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Varotal/i FF

Uncompromised zoom lenses with The Cooke Look™

Focal length range: 19-40mm, 30-95mm, 85-215mm

Format: Full Frame

Mount: PL

Speed: T2.9

VAROTAL_01_HERO_4x3_1700x1276

State of the Art

The original Cooke Varotal (1971) was the first zoom lens designed for professional motion picture photography. The Varotal/i FF series is a completely new design which offers outstanding optical performance with an almost total absence of breathing, chromatic aberration and distortion.

The Cooke Look™ System

Varotal/i FF
19-40mm
Varotal/i FF
30-95mm
Varotal/i FF
85-215mm

The Varotal/i FF series offers focal length coverage from 19mm to 215mm, giving cinematographers huge flexibility from three lenses. Matched to S7/i FF and S8/i FF at T2.8, Varotal can augment Cooke primes as part of a lens system, achieving the beautiful, classical skin tones that characterise our now legendary look.

FEATURES

Zoomable Prime

Varotal/i FF removes the compromise that has been associated with zoom lenses. For observational documentary, live broadcast, efficiency or just style, they offer imaging performance commensurate with prime lenses. Varotal/i extends the photographic possibilities that Cooke offers cinematographers.

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Detail and Consistency

Varotal/i offers striking levels of detail for 8k resolution and beyond. All three lenses feature a constant T2.9 aperture speed at all focal lengths, ensuring consistent results and creative control.

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Durability

A scratch resistant PTFE hard anodised finish is provided on all Cooke lenses, ensuring a durable, hard-wearing surface to meet the most demanding environmental conditions.

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/i Technology

Designed from the ground up to incorporate Cooke intelligent /i technology, which includes /i data focus, iris and zoom position, /i motion inertial data and /i maps, our factory calibrated shading and distortion data. They also benefit from a high degree of modularity, which increases reliability and reduces servicing time.

smarter@2x

Varotal/i FF Demo Film

S8/i FF and Varotal/i FF comparison video

Cinematography by Kees van Oostrum

Shot on S8/i FF, Varotal/i FF & SP3

The Wingman

Cinematography by James Friend, BSC, ASC.

Varotal/i FF Demo Film

The Catcher in the Town

Directed by Qinuo Wang, cinematography by Enson Ying.

Varotal/i FF Demo Film

Man of the Soil

Directed by Dino Kazamia, cinematography by Dylan Bruce.

Demo Films

2

Varotal/i FF Demo Film : S8/i FF and Varotal/i FF comparison video

Cinematography by Kees van Oostrum

Header image

Shot on S8/i FF, Varotal/i FF & SP3 : The Wingman

Cinematography by James Friend, BSC, ASC.

vlcsnap-2022-11-23-15h26m51s773

Varotal/i FF Demo Film : The Catcher in the Town

Directed by Qinuo Wang, cinematography by Enson Ying.

vlcsnap-2022-11-23-12h15m25s541

Varotal/i FF Demo Film : Man of the Soil

Directed by Dino Kazamia, cinematography by Dylan Bruce.


Varotal/i Quotes

“Given the tight timeframes and ever-changing environments, the Varotal/i FF allowed me, as the DOP, to exercise creative freedom by selecting interesting focal lengths on the fly. These choices might have been challenging with fixed lenses due to the fast pace of the shoot.”

Jack Smith | Director of Photography
Varotal/i Quotes

“When we started planning, I didn’t know about the Varotal, and the other full frame zooms just weren’t doing it for me. I’ve used Cooke’s before – the Speed Panchro/i’s, S4s, and miniS4s – as well as many other lenses from other companies, but those zooms from those other companies… what I needed was just not there. I wanted something that both worked creatively, and was still relatively lightweight and mobile.”

Sarah Whelden | Director of Photography

Specification

State of the art zoom lens range with the highest resolution allied to the Cooke Look. Matched to S7/i FF and S8/i FF at T2.8.

Every focus mark is individually calibrated and engraved on both sides of the focus barrel for ease of use.

The lenses are designed for all shooting applications, including handheld and Steadicam, providing a comfortable balance ratio with the latest digital cinema cameras.

All Varotal/i lenses are colour balanced across the range and are matched in resolution, colour and fall off to the S7/i FF and S8/i FF (at T2.8) cinema prime lens ranges.

Varotal/i FF lenses are available in PL mount only.

Robust, reliable, serviceable mechanics, with smooth motion. Cooke Varotal/i FF lenses are designed to meet a market requirement for fully reliable performance with a minimum of downtime.

Cooke Varotal/i lenses have a T2.9 constant aperture covering Full Frame sensors.

Accessible via cable connector near the lens mount and contacts in mount that sync with /i compatible cameras and accessories.

Cooke Varotal/i FF Lenses have a common fixed diameter of 114mm, with industry standard focus, iris, and zoom Gear pitch of M0.8.

9 bladed Iris to match S7/i FF and S8/i FF.

Every Cooke lens is coated with a scratch resistant PTFE hard anodised finish, which provides a durable, hard-wearing surface to meet the most demanding environmental conditions.

Metric Imperial
 
19-40mm
30-95mm
85-215mm
Aperture
T2.9-T22
T2.9-T22
T2.9-T22
Iris rotation
48°
48°
48°
Close focus1
600 mm
800 mm
1500 mm
Focus rotation
280°
280°
280°
Zoom rotation
103°
112°
100°
Length2
228 mm
255 mm
255 mm
Front diameter
114 mm
114 mm
114 mm
Weight3
3.5 kg
4 kg
4 kg
Filter thread
M112.5 x 0.75
M112.5 x 0.75
M112.5 x 0.75
Aperture
T2.9-T22
T2.9-T22
T2.9-T22
Iris rotation
48°
48°
48°
Close focus1
2 ft
2 ft 8 in
5 ft
Focus rotation
280°
280°
280°
Zoom rotation
103°
112°
100°
Length2
6.4 in
6.2 in
6.2 in
Front diameter
4.5 in
4.5 in
4.5 in
Weight3
7.7 lbs
8.8 lbs
8.8 lbs
Filter thread
M112.5 x 0.75
M112.5 x 0.75
M112.5 x 0.75
1Minimum marked object distance (measured from sensor plane). 2From the front of the lens to the lens mount. 3Total weight of the lens including base PL mount.
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Varotal/i FF News and Stories

PBS Food’s Original Fare Gets a New Look with the Cooke Varotal/i FF Zoom Lens
READ THE ARTICLE
Cooke Optics Completes Varotal/i FF Zoom Range with New 19-40mm Lens
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Explore Cooke

Cooke History

For over 100 years, Cooke has been at the centre of the filmmaking business, listening to the community of which we are a part. Starting with the Cooke triplet in 1893, we have become ingrained in the evolution of lenses and has been a key innovator in the history of motion pictures.

Cooke History
The Cooke Look™

Developed over 100 years of optical innovation, the inimitable Cooke Look is recognised by cinematographers for its ability to convey the emotion of a visual story through light, colour and composition.

The Cooke Look
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/i Technology

/i Technology is an open protocol designed by Cooke to enhance the filmmaking process by making equipment digitally compatible, streamlining both production and post.

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