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kowa CINEma LENSES
Kowa is a Nagoya-based Japanese optics brand known for organic character, expressive flares, and defining the 1970s Japanese New Wave cinema aesthetics. Cine Visuals carries Kowa Prominar Anamorphics, TLS Kowa Prominar Sphericals, and TLS Kowa R Lenses.
- Super 35 | AnamorphicThe Kowa Prominar Anamorphics feature Kowa’s original incredibly compact, lightweight designs for anamorphics with their beloved heightened vintage aesthetic and a traditional 2x squeeze for Super 35.
- Super 35 | SphericalThe TLS Kowa Prominar Sphericals feature Kowa’s beloved Japanese New Wave organic rendering in high-quality modern housings by TLS for Super 35.
- Full Frame LF/VV | SphericalThe Kowa Vintage R lenses are the original Kowa R still photography lenses rehoused by TLS into modern ergonomic housings. They offer full frame spherical coverage and form the original base for the Kowa Prominar Sphericals and by extension the Kowa Anamorphics, sharing the same aesthetic for full frame.
What are Kowa Cinema Lenses Known For?
Kowa is a long-established Japanese manufacturer known for their diverse optical and imaging technologies. Originally active in still photography, Kowa produced exceptional optics such as the Kowa R SLR series and the Kowa Six medium format lenses, both celebrated for their distinctive rendering and organic handling. As cinema demands evolved, Kowa adapted this optical expertise into motion picture applications, rehousing and refining their still lenses into cine-ready designs. These became the Kowa Cine Prominars which eventually developed into the Kowa Cine Prominar Anamorphics. Kowa’s cinema lenses have since earned a revered reputation for their organic character, expressive flares, and unique aesthetic. Though Kowa transitioned away from photography and cinema production by the early ‘80s, they are widely regarded as some of the defining optics of the ‘70s Japanese New Wave and have experienced a major resurgence in the Vintage Renaissance of today’s filmmaking. Cine Visuals proudly supports the Kowa legacy by maintaining a pair of original Kowa Cine Prominar Anamorphics in its collection. In addition, Cine Visuals offers TLS rehoused versions of the Kowa Cine Prominar Sphericals and Kowa R still photography lenses, preserving and extending the life of these iconic optics.