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Tokina Vista-P
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Tokina Vista-P

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tokina vista prime tokina vista one tokina cinema vista

Tokina full-frame cine prime lens series (T1.5) featuring swirly bokeh and vintage aesthetics, designed as the portrait-focused variant of the Vista Primes.

Overview

The Tokina Vista-P is a series of full-frame spherical cinema primes from Japanese manufacturer Tokina (Kenko Tokina), announced in December 2023. According to the manufacturer, the "P" stands for Portrait. It is not an independently designed optical formula but a modified variant of the existing Vista Prime series: by increasing the air gap between the glass elements, a pronounced spherical aberration is intentionally created. The result is a sharp image center with a characteristic, swirling bokeh and a softer, lower-contrast look towards the image edge.

Tokina compares the image rendering to classic optics such as the Helios-44 or Petzval lenses ("Swirly Bokeh"). The series targets cinematographers who desire a vintage character without sacrificing modern resolution and large format coverage.

Technical Specifications

FeatureSpecification
TypeSpherical Cine Prime, Full Frame / Large Format
ApertureT1.5 (all focal lengths)
Image Circleapprox. 46.7 mm (covers Full Frame and Large Format sensors)
Front Outer Diameter114 mm (consistent)
Diaphragm9-blade iris
Available MountsPL, LPL, Sony E, EF, MFT

Focal Lengths (as of 2024):

  • 18 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, 65 mm, 85 mm, 105 mm, 135 mm
  • Initially launched (2023) with 18 / 25 / 35 / 50 / 85 mm; 40 / 65 / 105 / 135 mm followed in 2024.

On-Set Usage

The consistent 114 mm front outer diameter across all focal lengths facilitates quick changes of matte boxes and filter attachments without needing to swap adapter rings. The consistent T1.5 aperture allows for low-light operation and very selective focus.

The Vista-P is typically chosen where a deliberately "imperfect," organic look is desired – for example, for portraits, music videos, commercials, or narrative projects with a nostalgic visual style. Since the aberration is optically built-in (not switchable), the effect should be planned for during lens selection and testing beforehand. Existing Vista Prime lenses can be converted to the Vista-P specification by Tokina for a fee; this conversion is irreversible.

From the crafts

Perspectives

Cinematographer

Als Kameramann schätze ich die Vista-P für ihren organischen Look, der besonders bei Available-Light-Situationen durch die T1.5-Blende punktet. Die einheitliche Bauweise der gesamten Serie spart mir am Set wertvolle Zeit, da ich Mattebox und Follow-Focus nicht bei jedem Objektivwechsel neu konfigurieren muss.

Director

Die Vista-P-Serie gibt mir die kreative Flexibilität, auch bei begrenztem Budget einen kinematografischen Look zu erzielen, ohne Kompromisse bei der Bildqualität eingehen zu müssen. Besonders die warme Farbcharakteristik unterstützt emotionale Erzählmomente und verleiht dem Bild eine natürliche, unaufdringliche Ästhetik.

Producer

Die Tokina Vista-P bietet ein hervorragendes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis für Produktionen mit mittlerem Budget. Die Anschaffungskosten liegen deutlich unter vergleichbaren High-End-Serien, während die professionelle Bauqualität Ausfallzeiten minimiert und somit die Produktionssicherheit erhöht.

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