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Carl Zeiss Super Speed (High Speed) Prime Lenses for Super 16

Mk I (original version, bayonet mount)

The super speed lenses introduced the largest aperture available for cinematography, f1.2, a full half-stop larger opening than f1.4. All of these lenses have the Zeiss T* multicoating. The  first generation Superspeed lenses were fitted with ARRI Bayonet lens mounts.

The 16mm set comprised of 9.5, 12, 16 and 25mm, f1.2, all with a photometric aperture of T1.3. These were the first 16mm prime lenses designed to cover Super 16mm format. The 9.5mm focal length covers the full S16 aperture, but is somewhat compromised in sharpness and illumination past the corners of N16. For this reason ARRI did not include the 9.5mm on their list of S16 compatible lenses.

The mechanical design of the Mk. I S16 Superspeeds was similar to the 35mm Superspeeds, but smaller. The lens mount is the original Bayonet design that uses a pin on the back of the lens for location and a lock ring to hold the mount in place. They were fitted with 6-blade hexagonal iris. Front housing diameters were 70mm for the 9.5 and 12 and 62mm for the 16 and 25mm. The length of the 9.5 and 12mm are longer than the 16 and 25mm. The focus scale rings are small in diameter and very thin. Focus gears were not fitted. Instead, focus “ears” of chrome plated steel were fitted to the focus scale ring. This was meant to allow the rubber parts inside the 16BL prime lens blimp to move the focus ring. The very compressed focus scales gives very few focus marks for the camera assistant and the thinnes of the scale ring complicates the addition of follow focus gears. Add-on gears cannot compress the scale ring because it will rub on the lens housing and greatly increase the effort needed to move the focus, or in some cases, it will bind up altogether.

All of these lenses cover the Super 16 format. ARRI does not list the 9.5mm as covering Super 16 because it is not as sharp in the corners of the S16 frame as it is in the corners of the regular 16mm aperture. Also there is some vignetting when the 9.5 i stopped down past T8.

The Mk. II version S16 Superspeeds were introduced in 1985 and have multiple advantages over the Mk I set.

The external dimensions of all the focal lengths of the lens set are the same. This allows very fast lens changes on set. All the lenses have 80mm front diameter and integrated focus gear, all the same diameter (76mm). All the lenses are the same physical length. Lens changes can be made in about 15 seconds.

The larger diameter focus scale allows for more focus marks and more space between the marks. A major problem with the Mk. I S16 set is the very limited focus marks on the scale ring, combined with the minimal depth of field at T1.3. This meant that eye focus was the only way to go with the Mk. I lenses. The camera assistant has nothing else to work with.

The Mk. II focus scales are calibrated in feet and meters. The scale rotates 170º and each side of the lens has one calibration, ether feet or meters. The marks are oriented along the optical axis of the lens. When the camera assistant needs to switch sides on the camera, he can “flip” the lens by loosening the PL mount and rotating into another of the four available positions. In this way either the feet or meter scale can be used on either side of the camera.

The much larger diameter of the focus helix thread and the larger linear guides reduce play in the focus mechanism and give a much smoother and more consistent focus feel. The guides are also adjustable on the Mk. II.

The larger lens housing has a much more stable lens mount, held by 8 screws instead of a 1.5mm pin and a lock ring. The mounts can be easily changed from Bayonet to PL by replacing the lens mount.

The aperture closes down to T16 rather than T11 of the Mk. I lenses.

Mk. III (final version)

The Mk. III version have a gear on the iris ring and a different focus helix thread that allows rotation of nearly a full turn. Mk. III focus scales are slightly larger in diameter than Mk II and are marked in feet or meter exclusively. The focus gear is 80.8mm diameter. The focus marks are larger and have witness lines engraved underneath to show exactly where each distance is calibrated. The marks are oriented at 90º to the lens mount instead of on the axis of the lens. There is one scale for each side of the lens, so the assistant does not have to “flip” the lens over to have a focus scale available when switching sides on the camera.

Although there is more room on the Mk III scale ring due to the longer rotation, the larger size of the marks means that there are less marks near infinity.

Other than the gear on the iris and the new focus scale ring, and a different helix thread pitch, the Mk. III are identical optically and mechanically to the Mk. II.