ESSENTIAL GEAR is a regular feature produced in collaboration with StudioDaily’s exclusive retail partner, Adorama.
In this edition, we look at great glass, including a fresh new full-frame prime lens from Canon, a new variant of Fujinon’s popular Cabrio 20–120mm, and a set of primes that can help you get that “Cooke look” on a budget.
Canon CN-E20mm T1.5 L F Cinema Prime Lens
Brand-new from Canon, this 20mm prime lens broadens the CN-E series, bringing the line-up to a total of seven primes, ranging from a 135mm telephoto to a 14mm wide-angle. The 20mm version will come in handy if you want to go wide, but not that wide. Canon designed it to capture 4K resolution with an 11-blade aperture diaphragm, 300 degrees of focus-ring rotation and minimal focus breathing. Covering a 35mm full-frame sensor and passing lens metadata via the EF mount, it’s a great wide companion for the EOS C700 FF cinema camera or a Canon DSLR. Still on preorder, the CN-E20mm is set to ship later in December.
Learn more about the Canon CN-E20mm T1.5 L F cinema prime lens at Adorama | SHOP NOW
Cooke MiniS4/i Cine Lenses
Ever admire that classic “Cooke look” but figure you can’t get it on a tight budget? Make sure you check out the miniS4/i Super 35 prime lenses, specifically designed by the famed manufacturer to make better sense to frugal productions — or to make the bill easier to swallow if they’re to be used in dicey stunt situations that could result in busted glass and an insurance payout. And, with the trade-off of being one stop slower than the S4/i — but maintaining optical quality — they’re smaller and more lightweight. And they’re color-matched with the rest of Cooke’s offerings.
Learn more about the Cooke minis4/i lens line-up at Adorama | SHOP NOW
Fujinon PL 20–120mm Cabrio XK T3.5 Zoom
A contemporary classic, Fujinon’s Cabrio 20–120mm offering is designed to fit in as easily in ENG environments as it does on cinema shoots. The key is its detachable 16-bit servo drive, which can be kept in place for ENG-style shooting or removed so that the lens can be used cinema style with industry standard motors and matte boxes. The Cabrio 20–120mm covers a Super 35 sensor area (24.84 x 13.97 mm) for full-frame shooting and has a nine-blade iris. The detachable servo isn’t a gimmick to prop up an inferior lens — citing demand, Fujinon now offers the same lens without the servo motor at a lower price. And a third-party ecosystem has developed, with vendors including Chrosziel making lightweight servo drives for the lens.
Learn more about the Fujinon PL 20–120mm Cabrio XK T3.5 Zoom at Adorama | SHOP NOW
