Canon's prime lens series for Cinema EOS, featuring consistent T-stop across the lineup and professional-grade mechanics.
Technical Details
Focal Lengths
| 14 | 20 | 24 | 35 | 50 | 85 | 100 | 135 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T3.1 | T1.5 | T1.5 | T1.5 | T1.3 | T1.3 | T1.4 | T2.2 |
| 0.28m | 0.25m | 0.25m | 0.30m | 0.45m | 0.85m | 0.85m | 0.85m |
| 1.17kg | 1.05kg | 1.13kg | 1.17kg | 1.28kg | 1.37kg | 1.45kg | 1.56kg |
| 114 | 114 | 114 | 114 | 114 | 114 | 114 | 114 |
| 104° | 84° | 74° | 54° | 40° | 24° | 20° | 15° |
| ◀━━━━━▶ | ◀━━━━▶ | ◀━━━▶ | ◀━━▶ | ◀━━▶ | ◀▶ | ◀▶ | ◀▶ |
EF · 114mm Front · 300° Focus Throw · S35
History & Development
Canon introduced the CN-E Prime series in 2012 in response to the growing demand for cinema lenses for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The development was based on Canon's L-series still photography lenses, but with cinematographic modifications such as more precise focus rings and optimized color matching. In 2014, Canon expanded the series with the longer focal lengths of 100mm and 135mm. The lenses arose from the need to offer cost-effective cinematic optics for the emerging DSLR cinematography.
Practical Use in Film
The CN-E Primes quickly established themselves in independent film production and among documentary filmmakers. Roger Deakins used the 50mm CN-E for test shots for "Blade Runner 2049." The series finds broad application in Netflix productions and advertising. Typical workflows include use on Canon C300/C500 cameras, as well as RED and ARRI systems with EF adapters. The lenses offer organic bokeh characteristics and minimal focus breathing, but limited light transmission compared to high-end cinema lenses.
Comparison & Alternatives
The CN-E Primes are positioned between still photography zoom lenses and premium cinema lenses like Zeiss CP.3 or Cooke S4/i. Compared to more expensive alternatives, they offer good optical quality at a moderate price, but without parfocal properties or T-stop calibration across the entire series. In 2019, Canon supplemented the series with the CN-E Sumire Primes, featuring warmer color characteristics. For modern productions, they compete with Sigma Cine Primes and the new Canon RF-mount CN-R lenses.