Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema PL

Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema PL – Fast T1.5 prime with vintage style and swirling bokeh

Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema PL is an exceptional prime lens that is part of the redesigned Vista-P series from Tokina. It offers an impressive fast T1.5 maximum aperture, making it ideal for filmmakers who want to create expressive and character-filled images. With its lower contrast and vintage-inspired rendering, this lens is perfect for those seeking a distinct style in their film productions, while still maintaining modern compatibility for large film formats and reliable cine mechanics.

Optical character and image quality

The optical design of Vista-P increases the distance between air and glass surfaces, resulting in a lower contrast appearance and highlighting spherical distortion. This results in sharp images in the center of the frame, while the edges receive a more stylized and soft rendering. The lens is designed to create a deliberately swirling background rendering, providing a unique Petzval-like effect that adds character to every scene. Tokina has also optimized Vista-P to ensure high resolution in the center of the image and to effectively control chromatic aberration. The series is perfect for high-resolution recording and supports workflows up to 8K, making it particularly useful for modern large-format cinema cameras.

Aperture, bokeh, and focus behavior

With a fast T1.5 maximum aperture, the lens offers excellent opportunities for shallow depth of field and flexible performance in low light. The 9-blade curved iris creates a soft and round bokeh, providing a pleasant blur in highlights, whether the lens is stopped down or fully open. The construction of the lens keeps focus breathing close to zero, allowing for subtle and discreet re-composition during focus pulls, which is crucial for filmmakers seeking precision and control.

Mechanical design and compatibility

The mechanical design of the Vista-P 35mm is robust and entirely metal, providing durability and reliability in all production environments. The lens offers approximately 300° of focus rotation for precise and repeatable focus pulls. It uses 0.8 MOD cine gears on both focus and iris, and the gear positions are strategically matched across the focal length range. This facilitates quick lens changes when using matte boxes and FIZ systems, saving time and increasing efficiency. The front diameter is consistently 114 mm across the entire Vista-P series, with a 112 mm front filter thread, simplifying the use of accessories and filter changes. Mount options include PL, EF, MFT, E, and LPL, providing broad compatibility across various cinema cameras and rental packages.

Availability and modification options

Tokina offers Vista-P prime lenses as new lenses, but the series is also available as a one-way modification for existing Vista Primes. This option allows productions already using the Vista ecosystem to add the unique optical character of Vista-P without needing to replace their entire lens set.

Main features

• Vintage style: Lower contrast rendering with strong spherical distortion and swirling Petzval-typical bokeh for a characterful, stylized expression.
• Fast T1.5 maximum aperture: T22 as the smallest aperture; the wide aperture allows for shallow depth of field and flexible low-light sensitivity.
• 9-blade curved iris: Creates soft, round bokeh for pleasant out-of-focus highlights.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum aperture of the Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema PL?
It has a fast T1.5 maximum aperture.

What is the optical design of Vista-P intended to achieve?
The optical design increases the distance between air and glass surfaces, resulting in a lower contrast appearance and emphasizing spherical distortion.

How is the focus behavior of the lens?
The lens construction keeps focus breathing close to zero, making recomposing during focus pulls subtle and discreet.

What mounting options does the Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema PL offer?
It offers mounting options such as PL, EF, MFT, E, and LPL.