Panavision has announced the “Primo 65” lens series. Inheriting the renowned image quality of Panavision’s historic 35mm format “Primo” spherical lenses, the Primo 65 prime lenses fully cover 65mm format camera sensors.
The new addition to Panavision’s lens lineup further demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing the most comprehensive collection of optical equipment available for rental to cinematographers worldwide, offering lenses that meet a wide range of artistic and technical requirements.
Focal Lengths of Panavision Primo 65 Series
The Primo 65 series of spherical prime lenses was developed to meet the demands of cinematographers who wanted the characteristics of Primo lenses in a lens compatible with 65mm format sensors. The full set consists of 12 focal lengths: 21mm T2, 27mm T2, 30mm T2, 35mm T2, 45mm T2, 50mm T2, 65mm T2, 80mm T2, 100mm T2, 125mm T2, 170mm T2, and 225mm T2.5. All focal lengths use Panavision’s proprietary SP70 mount, and the front diameter is uniformly 4.44 inches (112.8mm). The spacing between the focus ring and iris ring is also standardized, contributing to the efficiency of lens changes. The red and yellow markings on the lenses are said to be an homage to the original Primo series.
According to Panavision, the optical design employed in the development of the Primo 65 prioritized artistic touch over purely mathematical design. As a result, the lens achieves the clear, high-contrast image reproduction for which the original Primo series is renowned, without becoming excessively sharp or sterile. By intentionally retaining certain aberrations, it maintains a natural and organic texture in the image, creating a pleasing softness that is ideal for close-up photography.
Furthermore, the improved breathing control makes it suitable for VFX workflows. The lens features a circular bokeh with a subtle cat’s-eye effect at the edges of the frame, and multiband flare spreads in an attractive cascade across the entire lens element without being overly prominent.
Panavision Primo 65 Sensor Size Compatibility
The Primo 65 lens is compatible with multiple sensor sizes and delivers high performance on 65mm, large format, and Super 35 digital cameras.
“The internal structure of the Primo 65 follows the optical and mechanical design of the original Primo,” Dan Sasaki, Senior Vice President of Optical Engineering and Lens Strategy at Panavision, said. “In terms of contrast and depth of field, the Primo 65 truly rivals our Primo lenses for 35mm format. It not only fully covers the 65mm digital format but also delivers excellent performance in Super 35 and large-sensor applications.”
The Panavision Primo Line
Introduced in the late 1980s, Primo became a symbol of Panavision’s history of innovation in optical technology. The original Primo lenses were the first fully matched prime and zoom lens series designed for filmmaking, setting a new standard for spherical lens performance. “Empire of the Sun,” directed by Steven Spielberg and photographed by Allen Davio (ASC), was the first feature film shot using Primo lenses, and for decades since, the lenses have been used in classic films such as “Casino,” “Titanic,” “The Matrix,” and “Black Panther,” as well as critically acclaimed television series such as “Friends,” “The Sopranos,” “This Is Us,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” They have also received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Technical Achievement Award and the Academy of Motion Picture Science and Technology Award, and an Emmy Award from the Television Academy for outstanding achievements in engineering development.
Over the years, the Primo series has expanded its lineup to include the sharper, higher-contrast “Primo 70” lenses and the softer, lower-contrast “Primo Artiste” series. All of these are designed for use with VistaVision-sized sensors. PanaSpeed’s prime lenses offer performance comparable to the Primo series for large-format sensors, but the “Primo 65” in particular covers the widest angle of view and is said to have the performance most faithful to the Primo series.
In addition to the Primo 65 prime lens series, Panavision also announced a new 65ZW 20-36mm T4 wide-angle zoom lens. Panavision’s optical product lineup covering the 65mm format also includes the 65 Vintage, System 65, Sphero 65, and Super Panavision 70 lens series.
