Angénieux Optimo Extenders

Angénieux Optimo 12x 24-90mm Zoom

Zoom - Spherical - Super 35

product details

The Angénieux Optimo 24–290mm T2.8 (12x) S35 Zoom is one of the most widely used cinema zooms in high-end production, known for its combination of range, speed, and classic Angénieux rendering. Covering Super 35 with a constant T2.8 aperture through the entire 24–290mm range, it delivers smooth contrast, gentle highlight roll-off, and a cinematic, organic texture that has made it a long-standing industry standard for narrative and commercial work. The lens is parfocal, exhibits minimal breathing, and maintains consistent sharpness and color throughout the zoom, making it ideal when a single lens must cover a wide range of setups without optical compromise. Distinct from the newer Optimo Ultra 12x series, this original 24–290mm is prized for its proven look and dependable mechanics on set. Available to rent or sub-rent from Cine Visuals.

Set Includes	24-290mm (1 Zoom)
Type	-
Format	-
Lens Mount	-
Iris Blades	-
Metadata	-
Per Focal Length
Focal Length	-
T-Stop	-
Close Focus	-
Front Diameter	-
Weight	-
Length	-

Era / Generation
Contrast & Tonal Character
Sharpness & Resolution
Focus Fall-Off / Transition
Iris & Bokeh Quality
Flare & Highlight Behavior
Handling & Ergonomics
Build & Modifications
Cinematic Heritage & Credits

*Refer to the Technical Specifications table

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Angénieux Optimo Extenders

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Image Fidelity & Focus

With the Optimo 12x, Angénieux engineers pursued the clear goal that the lens should behave like a set of primes. In practical terms, this means the optical character remains consistent from 24mm all the way to 290mm. The image does not suddenly become softer, flatter, or less contrasty at the extremes of the zoom. Instead, the lens delivers stable resolution and tonal balance throughout its focal range. Wide open at T2.8, the Optimo 12x produces an image that cinematographers often describe as organic and dimensional. Resolution is strong without feeling overly clinical. Details are crisp but not harsh, allowing textures and skin tones to appear natural rather than exaggerated. The Optimo 12x resolves the image cleanly while maintaining a subtle softness that feels cinematic rather than hyper-technical. Color rendition carries the slightly warm signature often associated with Angénieux optics. Skin tones are rendered with pleasing density, highlights roll off smoothly, and shadows retain depth without becoming muddy.

Handling & Adaptability

The Optimo 12x is not a small lens. With a length of 17.3 in and a weight of 24.2 lbs. Yet despite its imposing size, the lens demonstrates the ergonomic refinement that has long defined Angénieux mechanical design. The housing is constructed from high-strength alloys designed to withstand the physical demands of film production. Professional lenses must endure constant transport, frequent lens changes, and exposure to dust, temperature shifts, and physical handling. The Optimo 12x addresses these challenges with robust engineering throughout the barrel. The lens also incorporates passive athermalization – an engineering approach that maintains optical alignment across a wide range of temperatures. Whether operating in freezing mountain environments or under intense desert heat, the focus calibration remains reliable.

Flare & Bokeh

A lens’s personality often reveals itself most clearly in how it handles light. The Optimo 12x employs advanced multi-layer anti-reflection coatings designed to minimize internal reflections and maintain contrast, reducing veiling flare. The Optimo 12x produces subtle, cinematic flare artifacts rather than harsh streaks or distracting ghosting. Highlights may bloom gently, creating a soft atmospheric glow while preserving detail in the surrounding image.. Bokeh appear as smooth, softly defined orbs rather than harsh geometric shapes. The overall rendering can be described as creamy and cohesive. Background textures dissolve smoothly without appearing chaotic or overly busy. Instead, they create a soft visual canvas that allows the subject to stand out naturally with smooth painterly bokeh as background.

Image Circle

One of the defining characteristics of the Optimo 12x is its coverage of the S35 format, a standard that has shaped modern cinematography for decades. The lens projects a 30mm image circle, which covers Academy 35mm film plane. With Angénieux extenders attached, the image circle expands slightly to 31.4mm which covers S35mm which requires a 31.1mm diagonal image circle for coverage. When digital cinema cameras emerged, manufacturers adopted sensor sizes closely based on this film standard.

Cinematic Heritage

By the late 1990s, the industry was ready for a new generation of cine zooms. Film stocks were improving and digital cinematography was emerging. One lens would quickly become a modern classic - the Optimo 12x 24–290mm T2.8. When it was introduced in the early 2000s, the Optimo 12x represented a remarkable engineering achievement. A 12x zoom ratio combined with a constant T2.8 aperture with prime-like quality across the entire focal range was virtually unprecedented for a cinema lens covering S35. From feature films to high-end television, the Optimo 12x earned a reputation as a “variable prime” - a zoom that could move from a wide establishing shot to a tightly compressed telephoto portrait without sacrificing color fidelity, contrast, or sharpness. Over the past two decades, the lens has become one of the most recognizable tools in professional cinematography.