Tokina Vista-P 65mm T1.5 Cinema PL

Tokina Vista-P 65mm T1.5 Cinema PL – Vintage style with lower contrast and swirling Petzval-like bokeh

Tokina Vista-P 65mm T1.5 Cinema PL is a large format cine-prime that combines a vintage-inspired image character with modern cine mechanisms. This lens is designed for filmmakers who value both style and functionality. With its ability to produce lower contrast and a distinct, swirling bokeh, this lens is ideal for creating narrative and stylized productions without compromising on precision and reliability.

Optical construction and image character

The Vista-P lens is based on an updated optical layout derived from the original Vista Prime series. This design increases the distance between lens elements, resulting in a more expressive image. This means you get sharp center contrast with reduced contrast and a stylized rendering towards the edges of the image. The optical setup is also designed to minimize chromatic aberration, ensuring high resolution in the most critical areas of the image.

Additionally, the Vista-P 65mm is optimized to highlight spherical distortion and swirling background rendering, creating a distinct separation between the subject and background. This is a sought-after feature for many cinematographers who strive to achieve a unique visual style in their productions.

Aperture, depth of field, and focus behavior

With a fast maximum aperture of T1.5, the lens allows for a shallow depth of field, which is perfect for low-light work. It also offers a minimum aperture of T22, providing increased control over depth of field and exposure in various shooting situations. This makes the lens versatile and useful for both dramatic and documentary films.

Focus breathing is minimized, allowing transitions during focusing to remain subtle and elegant. The focus ring offers approximately 300° of rotation, enabling precise and repeatable focus pulls, an important feature for professional filmmakers.

Mechanical construction and consistency in the series

The Vista-P primes are mechanically constructed with a robust all-metal cine housing and adhere to standardized cine gear specifications. With 0.8 MOD focus and iris gears, the lens maintains a consistent front diameter and filter thread across the entire series. This facilitates quick lens changes and accessory swaps, saving time during shoots.

The design also allows gear positions and physical dimensions to be matched across different focal lengths. This makes it easier to use matte boxes, follow-focus units, and FIZ systems, streamlining workflows in productions with multiple lenses and rental packages.

Image circle and mounts

The Vista-P 65mm offers a large image circle of 46.7 mm, making it suitable for full-frame, VistaVision, and digital 65 mm sensors. This makes the lens ideal for high-resolution recording up to 8K, which is a requirement in today’s film production.

Mount options include PL, EF, MFT, E, and LPL, providing flexibility and compatibility across many cine cameras and rental configurations.

Specifications

• Vintage style: Lower contrast with strong spherical distortion and swirling Petzval-like bokeh.
• Maximum aperture: T1.5, allows for shallow depth of field.
• Minimum aperture: T22 for greater depth of field.
• Focus ring: Approximately 300° rotation for precise focus pulls.
• Image circle: 46.7 mm, suitable for full-frame and 65 mm sensors.
• Mounts: PL, EF, MFT, E, LPL.

Frequently asked questions

What type of aperture does the Tokina Vista-P 65mm T1.5 Cinema PL have?
The lens has a fast maximum aperture of T1.5 and a minimum aperture of T22.

How is focus breathing handled in this lens?
Focus breathing is minimized, making transitions during focusing remain subtle and elegant.

What is the optical design intended to minimize?
The optical design is intended to minimize chromatic aberration, ensuring high resolution in the most critical areas of the image.

What type of material is the lens housing made of?
The lens is mechanically constructed with a robust all-metal cine housing.