[Todd Ciaciuch]

You actually don’t have a CP prime. There isn’t a 12mm CP prime. CP offered the 12.5mm. It sounds like you have a Zeiss prime lens adapted to fit onto a CP-16R, which in all cases is still a good glass in front. CP16R prime lenses usually refer to the “Cinema Products Ultra- T” 16mm lens using glass licensed from Kowa (thus the inscription “Lenses made in Japan”).

I am interested in CP-adapted lenses, but only looking for focal lengths 50mm or longer.

[Todd Ciaciuch]

Hey guys, there are prime lenses for the CP-16R Camera. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In the 70’s, CP’s became very popular with filmmakers, so Cinema Products put together a “studio” rig with a lot of add-ons, including a prime lens set. I’ve shot extensively on the CP-16R and the CP lenses, and results are always outstanding at 2k.

“Cinema Products Ultra-T Prime lenses” (9mm T1.35, 12.5mm T.25, 16mm T1.25, 25mm T1.25). — CP licensed glass from Kowa in Japan, and created a housing similar to the Zeiss MK1’s. These Ultra-T lenses are fast and sharp. There’s a slight color difference between the Zeiss, but that disappears in the scanning/telecine. There’s a youtube video online that compares MK1’s Zeiss vs. the Ultra-T’s Kowa glass.

Who has the lenses?

-Well, I do. I have the full set in VG condition, as well as an Angie 5.9mm and an Angie Compact Zoom. All these lenses cut together very well. Unfortunately, I love the glass so much I won’t part with them. Other private owners will probably tell you the same thing, but it never hurts to ask.

-You can try ebay… There’s always a 12.5mm or 25mm on there. The 9mm & 16mm are a bit more rare. They are very popular in Australia, so you can try Ebay-AU.

-Visual Products in Ohio or Whitehouse Audio Visual in Thousand Oaks are the epicenters for CP items. They’ll know where the lenses are. They can also fix em, too.

-Alan Gordon in L.A. had a set, but I think they sold quickly. Worth checking.

-Lastly, you can try David at Edgewood Studios in VT. He’s got 16/35 CP’s in his studio, and I believe he has a set of the Ultra-T primes with a S-16mm body/tap. His CP-16R cameras and lenses were used to shoot Anna Nicole Smith’s last film “Illegal Aliens” before she died.

There’s a lot of great gear out there for a lot of money. For me, the ultra-T’s still pack a punch for a fraction of the price.

Todd Ciaciuch
Director/DP