Tokina Vista-P 21mm T1.5 Cinema Canon EF

Tokina Vista-P 21mm T1.5 Cinema Canon EF – Fast T1.5 with Expressive Vintage Style

The Tokina Vista-P 21mm T1.5 Cinema lens is an outstanding combination of modern optics and vintage-inspired design. This lens is specifically designed for filmmakers working with large format cameras and offers a fast T1.5 aperture that allows for stunning images even in low light conditions. With its characteristic swirling bokeh and lower contrast, this lens is an excellent choice for all types of film productions, including feature films, music videos, and commercials.

Series Background and Design Intent

The Vista-P series builds on the popular Vista Prime series and has been updated to provide a more expressive image character. By increasing the distance between lens elements, Tokina has succeeded in creating optics that combine style and robustness. These lenses are built to deliver reliability and precision, making them ideal for professional filmmaking.

Since Vista-P lenses are designed for large format recording, they are perfectly suited for cameras used in various film productions where style and quality are of utmost importance.

Optical Features

• Fast T1.5 maximum aperture: Provides shallow depth of field and high flexibility in low light, with a minimum aperture of T22.
• 9-blade curved iris: Creates a soft and rounded bokeh.
• Reduced contrast: Delivers sharp center resolution and a stylized rendering towards the edges.
• Increased spherical distortion: Provides a swirling background rendering for a vintage look while keeping chromatic aberration low.
• Almost no focus breathing: Makes recomposition during focus pulls subtle and reproducible.

Mechanical Design and Workflow Features

Tokina has placed great emphasis on the mechanical design of the Vista-P lenses, resulting in practical cine mechanics that are consistent across the series. With a fully metal housing and 0.8 MOD focus and iris gears, these lenses are easy to integrate with follow focus and motor systems.

• Focus rotation: Approximately 300° for precise and reproducible focus pulls.
• Matched front diameter: 114 mm and 112 mm front filter thread simplify lens changes and the use of matte boxes.
• Gear positions: Matched across focal lengths for easier changes during production.

Coverage, Resolution, and Mounts

The Vista-P lenses offer a large image circle of 46.7 mm, making them suitable for full-frame sensors, VistaVision format, and digital 65 mm sensors. This coverage allows the lens to be used for high-resolution recording up to 8K, which is a significant advantage for filmmakers striving for the highest quality.

There are several mount options available for this series, allowing it to fit a wide range of cameras and rental packages. This specific lens has a Canon EF mount and is the 21mm variant.

Availability and Modification Options

Tokina offers Vista-P optics as new lenses and also provides modification options, making it easy to customize the lens according to specific needs of filmmakers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest aperture on the Tokina Vista-P 21mm T1.5 Cinema lens?
The largest aperture is T1.5.

What type of bokeh does this lens create?
The lens has a 9-blade curved iris that creates a soft and rounded bokeh.

For what types of film productions is this lens particularly suitable?
It is an excellent choice for feature films, music videos, and commercials.

What image circle do the Vista-P lenses offer?
The Vista-P lenses offer a large image circle of 46.7 mm, making them suitable for full-frame sensors and VistaVision format.