French premium zoom lenses with 10x magnification at constant T3.5 aperture, engineered for 4K/8K production with minimal focus breathing.
The HR series is based on a modular design with interchangeable servo motors for focus, zoom, and iris. The flagship HR 25-250mm achieves a 10x magnification with a constant T3.5 aperture across its entire focal length range and weighs 7.8kg. The lenses utilize Angenieux's patented aspherical lens elements and low-dispersion glass to minimize chromatic aberrations. The minimum focus distance for the 25-250mm is a constant 1.2m across all focal lengths. All HR lenses feature a PL mount and optional shim sets for precise flange focal distance adjustment.
Angenieux introduced the HR series at NAB in 2011, as the industry increasingly realized 4K productions and conventional zoom lenses reached their optical limits. The first model, the HR 25-250mm, was developed in cooperation with Netflix and other streaming services that demanded higher image quality. In 2018, Angenieux expanded the series with the HR 15-40mm for wide-angle shots. The development for each took four years and cost approximately 15 million Euros in research for each lens.
The HR 25-250mm was first used on the Netflix series "House of Cards" Season 4 (2016) and quickly established itself in high-end productions. Cinematographer Roger Deakins used it for "Blade Runner 2049" (2017), particularly for the long zoom moves through Los Angeles. The constant aperture allows for seamless zooms without exposure correction, while the low focus breathing (under 1%) makes it ideal for gimbal and Steadicam shots. The 10x zoom factor reduces lens changes and significantly speeds up complex setups.
Main competitors include Fujinon's Premista series and Canon's CN20x50 Cine-Servo, which however offer lower zoom factors (2x and 20x respectively at lower optical performance). Cooke's S7/i Primes achieve comparable 4K sharpness but require frequent lens changes. The HR series positions itself between flexible broadcast zooms and high-resolution prime lenses, but at €180,000 (HR 25-250mm), it costs double that of comparable zoom lenses. For 8K productions, it remains the standard, while more affordable series like Angenieux's EZ series are sufficient for normal 4K requirements.
Als DoP schätze ich die konstante T3.5 über den gesamten Brennweitenbereich – das bedeutet keine Belichtungskorrekturen während Zoom-Bewegungen und gleichmäßige Schärfentiefe. Die minimal 1% Fokus-Atmung macht das Objektiv perfekt für präzise Fokus-Pulls, ohne dass sich der Bildausschnitt verändert, was besonders bei Close-ups entscheidend ist.
Die 10-fache Vergrößerung des HR 25-250mm ermöglicht mir dramatische Zoom-Bewegungen von Totale bis Detail ohne Schnitt, was die Intensität einer Szene kontinuierlich steigern kann. Ich kann spontan zwischen verschiedenen Bildgrößen wechseln und dabei die emotionale Wirkung modulieren, ohne die Schauspieler durch Objektivwechsel aus dem Moment zu reißen.
Mit 180.000€ Kaufpreis und 1.800€ Tagesmiete ist das HR 25-250mm eine erhebliche Investition, die sich aber durch reduzierte Drehzeit amortisiert – weniger Objektivwechsel bedeuten 15-20% Zeitersparnis bei komplexen Setups. Für 4K-Netflix-Produktionen ist es mittlerweile Standard und steigert die technische Akzeptanz unserer Inhalte bei internationalen Vertriebspartnern.
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