Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema Sony E

Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema (Sony E) — Vintage-inspired low contrast rendering with fast T1.5 aperture

The Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema lens is an excellent choice for filmmakers seeking a combination of vintage aesthetics and modern technology. With its fast T1.5 aperture, this lens allows photographers to work with shallow depth of field, creating a dramatic effect in both low light and highlight situations. It is designed to create a unique image character and is perfect for those who want to give their productions a classic, cinematic feel.

Design and optical character

The Vista-P series uses an updated optical layout that increases the distances between the lenses. This results in a more expressive image with a characteristic swirling background and strong spherical distortion. Despite the lower contrast, which provides a stylized rendering, the lens ensures high resolution in the center of the image and controls chromatic aberration. Photographers and filmmakers can use this lens to create texture and life in highlights and backgrounds, making it an invaluable tool for cinematic projects.

Aperture, bokeh, and low light capability

The Tokina Vista-P 35mm is equipped with a fast T1.5 maximum aperture, providing an excellent opportunity to work with shallow depth of field and offering great flexibility in low light conditions. The 9-blade curved iris creates a soft and round bokeh, further enhancing the swirling Petzval-like background rendering, something many filmmakers strive for to achieve a dreamlike quality in their images.

Large format coverage and resolution

The optical design of the Vista-P lens provides a large image circle of 46.7 mm, making it suitable for use with full-frame, VistaVision, and digital 65 mm sensors. This large coverage supports high-resolution recording up to 8K, allowing you to take advantage of the lens's expressive character across a wide range of large format cine cameras.

Mechanics and usability

Mechanically, the Vista-P lenses are built with a robust all-metal cine housing and industry-standard 0.8 MOD focus and iris gears. The focus rotation is approximately 300°, allowing for precise and repeatable focus pulls. The series has a consistent front diameter of 114 mm and a 112 mm front filter thread across the focal lengths, simplifying lens changes when using matte boxes and FIZ systems. Gear positions are carefully matched throughout the series, and focus breathing is kept to a minimum to ensure discreet recomposition during focus pulls.

Tokina Vista-P lenses are offered both as new lenses and as modifications of existing Vista Primes, providing flexibility for productions already using the Vista ecosystem. The specific version presented here is adapted for Sony E mount, but the Vista-P series is also available in several other mount options such as PL, EF, MFT, and LPL to fit various camera rigs.

Specifications

• Focal length: 35mm
• Maximum aperture: T1.5
• Image circle: 46.7 mm
• Front diameter: 114 mm
• Filter thread: 112 mm
• Focus rotation: ~300°
• Number of blades: 9

Frequently asked questions

Does the Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema lens have a fast aperture?
Yes, it has a fast T1.5 maximum aperture that allows for working with a shallow depth of field.

What type of image rendition can I expect from this lens?
The lens offers vintage-inspired low-contrast rendering with a characteristic swirly background and strong spherical distortion.

Is the Tokina Vista-P 35mm T1.5 Cinema suitable for high-resolution recording?
Yes, it has a large image circle of 46.7 mm and supports high-resolution recording up to 8K.

How is the lens's mechanical construction?
It is built with a robust all-metal cine housing and has industry-standard 0.8 MOD focus and iris gear.