Laowa Arri PL 12-120mm T4 Ultima S35
The Laowa Arri PL 12-120mm T4 Ultima S35 is a professional cinematic zoom lens for Super 35 sensor cameras with an ARRI PL mount. The lens is developed for creators who want to cover a large part of their production with a single lens, from wide establishing shots to tight telephoto close-ups. With a 10x zoom range from 12 to 120 mm you always have that versatility within reach, without having to change lenses in the middle of a scene and thus miss a moment.
That wide range makes the lens suitable for a variety of genres. In a documentary you follow a subject calmly and undisturbed and switch along effortlessly when the situation changes; in fast reality television or ENG work you react directly to what happens without having to adjust your setup. This way you work with the same lens in production situations that would normally require several lenses.
The optical design consists of 28 elements in 20 groups and is built to fully exploit sensors up to 8K resolution. With it you already capture images that meet the highest resolution requirements, and you keep room for future productions and for cropping in post-production. The Super 35 image circle is covered across the entire zoom range, so you can count on sharpness at every focal length.
One of the most important strengths is the constant maximum aperture of T4 across the entire range. Your light-gathering power does not change when you zoom in or out, so your exposure stays the same and you do not have to compensate during a movement. This delivers a calm, predictable image progression, which counts especially when you have to be able to act quickly in changing conditions. The aperture with nine blades also provides a soft, natural-looking bokeh that contributes to a cinematic look.
The parfocal construction keeps your focus at exactly the same point while you zoom, so a shot is not interrupted to refocus. In addition, focus breathing is kept to a minimum: the angle of view barely changes when you shift the focus, so that your focus pulls look smooth and natural. Especially with moving subjects and dynamic scenes, this gives you the control you need on set.
The lens is fully tuned to professional workflows. The focus, iris and zoom ring are fitted with cine-standard gears (0.8 mod), so you connect follow focus units and lens control motors directly and integrate the lens into your existing control setup. The focus ring has a throw of 180° for precise, repeatable manual focusing, and the dual distance scale shows distances in both metres and feet. If you want to work in ENG style, you attach the separately available Movcam servo drive.
The lens is also practically laid out for use on set. Weighing 3.2 kg and with a length of 28.2 cm, it sits solidly in the hand and on a tripod. The 114 mm front diameter is a cinema standard, so matte boxes and filters fit without any hassle. This makes the Ultima S35 a versatile working lens for ENG recordings, documentaries, reality television and other demanding production work where you switch quickly between wide and telephoto.
