Three Angénieux Optimo Primes arrived. 28mm, 40mm, 135mm. All T1.8. Full Frame. All 95 mm front diameter. Scene One: photograph them on a plexi milkglass sweep. Images follow. First impressions: beautifully made, smooth focus cams, lightweight, small, fit in one hand (don’t need both hands for a lens change.) Lots of opportunities to customize: front filters, rear filters, and the eagerly-awaited internal element, also artistically called “palette.”

Demo shoots are now underway.

Twelve Full Frame lenses are planned in the Optimo Prime series: 18, 21, 24, 28, 32, 40, 50, 60, 75, 100, 135, 200mm. All are T1.8 except the 18mm which is T2.0 and the 200mm which is T2.2.

Coverage is Full Format with a 46.5mm image circle diagonal.

The fully interchangeable mounts include PL and LPL, so far.

Both Cooke/i and Arri LDS is supported. 

The lens gears are industry-standard 0.8M and all are located in the same positions across the entire 12-lens set.

Optimo Primes can be customized at the factory or by certified lens technicians to create distinct looks: 

The iris assembly is removable and exchangeable. So far, there are plans 3, 6 or 9-bladed iris assemblies. Cinematographers and rental houses are dreaming of additional iris permutations, imagining matte black, gold, blue, warm, silver, shiny and dull for bokehs of multi colors, sizes and shapes.  

An internal element, artistically called a “palette,” in the middle of the lens can be swapped and exchanged to achieve a variety of different looks and degrees of internal flares, diffusion, coatings, chromatic aberration, or distortion.  

A special rear filter holder attaches to the rear of the Optimo Prime.

Distributed in the Americas by Band Pro. In EMEA and India by Angénieux. In Asia by Jebsen.