Everyone has a lens they reach for first. For many years it was the 35mm for me, the Zeiss Contax f1.4. But over time I found that a lot of my work was looking similar, so I tried framing things more intentionally with lenses to capture perspective.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot because I’m prepping a new short film right now as part of an anthology series, and originally I was intending to shoot everything anamorphic like I did for the Wilted Flower. But for this piece I want it to feel more nostalgic, so am shooting on the DZO Catta Ace zooms with Glimmer Glass filtration, and we’re framing the whole thing in 4:3.
Also new for me – I’m shooting and directing this one, which means I don’t have the luxury of stopping the scene to swap primes. I need to be able to reframe without breaking the energy on set, and zooms give me that. It’s a practical decision but it’s also a creative one because knowing I can push in or hold wide in the moment changes how I direct. I stay with the actors in the moment instead of thinking about the lens.
This story takes place in a compressed, interior world and the taller frame puts you closer to the characters. It changes how you compose a face, how you think about negative space. Everything feels more intimate and a little more claustrophobic… plus our sets are only so big!
This is part two of a short film anthology I’ve been building called Inheritance. The first was The Wilted Flower, which we premiered at the Music Box Theatre earlier this year. This next one is called The Great Balloon. I’ll be sharing a lot more about it over the coming weeks as we go into production.
I put out a video this week breaking down the best cinema cameras under $5,000 in 2026, and the lens conversation is really the other half of that equation. No camera is going to save you if the glass in front of it doesn’t match your intention. What’s the lens you always reach for? I’m genuinely curious. Reply and let me know.
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