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Cooke Varotal 18–100mm T3.0
Zoom - Spherical - Super 35
product details
Cine Visuals rents the Cooke Varotal 18-100mm T3.0 from Los Angeles. This Cooke Varotal Vintage Zoom covers an 18-100mm range and works as a broad-range option within the Varotal family. Available for rental or sub-rental worldwide, with daily and weekly rental quotes available on request. Each lens is inspected and calibrated in-house before rental.
| Focal Length | 18-100mm |
| T-Stop | T3.0 |
| Close Focus | 2'4" / 0.71 m |
| Front Diameter | 150 mm |
| Weight | 13.00 lbs / 5.90 kg |
| Length | 14.00" / 355.60 mm |
| Type | Spherical |
| Format | Super 35 |
| Lens Mount | PL |
| Iris Blades | - |
| Metadata | - |
| Era / Generation | |
| Contrast & Tonal Character | |
| Sharpness & Resolution | |
| Focus Fall-Off / Transition | |
| Iris & Bokeh Quality | |
| Flare & Highlight Behavior | |
| Handling & Ergonomics | |
| Build & Modifications | |
| Cinematic Heritage & Credits |
Lens Type:
Zoom Cinema Lenses
|
Vintage Cinema Lenses
|
Super 35 Lenses
|
PL Mount Cinema Lenses
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About the Cooke Varotal 18-100mm T3.0
The Cooke Varotal 18-100mm T3.0 is one of the most recognizable lenses in the Varotal Vintage Zoom series, known for covering a wide, normal, and short-telephoto range in a single zoom. Designed during a period when parfocal zooms were becoming more viable for cinematic storytelling, this lens delivers the classic Cooke look defined by gentle contrast, warm color rendering, and organic falloff. Its broad focal range allows it to function as a primary workhorse lens, capable of handling a wide variety of setups without constant lens changes. Cinematographers value it for its expressive character as much as its versatility, making it a staple in vintage lens rehousing and modern digital workflows alike.
What This Focal Length Is Built For
The 18-100mm range is built for comprehensive coverage across wide, normal, and mid-telephoto perspectives. At 18mm, the lens opens into wide-angle territory, making it useful for environmental storytelling, establishing shots, and confined interiors where space is limited. The perspective maintains a natural feel, avoiding excessive distortion while still emphasizing spatial depth. Moving through the midrange, the lens settles into familiar, human-eye perspectives suited for dialogue, blocking, and general coverage.
Around 35mm to 50mm, framing feels grounded and immersive, making the lens highly effective for narrative work. As it extends toward 75mm and beyond, the image begins to compress space and isolate subjects, offering flattering portraiture and tighter compositions. This progression allows cinematographers to shift from wide context to intimate detail within a single shot or setup. Productions that prioritize speed, flexibility, and visual continuity benefit from this range, especially in handheld, documentary-style, or fast-paced shooting environments.
How It Fits Within the Cooke Varotal Vintage Zoom Family
Within the Cooke Varotal Vintage Zoom family, the 18-100mm serves as the most balanced and widely applicable option. Its range overlaps significantly with both the 20-60mm and 20-100mm, while extending slightly wider and maintaining comparable reach. This makes it a natural centerpiece lens for productions seeking a single zoom solution.
Compared to the 25-250mm, the 18-100mm gives up long-range telephoto capability in favor of a more compact and versatile operating range. It bridges wide and portrait focal lengths, allowing it to cover the majority of standard shooting scenarios. As part of the broader Varotal Vintage set, it often acts as the foundation, with the other Varotal lenses stepping in for wider precision, extended reach, or more specialized coverage.
Technical Specs Table
T-Stop
Type
Format
Front Diameter
Lens Mount
Metadata
Close Focus (ft)
Close Focus (m)
Weight (lbs)
Weight (kg)
Length (in)
Length (mm)
Iris Blades
Image Circle
Front Filter
Rear Filter
Horizontal Angle of View (Full Frame)
Horizontal Angle of View (S35)
Focus Rotation
T3.0
Spherical
Super 35
150 mm
PL
–
2'4"
0.71 m
13.00 lbs
5.90 kg
14.00"
355.60 mm
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
T3.1
Spherical
Super 35
121 mm
PL
–
2'4"
0.71 m
6.20 lbs
2.81 kg
9.00"
228.60 mm
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
T3.1
Spherical
Super 35
150 mm
PL
–
2'4"
0.71 m
13.50 lbs
6.12 kg
14.00"
355.60 mm
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
T3.7
Spherical
Super 35
152 mm
PL
–
5'6"
1.68 m
18.00 lbs
8.16 kg
15.00"
381.00 mm
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
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