The European Lens Summit returned for its second year at CVP’s Brentford facility on July 12 and 13. CVP CEO Jon Fry said, “The Lens Summit brings the brightest minds in optics and cinematography, not only to showcase products but also to share ideas, challenge conventions, and inspire one another. The goal is to foster deep technical understanding while igniting creativity—creating a space where both the art and science of lens technology are celebrated and advanced.”
Bianca Halpern wrote the following:
Picture this: An event focused entirely on Cinema Optics, where you can talk one-on-one with cinematographers, camera assistants, rental house staff, lens technicians, lens designers and users.
By Bianca Halpern, BECiNE CEO/Founder
The Pacific Northwest Lens Summit was conceived and founded in 2017 by Michael Koerner, owner of Koerner Camera Systems. His original intent was to bring people together—experienced enthusiasts and novice newcomers to talk about all aspects of lenses. Over time, the Lens Summit has evolved into an event like no other, offering advanced training by master lens technicians and exhibiting lenses from manufacturers all over the world. Drawing on his experience attending many trade shows over the years, Koerner also wanted to bring the benefits of such events directly to his employees and customers in Portland, Oregon in a fun atmosphere that is both social and technical.
With the success of the Pacific Northwest Lens Summit in Portland, the team at CVP in London offered to do a UK Version. The European Lens Summit took place at CVP-Brentford for the second time this summer. It was a hot, mid-July week in London and the place was packed with 25 exhibitors and 18 seminars. The day started with Michael Koerner and Dan Kanes from Atlas Lens Company leading a discussion of the history of lenses. Dan compared the Lens Summit event itself to the act of polishing a lens. By coming together and sharing knowledge, we refine ourselves somewhat like glass is polished—emerging sharper and better after a day of discussions with fellow filmmakers.
The RED Masterclass with Markus Förderer was packed. He talked about his work on the movie September 5. Wanting a unique look for the film, he bought a cheap zoom lens and messed it up in his garage until he found the right look. However, he couldn’t get the mechanical functions to work well, so he brought it back to the rental house for their lens tech to fix it in a usable way. Please don’t try this at home,” Markus said.
One of the highlights in the Studio Room was the Macro Workshop. Michael Lindsay demonstrated various set-ups. It was interesting to see the same frame captured with a long macro and then a wide macro.
A lot of action took place around the Grill and the Summit Bar for Pims, skewers and ice cream. At the end of Day 1, everyone gathered outside for the Lens Pub Quiz. A 6-page Quiz had everyone laugh until the sun was setting.
On Day 2, Bianca Halpern of BECiNE moderated a seminar titled “Choosing Lenses for your Project” that drew an engaged and curious crowd. The panel included Emmy Jane Robinson from Emmyland, Bebe Darken BSC, Katie Mayhew and Sara Thomas Moffat. The audience erupted in laughter when Katie, a wildlife cinematographer, remarked that the best lens for the job is simply “whatever the animal calls for.”
Exhibitions by the vendors included products. Sigma presented their new Aizu Prime Line. Angénieux demonstrated the new Oval Irises for Optimo Primes. Optica Magnus showed their T-Stop Calibration Machine.
The Pacific Northwest Lens Summit is set to be back home in Portland at the end of March 2026. It’s a great event that you won’t want to miss. https://www.lenssummit.com
Photos by CVP. Click any image below for slideshow.
