Initially crafted for the revolutionary Todd-AO widescreen format of the Fifties, the ASC Todd-AO lenses will now be accessible on consignment by way of a rotating choice of premier rental homes.

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) revealed that it has unveiled a uncommon cinematic treasure: the ASC Todd-AO lenses. The newly refurbished set of classic primes was rediscovered within the Society’s historic Hollywood clubhouse. Todd-AO lenses have been initially a part of a groundbreaking cinematic system developed within the early Fifties to revolutionize widescreen filmmaking. Created by producer Mike Todd in collaboration with the American Optical Firm, the Todd-AO system was designed to compete with Cinerama by providing a high-resolution, single-camera different that might ship immersive visuals with out the complexity of a number of synchronized projectors.

The lenses have now been reimagined for as we speak’s large-format workflows — bridging a long time of innovation and artistry in a single, meticulously engineered assortment.

“The restoration and refurbishing of those lenses, which was spearheaded by our personal Shelly Johnson, displays the ASC’s dedication to preserving the instruments that formed our visible language,” mentioned ASC President Mandy Walker. “By restoring the Todd-AO lenses, we’re doing greater than merely honoring cinematic historical past — we’re empowering filmmakers to discover new artistic frontiers with the soul of traditional optics.”

The ASC Todd-AO lenses, refurbished by the group and Zero Optik, are an engineered assortment of 9 prime lenses designed for large-format cinematography. Spanning focal lengths from 18mm to 135mm, every lens presents distinctive T-stop and shut focus traits, with standout specs just like the ultra-wide 18mm T5.3 (CF: 1’1″) and the versatile 60mm T2.1 (CF: 1’7″). Uniform focus and iris gear placement throughout the set ensures seamless lens swaps, whereas all however the 18mm share a 95mm entrance diameter (the 18mm includes a 114mm entrance).

ASC provides that the brand new, up to date housings are custom-built to help PV, PL, and LPL mounts, and are simply interchangeable to permit flexibility in any manufacturing workflow.

“At any time when I get my fingers on classic glass, I’m at all times sort of stunned,” famous Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS, who examined the brand new set. “These lenses revealed themselves to be fairly stunning and refined. They fell off in such a pure method, and I particularly appreciated how they rendered pores and skin tone. We labored to create a component of decision and sharpness with out ever feeling ‘sharp,’ and have been ready to attract out extra of a three-dimensional really feel.”

The ASC Todd-AO lenses will likely be accessible on consignment by way of a rotating choice of premier rental homes. The set is instantly accessible through rental from Keslow Digital camera.