DZOFilm has been making strong waves in the cine lens market. With its affordable VESPID Primes and parfocal zooms for Super35 and Full Frame sensors, creatives have had their pick.
Now, DZOFilm is taking another step forward by upgrading its Full Frame zoom line with the DZOFilm Catta Ace 30-80mm & 70-135mm for PL and EF mount cameras.
Full Frame Zooms
The new DZOFilm Catta Ace 30-80mm & 70-135mm T2.9 lenses are based on the original Catta zooms for the Sony E-mount. According to Duclos Lenses, they share the same optics but have been redesigned with interchangeable lens mounts in mind.
Both lenses offer a robust focal range that should cover any project needs, and the 46.5mm image circle fits most Full Frame cameras on the market. This includes the Red V-Raptor and the ARRI Mini LF, to anything offered by Canon.
Beyond the focal length, these two sister lenses have a lot in common. Both share a front diameter of 80mm with a 77mm filter thread and a minimum close focus distance of 2’5” (29.1”). Each lens is also 8.3” in length and weighs just over 3.5 lbs. Although the 70-135mm is a tad heavier.
DZOFilm Catta Ace Lens SetCredit: Duclos Lenses
if you’re balancing these lenses on a gimbal, the difference in weight is negligible and should only require a minor adjustment, if any at all.
Best of all, both lenses are parfocal like their E-mount and Super35 cousins, allowing for the focus to remain accurate throughout the zoom range.
If purchased as a kit or individually, the Catta Ace zooms come with a PL mount attached, but they also ship with an EF mount if users want to switch.
Is that something you can do at home? Probably. Should you? Probably not.
Should You Buy Them?
They should definitely be on your shortlist. DZOFilm has released some solid products over the years, all with reasonable price tags. The updated Catta Ace zooms will run you $7,499 for the pair, and $3,899 if you just want to get one.
For those prices, you get the focal range of three to five prime lenses, all at a respectable T2.9. The only prime cine lenses in an equivalent price range would be from Meike or IRIX. Both companies make solid lenses, but you don't really have that many options to compete with the focal range DZOFilm brings to bear.
The DZOFilm Catta Ace Zooms are available for pre-order from B&H and Duclos Lenses, either individually or as a kit.
DZOFilm CATTA Ace FF 35-80 & 70-135mm T2.9 Zoom Lenses
- CATTA Ace Full Frame 35-80mm Zoom Lens
- CATTA Ace Full Frame 70-135mm Zoom Lens
- PL Mounts Installed, EF Mounts Included
- Front/Rear Caps, Shim Set
- Support Bases and Rods Included
- Safety Case Stores the Lenses
They’re not the smallest lenses or the fastest, but they add enough value to at least land on every cinematographer's shortlist. With the addition of the PL and EF mount, the DZOFilm Catta line has become a formidable force in the cine zoom market.
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