Leica Thalia: Modern cine lenses with consistent T-stop calibration — ensuring uniform exposure and precise focus control across the full range.
Technical Details
Focal Lengths
| 24 | 30 | 35 | 45 | 65 | 90 | 135 | 180 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T2.9 | T2.9 | T2.9 | T2.9 | T2.9 | T2.9 | T2.9 | T2.9 |
| 0.45m | 0.50m | 0.50m | 0.55m | 0.70m | 0.90m | 1.10m | 1.40m |
| 2.80kg | 2.90kg | 3.00kg | 3.10kg | 3.40kg | 3.70kg | 4.00kg | 4.20kg |
| 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| 108° | 90° | 80° | 64° | 48° | 34° | 24° | 17° |
| ◀━━━━━━▶ | ◀━━━━▶ | ◀━━━━▶ | ◀━━━▶ | ◀━━▶ | ◀━▶ | ◀▶ | ◀▶ |
PL · 95mm Front · 270° Focus Travel · 1.8x Squeeze · Large Format (46mm) · Horizontal Flares
History & Development
Leica introduced the Thalia series in 2016 at NAB in Las Vegas, marking the traditional photo lens manufacturer's first foray into the professional cinema market. The development took three years in collaboration with Vantage Film, an established specialist manufacturer of anamorphic optics. In 2018, Leica expanded the system with the longer focal lengths of 135mm and 180mm. The series was created in response to the growing demand for affordable anamorphic lenses beyond the high-priced Hawk or Cooke optics.
Practical Use in Film
The Thalia lenses are primarily used in independent productions and mid-budget class films where the classic anamorphic look is desired. Cinematographer Bradford Young used the series for episodes of the Netflix series "When They See Us" (2019). The lenses are particularly suitable for handheld work due to their compact design and low chromatic aberration. The warm, organic look with subtle distortions at the edges of the frame clearly distinguishes them from sterile spherical alternatives, lending images cinematic depth.
Comparison & Alternatives
The Thalia series is positioned in terms of price between affordable anamorphic adapters like the SLR Magic Anamorphot and high-end series like Panavision G-Series or ARRI Master Anamorphic. Compared to Cooke Anamorphic/i, the Leicas offer less contrast but warmer skin tones. Atlas Orion Anamorphics have established themselves as a modern alternative in a similar price range, but with more aggressive flares. For productions with limited budgets that still require true anamorphic rendering, the Thalias often represent the optimal compromise between image quality and availability.