DZOFLIM announces the full-frame Catta Cinema Zooms. They are available in 35-80mm and 70-135mm. Both are T2.9. Since most full-frame zooms at T2.9 are big and, heavy DZOFILM decided to use different materials to keep the weight down.
The 35mm-80mm T/2.9 weighs 1.53kg, and the 70mm-135mm T/2.9 is less than 1.6kg. They choose to use polycarbonate and fiberglass on the shell with strict tolerance.
DZOFILM states the zooms are highly portable and an excellent choice for Live shows, indie filmmaking, vehicle scenes, documentaries. With lower weight, they should work well on gimbals such as the Ronin s2 and Crane 3s.
Both zooms have 16 blade diaphragm and an aperture range of T2.9 – T2. DZOFILMM states the Catta produces round and smooth bokeh with natural transitions of the image. They have a close focus distance of 0.74m/2’5″ on the 35-80mm and 0.76m/2’6″ on the 10-135mm and minimal to no breathing.
The manual focus range is 270° and has a smooth operating experience. The mechanical and optical construction of these two lenses is identical. A combination of wide-angle and telephoto with zero difference allows the user to change lenses quickly without changing the position of the follow focus and matte box when used.
The lenses have a 77mm front filter design and a rear filter slot, allowing users to add and change filters quickly, such as ND/ UV/ Streak/ Mist filters.
Both lenses are shipping with the E mount. Additional mounts will be available to purchase for RF / L / Z / X mount. A nice touch is the mounts are quick-release and don’t require a screwdriver to swap them out.
The lenses are available for pre-order now and will start shipping in mid-December. Each Catta lens is $3099 USD, with a $299 USD discount if purchasing a bundle for $5899 USD. If you need mounts other than the E-mount, they will cost $59 USD each or $99 USD to get two if buying in a bundle.
DZOFILM will have a black metal body version with PL/EF mounts in 2022. They state the lens won’t be compatible with the white mirrorless versions.
Erik is an 18 time Emmy award-winning DP, with over 20 years experience in photojournalism, working in newsrooms all over the USA. The last decade has seen Erik migrate into broadcast television and filmmaking, where he has discovered a passion for visual storytelling and production. Additionally, Erik is an outstanding educator, teaching filmmaking via courses on Linkedin Learning and Lynda.com.
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