Cine Lens

What this is about

The extra cost of cine glass pays the 1st AC, not the image alone. Geared focus, iris and zoom rings accept a follow focus; a 270-degree throw makes marks repeatable take after take. Uniform front diameters and ring positions mean matte box and motors survive every swap unchanged. Minimal focus breathing keeps rack focuses invisible, and a declicked, smooth iris allows exposure shifts mid-shot. Rental houses stock them as matched sets, which is why lens choice belongs in prep rather than on the truck.

A term only helps when everyone on set means the same thing by it — so what follows is how it is used, not a dictionary definition.

What runs differently here

Where this differs from the general case:

• Cine lenses are marked in T-stops (measured light), stills lenses in f-stops (geometry) — the T number is the honest one.
• Focus breathing — the image slightly zooming while focus moves — is designed out of good cine glass.
• Uniform gear positions and front diameters are a crew feature: swaps keep matte box and motors in place.

With TillyGen

TillyGen's equipment list keeps lens set, matte box and filters as one package, so the rental order matches what the shot list demands.

Change one constraint and the consequences travel through the whole plan: affected shots are flagged, the call sheet is regenerated, and nobody keeps working from yesterday's version.