Oscars 2022: The Lenses
Oscars 2022: The Lenses

Oscars 2022: The Lenses

2022-01-16
5 mins read

These are the lenses behind 29 films that are contending for the 94th Academy Awards (Oscars 2022), according to IndieWire’s cinematography survey. The major manufacturers are Panavision (as usual), ARRI (with their new Signature Primes), Cooke (S4/i), Leitz full-frame primes, and Angenieux zooms. 

Oscars 2022: Lens manufacturers chart. Credit: Y.M.Cinema Magazine
Oscars 2022: Lens manufacturers chart. Credit: Y.M.Cinema Magazine

The lenses that shot the films contending for Oscars 2022

As our tradition requires, we’re discussing again the tools that were used to make the most acclaimed films of 2022. In this article, you will find the cameras and lenses that shot the main contenders for Oscars 2022 (94th Academy Awards) according to IndieWire’s survey. The list contains the major contenders (a total of 29 films). It’s important to note that the list is not divided for Best Cinematography or Best Picture as usual. However, it’s always intriguing to explore the tools utilized by top artists. This article focuses on glass. Make sure to read the previous article which deals with the cameras (Oscars 2022: The Cameras). Explore the slides below (movie poster+cameras+lenses):

“Being the Ricardos”: Dir- - Aaron Sorkin, DP - Jeff Cronenweth. Cameras - Red Ranger 8k VV. Lenses - ARRI DNA Primes
“Being the Ricardos”: Dir- – Aaron Sorkin, DP – Jeff Cronenweth. Cameras – Red Ranger 8k VV. Lenses – ARRI DNA Primes
“The Worst Person in the World”: Dir - Joachim Trier, DP - Kasper Tuxen. Cameras - ARRICAM LT. Lenses - Cooke 5/i
“The Worst Person in the World”: Dir – Joachim Trier, DP – Kasper Tuxen. Cameras – ARRICAM LT. Lenses – Cooke 5/i
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”: Dir - Joel Coen, DP - Bruno Delbonnel. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA L. Lenses - Cooke S7/i
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”: Dir – Joel Coen, DP – Bruno Delbonnel. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA L. Lenses – Cooke S7/i
“Titane”. Dir - Julia Ducournau, DP - Ruben Impens. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses - ZEISS Supreme Prime
“Titane”. Dir – Julia Ducournau, DP – Ruben Impens. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – ZEISS Supreme Prime
“tick, tick… BOOM!”: Dir - Lin-Manuel Miranda, DP - Alice Brooks. Cameras - Panavision DXL 2. Lenses - Panavision Anamorphic G-Series
“tick, tick… BOOM!”: Dir – Lin-Manuel Miranda, DP – Alice Brooks. Cameras – Panavision DXL 2. Lenses – Panavision Anamorphic G-Series
“The Tender Bar”. Dir - George Clooney, DP - Martin Ruhe. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses - Angenieux Optimo Compact Zooms, Cooke S4/i
“The Tender Bar”. Dir – George Clooney, DP – Martin Ruhe. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses – Angenieux Optimo Compact Zooms, Cooke S4/i
“The Souvenir Part II”: Dir: Joanna Hogg, DP - David Raedeker. Cameras - ARRI 416, Sony VENICE. Lenses: ZEISS Super Speed, Canon Zooms
“The Souvenir Part II”: Dir: Joanna Hogg, DP – David Raedeker. Cameras – ARRI 416, Sony VENICE. Lenses: ZEISS Super Speed, Canon Zooms
“Spencer”: Dir - Pablo Larraín, DP - Claire Mathon. Cameras: ARRI 416; ARRICAM LT. Lenses - Leitz Summilux, ARRI Ultra Prime
“Spencer”: Dir – Pablo Larraín, DP – Claire Mathon. Cameras: ARRI 416; ARRICAM LT. Lenses – Leitz Summilux, ARRI Ultra Prime
“Respect”. Dir - Liesl Tommy, DP - Kramer Morgenthau. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses - Panavision T-Series
“Respect”. Dir – Liesl Tommy, DP – Kramer Morgenthau. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Panavision T-Series
“Red Rocket”. Dir - Sean Baker, DP- Drew Daniels. Cameras - ARRI SR-3. Lens: Panavision Auto Panatar 1.44x Anamorphic, ZEISS Super Speeds
“Red Rocket”. Dir – Sean Baker, DP- Drew Daniels. Cameras – ARRI SR-3. Lens: Panavision Auto Panatar 1.44x Anamorphic, ZEISS Super Speeds
“The Power of the Dog”: Dir - Jane Campion, DP - Ari Wegner. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA LF. Lenses - Panavision Ultra Panatar 1.3x Anamorphic
“The Power of the Dog”: Dir – Jane Campion, DP – Ari Wegner. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF. Lenses – Panavision Ultra Panatar 1.3x Anamorphic
“Pig”: Dir - Michael Sarnoski, DP - Pat Scola. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Panavision B-Series
“Pig”: Dir – Michael Sarnoski, DP – Pat Scola. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Panavision B-Series
“Passing”: Dir - Rebecca Hall, DP - Edu Grau. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Lomo Anamorphic Round Front
“Passing”: Dir – Rebecca Hall, DP – Edu Grau. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses: Lomo Anamorphic Round Front
“No Time to Die”: Dir- Cary Joji Fukunaga, DP - Linus Sandgren. Cameras - Panavision XL2, IMAX MSM, Panavision System 65, ARRIFLEX 765. ARRIFLEX 435 and 235. Lenses - Panavision G-Series Anamorphic, IMAX Hasselblad
“No Time to Die”: Dir- Cary Joji Fukunaga, DP – Linus Sandgren. Cameras – Panavision XL2, IMAX MSM, Panavision System 65, ARRIFLEX 765. ARRIFLEX 435 and 235. Lenses – Panavision G-Series Anamorphic, IMAX Hasselblad
“Nightmare Alley”: Dir - Guillermo del Toro, DP - Dan Laustsen. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA 65, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses - Signature Prime
“Nightmare Alley”: Dir – Guillermo del Toro, DP – Dan Laustsen. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA 65, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Signature Prime
“The Matrix Resurrections”: Dir - Lana Wachowsky, DP - Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll. Cameras - Red Ranger Helium, RED Komodo. Lenses - Panavision Panaspeed
“The Matrix Resurrections”: Dir – Lana Wachowsky, DP – Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll. Cameras – Red Ranger Helium, RED Komodo. Lenses – Panavision Panaspeed
“The Lost Daughter”: Dir - Maggie Gyllenhaal, DP - Hélène Louvart. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses - Cooke S4/i
“The Lost Daughter”: Dir – Maggie Gyllenhaal, DP – Hélène Louvart. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses – Cooke S4/i
“Licorice Pizza”: Dir - Paul Thomas Anderson, DP - Paul Thomas Anderson and Michael Bauman. Cameras - Panavision Millenium XL2. Lenses: - Panavision C Series
“Licorice Pizza”: Dir – Paul Thomas Anderson, DP – Paul Thomas Anderson and Michael Bauman. Cameras – Panavision Millenium XL2. Lenses: – Panavision C Series
“The Harder They Fall”: Dir - Jeymes Samuel, DP - Mihai Mălaimare Jr. Cameras - Panavision DXL2 and RED Monstro. Lenses - Panavision T Series, Panavision Panaspeed
“The Harder They Fall”: Dir – Jeymes Samuel, DP – Mihai Mălaimare Jr. Cameras – Panavision DXL2 and RED Monstro. Lenses – Panavision T Series, Panavision Panaspeed
“The Hand of God”: Dir - Paolo Sorrentino, DP - Daria D’Antonio. Cameras - RED DSMC2 Monstro. Lenses - ARRI Signature Prime
“The Hand of God”: Dir – Paolo Sorrentino, DP – Daria D’Antonio. Cameras – RED DSMC2 Monstro. Lenses – ARRI Signature Prime
“The Green Knight”: Dir - David Lowrey, DP - Andrew Droz Palermo. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA 65. Lenses: ARRI DNA
“The Green Knight”: Dir – David Lowrey, DP – Andrew Droz Palermo. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA 65. Lenses: ARRI DNA
“The French Dispatch”: Dir - Wes Anderson, DP - Robert Yeoman. Cameras: ARRICAM ST; ARRICAM LT. Lenses - Cooke S4/i, ARRI Master Anamorphic
“The French Dispatch”: Dir – Wes Anderson, DP – Robert Yeoman. Cameras: ARRICAM ST; ARRICAM LT. Lenses – Cooke S4/i, ARRI Master Anamorphic
“Dune”: Dir - Denis Villeneuve, DP - Greig Fraser. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA LF. Lenses - Panavision Ultra Vista Anamorphics, Panavision H Series Spherical
“Dune”: Dir – Denis Villeneuve, DP – Greig Fraser. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF. Lenses – Panavision Ultra Vista Anamorphics, Panavision H Series Spherical
“Drive My Car”: Dir - Ryusuke Hamaguchi, DP - Hidetoshi Shinomiya. Cameras: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses - ARRI Ultra Prime, Angenieux HR Zoom
“Drive My Car”: Dir – Ryusuke Hamaguchi, DP – Hidetoshi Shinomiya. Cameras: ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses – ARRI Ultra Prime, Angenieux HR Zoom
“Cyrano”: Dir - Joe Wright, DP - Seamus McGarvey. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses - Leitz Primes; Leitz 25-75mm Zoom; Angenieux Optimo Zoom 24-435mm
“Cyrano”: Dir – Joe Wright, DP – Seamus McGarvey. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Leitz Primes; Leitz 25-75mm Zoom; Angenieux Optimo Zoom 24-435mm
“C’mon C’mon”: Dir - Mike Mills, DP - Robbie Ryan. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses - Panavision Primos
“C’mon C’mon”: Dir – Mike Mills, DP – Robbie Ryan. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses – Panavision Primos
“CODA”: Dir - Sian Heder, DP - Paula Huidobro. Cameras - Sony VENICE. Lenses - ARRI Signature Primes
“CODA”: Dir – Sian Heder, DP – Paula Huidobro. Cameras – Sony VENICE. Lenses – ARRI Signature Primes
“Bergman Island”: Dir - Mia Hansen-Løve, DP - Denis Lenoir. Cameras -: ARRICAM Lite. Lenses - Leitz Summilux Prime; Fujinon Premier Zoom
“Bergman Island”: Dir – Mia Hansen-Løve, DP – Denis Lenoir. Cameras -: ARRICAM Lite. Lenses – Leitz Summilux Prime; Fujinon Premier Zoom
“Belfast”: Dir - Kenneth Branagh, DP - Haris Zambarloukos. Cameras - ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses - Panavision 65mm, System 65 and Sphero lenses
“Belfast”: Dir – Kenneth Branagh, DP – Haris Zambarloukos. Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Panavision 65mm, System 65, and Sphero lenses

Oscars 2022: Lenses Chart

Explore the simplified lenses chart based on the data above. Credit: Y.M.Cinema Magazine. 

Oscars 2022- Lenses Chart. Credit: Y.M.Cinema Magazine
Oscars 2022- Lenses Chart. Credit: Y.M.Cinema Magazine

Discussion

It appears again and again that DPs prefer to work with Panavision glass. No matter what the camera is, when it’s paired with a Panavision lens, it seems like the winning combo. Panavision offers a super-wide mixture of classic lenses that were designed to capture a tremendous range of looks that moviegoers seek. As for ARRI, this chart demonstrates the rise of the Signature Primes. This new glass by ARRI was first used in 1917 by Roger Deakins. The clean image, flare-free, and softness are the main characteristics of the Signature Primes. The major cameras paired with the Signature are VENICE, Monstro, and ALEXA LF as this glass is made for large sensors. Next, the Cooke Look is located at a promising place, as usual. This time, cinematographers chose to shoot with the Cooke S4/i which is known as one of the best lenses for Super 35 mm. For instance, the Cooke S4/i was paired with the ARRICAM LT and mainly with the very popular ALEXA Mini (one of the dominant cameras in that list). For larger sensors, the Cooke S7s/i was picked. In fourth place, we have the Leitz glass with its full-frame primes. And of course, Angenieux grants filmmakers one of the best zoom options in the market.

What are your thoughts on the glass chosen to shoot these Oscars contenders? Is there a lens that you’re hoping to explore in that list?

Yossy is a filmmaker who specializes mainly in action sports cinematography. Yossy also lectures about the art of independent filmmaking in leading educational institutes, academic programs, and festivals, and his independent films have garnered international awards and recognition.
Yossy is the founder of Y.M.Cinema Magazine.

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Oscars 2022: The Cameras
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