

Smarter 

Designed from the ground up to incorporate Cooke’s very latest intelligent /i technology, the new S8/i FF lenses include:  

• /i data focus and iris position
• /i motion inertial data 
• /i maps factory calibrated shading and distortion data 

Tim Pugh, CEO, Cooke Optics, said, “We are very proud to reveal the new S8/i FF series, built as always with cinematographers in mind. The lenses have been designed and produced in a smart way using an all-spherical design which provides an organic, filmic aesthetic to accompany the latest digital film cameras.”

The S8/i FF series is now available to order in the following focal lengths: 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 135mm. 

Selected focal lengths will be available to view at BSC Expo in London in March and NAB in Las Vegas and Micro Salon AFC in Paris in April.