Single Coated

Technical Details

The single layer is applied by vacuum deposition at temperatures between 200-400°C. Magnesium fluoride, as the most common coating material, has a refractive index of 1.38 and optimizes transmission for green light at a wavelength of 550nm. Single-coated lenses achieve transmission values of 92-95% per air-to-glass transition, while uncoated lenses only manage 85-90%. In more complex lenses with 8-12 lens surfaces, these losses accumulate significantly.

History & Development

Carl Zeiss developed the first practical anti-reflective coating in 1935 and introduced it in 1939 under the designation "T-coating". During World War II, American and German manufacturers perfected the technique for military optics. From 1946 onwards, single-coated cinema lenses became established as the standard, with Cooke, Zeiss, and later Panavision being among the pioneers. Single coating remained the industry standard until the 1970s.

Practical Use in Film

Classic films from the 1950s and 1960s such as "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) or "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) were shot with single-coated lenses. These optics produce characteristic lens flares with clearly visible ghost images and stray light, especially in backlight situations. The reduced contrast and warm color rendition define the visual look of this era. Modern productions deliberately use vintage single-coated lenses for period pieces or to create a nostalgic look.

Comparison & Alternatives

Multi-coated lenses with 3-15 coating layers achieve 98-99% transmission and drastically minimize stray light. While single-coated optics show significant contrast loss in strong side light, multi-coated lenses remain high in contrast. Nano-coatings in modern lenses virtually eliminate reflections. Single-coated lenses are suitable for atmospheric shots with softer contrast, while multi-coated lenses are for technically precise shots with maximum sharpness and brilliance.