Cooke Optics Adds Six Lens to Its SP3 Cinema Prime Lineup
Cooke Optics, an iconic name in cinema lenses, has launched a six-lens set for its full-frame SP3 cinema primes, including a new 18mm T2.4 lens that promises to provide a retro look on modern mirrorless camera bodies.
Cooke’s new 18mm T2.4 lens is the company’s widest SP3 offering to date, joining the 25mm, 32mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm lenses. Each lens in the kit has the same fast T2.4 aperture.
Cooke debuted the initial 5-lens package last year, hoping to bring Cooke’s reputation for high-quality cinema glass to the mirrorless camera market. The “SP” in the name refers to Cooke’s famed Speed Panchro cinema lenses, which are the basis for the SP3 lenses.
Each SP3 lens has a solid-yet-compact build, which Cooke describes as small, lightweight, and sturdy. The lenses have gears integrated into the manual focus and aperture rings that are mechanically matched across the set for easy shifting on a cinema rig or gimbal.
In addition, the lens mounts are user-changeable. The kit includes Sony E-mount as standard, and Canon RF-mounts are free of charge. Cooke also added optional Leica L and M mounts earlier this year.
What distinguishes the SP3 lenses from others is the distinct look they provide. Like the Speed Panchros that came before them, there is a noticeable fall off on the frame’s edges. Furthermore, the SP3s are color-matched to the Cooke Panchro and i Classic lines, allowing projects shooting with other Cooke lenses to simply use the SP3s as a B or C camera.
The well-known Cooke look is not inexpensive. A single lens from the kit starts at $4,500. The new 18mm T2.4 costs $4,970, and the complete six-lens set is available for presale now for $25,995. The pre-existing five-lens package is still available for $21,375.
