Old Fast Glass, a Los Angeles-based rental house, specializes in high-end digital cinema cameras, film cameras, cinema lenses, and camera accessories. At NAB 2024, Mark from OFG discussed their custom cinema camera, which is based on the FUJIFILM GFX100 II image sensor.

Collaboration with Ancient Optics

Recently, Old Fast Glass partnered with Ancient Optics, another LA-based company known for rehousing high-quality vintage lenses. This collaboration led to the creation of the STATERA Full-Frame+ Anamorphic Primes.

Features of STATERA Lenses

The name “STATERA” means “balance” in Latin, reflecting the lenses’ blend of classic and modern elements. Inspired by iconic anamorphic lenses from the 1970s and 80s, the set includes focal lengths of 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm (all with a T2.1 maximum aperture), and a 135mm lens with a T2.9 aperture. These lenses are available in PL mount for FF+ format.

The STATERA lenses are designed to render faces accurately with minimal distortion, avoiding extreme field curvature. This feature allows for consistent framing of subjects from the center to the edges of the image.

Optical Characteristics

The lenses produce a “cat eye” shaped bokeh that swirls towards the edges, creating a controlled Petzval effect. They have classic single-layer coatings that produce an organic flare with controlled saturation. Each lens includes a 15-blade circular iris and features matching focus and iris gear positions, with a 300° focus rotation.

Price and Availability

Ancient Optics is offering 20 sets of the STATERA lenses, priced at $165,000 for the six focal lengths (35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, 135mm).

The STATERA Full-Frame+ Anamorphic Primes represent a successful collaboration between Old Fast Glass and Ancient Optics, offering filmmakers a blend of vintage charm and modern performance.