Search for lenses, articles and help
The famous Speed Panchro look lenses for Super35
Focal length range: 18mm – 152mm (12 lenses)
Format: S35
Mount: PL
Speed: T2.2
The growing demand for vintage Cooke Speed Panchro lenses from the 1920s to 1960s prompted us to introduce a modern re-design of these heritage lenses for Super35 cameras, true to the original classic look of the legendary Speed Panchro but with all the benefits of contemporary glass and technology.
The Panchro/i Classic S35 optical performance enables them to be used at full aperture with superior control of flare, distortion and spherical aberration.
Colour balanced, colour matched and compatible with Cooke S8/i FF and S7/i FF, as well as other modern Cooke lenses.
The same coveted Cooke Look aesthetic as the now legendary Cooke Speed Panchro. Cinematographers talk about Panchro/i Classic as having qualities which enable to convey more emotion in their work, particularly with faces.
Cooke’s /i Technology enables cameras to automatically record key lens data for every frame shot, allowing post-production teams to access it digitally. Featuring key information on lens setting, focusing distance, aperture and depth-of-field, hyperfocal distance, serial number and more, it streamlines production and post and saves time and cost to eliminate guesswork.
Modern and traditional grinding and polishing techniques are combined to achieve the highest level of precision. Edging and blackening are thoroughly performed to achieve accurate lens alignment and minimal flaring. Finally, lenses are meticulously assembled, exhaustively tested, checked and re-checked.
A selection of productions shot on Cooke Panchro/i Classic lenses.
Cinematography by Lina Margaitytė.
Test footage of the Panchro/i Classic 50mm & 75mm lenses showing characteristics commonly associated with Cooke re-housed Speed Panchros. DOP's Michael Lindsay & Brendan McGinty, AC's Dan Di Martino & Charlie Perera, Editor Paul Gardner.
A selection of productions shot on Cooke Panchro/i Classic lenses.
Cinematography by Lina Margaitytė.
Test footage of the Panchro/i Classic 50mm & 75mm lenses showing characteristics commonly associated with Cooke re-housed Speed Panchros. DOP's Michael Lindsay & Brendan McGinty, AC's Dan Di Martino & Charlie Perera, Editor Paul Gardner.
“When I am looking at lenses my first impression is always about how skin tone renders. Other things I look for include lens resolution, barrel distortion, flaring, fall-off and bokeh. It was the Panchro/i Classic lenses that gave me a look that was true to the intentions of the directors. I knew that the Panchro Classic was my lens.”
“The Cooke lenses have got a couple of features I love and make them my first choice. The first is the gentle yet pristine imagery. Also, their great tonal separation gives the images a cinematic look even without proper lighting; that alone is a big advantage for cinematographers. Lastly, the way it handles flares and how it makes them beautiful and pleasing to the eyes is one of the best features a flare-loving director or cinematographer can ever ask for.”
The Panchro/i Classic S35 comprises 12 Prime Lenses with focal lengths from 18mm to 152mm. Optically designed to provide the classic and renowned vintage Speed Panchro look of the 1920s combined with modern opto-mechanical design.
Ergonomically designed to have smooth and accurate travel – whilst utilising precision mechanics to provide a consistent feel in operation through the entire focus movement.
The Cooke /i Technology ecosystem provides critical lens metadata such as focus and iris position as well as individually calibrated lens distortion and shading maps. Suitable for the most modern VFX applications such as Virtual Production shooting.
All Panchro/i Classic series primes have standardised 0.8 MOD focus and iris drive gears. All lenses in the series also feature a fixed common front diameter of 110mm.
The Panchro/i Classic series of prime lenses feature a nine-leaf linear module iris assembly.
Every Cooke lens is coated with a scratch resistant PTFE hard anodised finish, which provides a durable, hard-wearing surface to meet the most demanding environmental conditions.
All Panchro/i Classic primes cover Super35 formats and provide full apertures of T2.2-T22 (65mm Macro T2.4-T22, 100mm T2.6-T22, 135mm T2.8-T22 and 152mm T3-T22).
All lenses have factory calibrated focus scales with clearly identifiable distance marks.
Compact and suitable for all shooting applications.
All Panchro/i Classic prime lenses are colour balanced and colour matched – ensuring consistency across the series.
Precision PL mount with /i Technology electrical contacts.
All Panchro/i Classic series prime lenses are designed for full performance and reliability with a minimum of downtime.
For over 100 years, Cooke has been at the centre of the filmmaking business, listening to the community of which we are a part. Starting with the Cooke triplet in 1893, we have become ingrained in the evolution of lenses and has been a key innovator in the history of motion pictures.
Cooke History
Developed over 100 years of optical innovation, the inimitable Cooke Look is recognised by cinematographers for its ability to convey the emotion of a visual story through light, colour and composition.
The Cooke Look
Follow our latest production stories, hear about new product launches and keep up to date on events.
News & Events
i/ Technology is an open protocol designed by Cooke to enhance the filmmaking process by making equipment digitally compatible, streamlining both production and post.
i/ Technology