The Primo Artiste lenses, available by the end of 2017, are a full series of T/1.8 Prime lenses, making them the fastest optics available for large format cinematography. The Artiste Series is an evolutionary step in large format optics design, becoming the second series of Panavision lenses to include a fully internalized motor and complete metadata compatibility. The essence of the Artiste concept is an innovative design that takes advantage of the aesthetic flexibility available within large format digital imagers, and the resulting look evokes a quality reminiscent of vintage optics. The series incorporates modern features such as focus breathing control, even field illumination and optimized close focus performance. “The primary goal of the Primo Artiste line is to balance the intricacies of aberration control and the art of lens design to create a lens that produces images that resonate with our instinct to relate to painterly images that are identified by smooth transitions between surrounding objects,” says Panavision VP Optical Engineer and Lens Strategy Dan Sasaki. An added feature of the Primo Artiste series is a true anamorphic glass attachment that retains the spherical nature of the base lens yet induces many of the artifacts associated with anamorphic photography such as directional flares and distorted bokeh. The Artiste lenses will initially come in eleven focal lengths (27mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 100mm, 125mm, 150mm, 200mm, and 250mm) with expanded focal lengths available in 2018.
