Cooke Optics has introduced the 19-40mm wide zoom in its Varotal/i FF range, which joins the 30-95mm medium and 85-215mm long zooms that were launched at the end of 2021. The 19-40mm zoom completes the Varotal/i FF series, enabling Cooke to offer broad focal length coverage for the majority of production needs, especially when shooting 8K.

Coole Varotal/i FF T2.9

The Varotal lenses are spherical zooms that were designed to meet cinematographers’ high demands for capturing precise 8K footage. All Varotals offer FF T2.9 and are equipped with the Cooke/i technology. As stated by Cooke, the lenses are characterized by “Superb resolution, constant optical speed, and minimal breathing throughout the range”. Furthermore, all Varotal/i FF zooms deliver the acclaimed Cooke Look, offering natural, flattering skin tone and character, and match the Cooke S8/i FF (at T2.8) and S7/i FF prime lenses, enabling cinematographers to preserve their creative intent when switching between primes and zooms. The first two zooms (30-95mm, and 85-215mm) were launched a year ago, together with the Panchro/i Classics. BTW, it appears that the Cooke Varotal was used in the film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”.

Varotal main features

These are the main features of the varotal spherical zoom lenses, as defined by Cooke:

• Optical Design: State-of-the-art zoom lens range with the highest resolution allied to the Cooke Look. Matched to S7/i and S8/i.
• Aperture: Cooke Varotal/i lenses have a T2.9 full aperture covering Full Frame sensors.
• Focus Scaling: Every focus mark is individually calibrated and engraved on both sides of the focus barrel for ease of use.
• /i Technology: Accessible via cable connector near the lens mount and contacts in mount that sync with /i compatible cameras and accessories.
• Weight/Size ratio: The lenses are designed for all shooting applications, including handheld and Steadicam, providing a comfortable balance ratio with the latest digital cinema cameras.
• Colour Balance: All Varotal Lenses are color balanced across the range and are matched in resolution, and color and fall off to the S7/i and S8/i Cinema Prime lens ranges.
• Iris: 9-bladed Iris to match S7/i and S8/i.
• Camera Mounts: Cooke offers a choice of PL and LPL camera mount options, designed specifically for use with our new lenses.
• External Finish: Every Cooke lens is coated with a scratch-resistant PTFE hard anodized finish, which provides a durable, hard-wearing surface to meet the most demanding environmental conditions.

Specified features

And here’re more specified features regarding the Varotals:

• Zoomable Prime: Varotal/i removes the compromise that has been associated with zoom lenses. For observational documentaries, live broadcasts, efficiency, or just style, they offer imaging performance commensurate with prime lenses. Varotal extends the photographic possibilities that Cooke offers cinematographers.
• Detail and consistency: Varotal offers striking levels of detail for 8k resolution and beyond. All three lenses feature a constant T2.9 aperture speed at all focal lengths ensuring consistent results and creative control.
• Durability: A scratch-resistant PTFE hard anodized finish is provided on all Cooke lenses, providing a durable, hard-wearing surface to meet the most demanding environmental conditions.
• ‘Smarter’: Designed from the ground up to incorporate Cooke intelligent /i technology, which includes /i data focus and iris position, /i motion inertial data, and /i maps factory calibrated shading and distortion data. They also benefit from a high degree of modularity, which increases reliability and reduces servicing time.

Explore the sample footage below (not including the new 19-40mm, however, there’s a shot with the 19mm there, so don’t blink):

The new wide zoom: 19-40mm

The newly launched wide zoom, 19-40mm, expands the focal lengths of the Varotal/i FF series from 19mm to 215mm. The new 19-40mm lens is the widest of the three Varotal/i FFs, and slightly lighter at 3.5kg (7.7lbs), with 30-95mm and 85-215mm lenses both weighing 4kg (8.8lbs). As the widest zoom with a suitable close focus of 320mm, this is an ideal lens for Steadicam work, allowing the camera operator to obtain fluid-moving shots while getting close to the subject. Tim Pugh, the CEO, of Cooke Optics, said, “We are immensely proud to complete the Varotal/i FF range with the new wide zoom. This cutting-edge series gives even more flexibility to creatives in choosing how to tell their stories, offering the Cooke Look in a zoom range to match our celebrated primes.”

Explore the specification slide below:

Price and availability

As for the price — the other Varotals cost around $54,000 each, so it might be the price of the 19-40mm as well—expect around $55,000 USD. The full Varotal/i FF series is now available to order and will be available to test at EnergaCAMERIMAGE which takes place from 12-19 November in Torun, Poland. For individual booking requests to test the new lens please email Carey Duffy, Cooke’s Director of Product Experiences, at marketing@cookeoptics.com.