NiSi T1 Series 50mm T1 Full Frame Cinema Lens (LPL Mount)

Description

The NiSi T1 PRIME 50mm T1.0 is a full-frame cinema prime designed to perform beautifully wide open. Where earlier T1.0 lenses softened, lost contrast and showed chromatic aberration at maximum aperture, the T1 PRIME 50mm stays clean, sharp and high in contrast at T1.0, giving filmmakers ultra-shallow depth of field and a dreamy, painterly bokeh without compromise. Built around a 16-element optical design, an 18-blade iris, and a precision focus-pulling mechanism, this LPL-mount prime is engineered for full-frame, VistaVision and large-format cinema cameras.

Wide-Open Optical Tuning

Historically, T1.0 cinema primes have been a creative compromise: stunning shallow depth of field at the cost of softness, veiling glare, and visible chromatic aberration. NiSi has taken a different approach with the T1 PRIME 50mm. Through careful optical correction, exotic glass selection and tightly controlled element spacing, the lens retains crisp resolution, strong micro-contrast and clean colour right at the maximum aperture. Edge softness and longitudinal colour fringing on high-contrast highlights have been engineered out, so T1.0 becomes a creative choice rather than a technical compromise. Stop down and the image continues to gain clarity, but unlike many fast cine primes you are not forced to ride T2 or T2.8 simply to get a usable image.

A Classic Bokeh Signature

Rather than chase the harder edges and onion-ring textures often produced by highly aspherical designs, NiSi studied the rendering of legendary vintage cinema primes and deliberately reintroduced a softer, more natural blur into a modern optical formula. Out-of-focus highlights bloom gently rather than snapping into hard discs, and the transition from sharp focus to defocus is smooth and three-dimensional. The result is a contemporary lens with a poetic, characterful bokeh that stands out on large sensors, well suited to narrative work, music videos and any project where atmosphere matters as much as resolution.

Designed for Large Format

The image circle of the T1 PRIME 50mm has been designed with the next generation of cinema cameras in mind. It fully covers Open Gate mode on the FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55 and the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65, and supports 5.1K mode on the ARRI ALEXA 65 and ALEXA 265. At the same time it performs strongly on widely used full-frame and VistaVision cinema bodies, making it a future-proof investment that travels comfortably between owner-operator full-frame productions and high-end large-format shoots without a change of lens kit.

A 65mm/70mm Film Look

On modern large-format sensors the 50mm focal length yields a field of view roughly equivalent to a 40mm lens on full-frame, with a depth-of-field character that feels closer to T0.8. That combination evokes the look of classic 65mm and 70mm film: an immersive, slightly wide angle of view paired with a shallow, romantic separation between subject and environment. For filmmakers chasing that cinematic large-format aesthetic on contemporary digital sensors, the T1 PRIME 50mm is a natural anchor lens for the set.

Built for Focus Pullers

The focus mechanism has been redesigned from the ground up around the needs of professional focus pullers. A precision cam delivers approximately 180° of throw between 1m and infinity within a generous 300° total rotation, giving fine resolution where shallow depth of field is at its most demanding. Scale markings are evenly spaced and behave linearly, so consistent, repeatable pulls are achievable on follow-focus systems and motorised wireless rigs alike. The aperture ring is similarly damped and click-less, supporting smooth iris pulls during a take.

Close-Up and Emotional Storytelling

A minimum focus distance of 0.5m (1’8″) combined with a 0.14x maximum magnification opens the door to tight, intimate framings that traditional cine primes often cannot reach. Wide open at T1.0, subject separation is dramatic; the eyes lock to the focal plane while everything beyond falls into a soft, organic wash of colour. Whether it is a hand reaching across a table, a single tear, or an over-the-shoulder whisper, the T1 PRIME 50mm gives directors and DPs a powerful tool for emotional close-ups without breaking the visual language of the wider shots.

Specifications