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Released in the early 1960s, the Bausch & Lomb Super Baltars are the successors to the original Baltars (also available from Old Fast Glass). With the introduction of reflex camera systems, the wider focal lengths in the original Baltars were not compatible with the newer reflex 35mm cameras. With the adoption of retrofocus optical designs for the wider lenses, the Super Baltars were engineered to be compatible with the spinning mirrors of reflex film cameras.

The Super Baltars are slightly faster at f2 (T2.3) compared to the original Baltars maximum aperture of f2.3 (T2.5). Super Baltars also have impressive sensor coverage that is much better than any cinema lenses from that era. The 20mm T2.3 and 25mm T2.3 cover Alexa 35 Open Gate and Alexa Mini Open Gate! The 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 152mm all cover Full Frame!

Super Baltars are fairly sharp on center wide open, and quite sharp stopped down to T2.8. They are warm in tone, with have medium/low contrast, and have softer edges than modern lenses. Wide open, they have beautiful textured bokeh, that is very consistent across the entire set. Stopped down, their unique iris design is not distracting, and produces lovely bokeh as well. The lenses have their trademark blue, purple, and amber coatings which result absolutely stunning lens flares.

B & L Super Baltars were used to Shoot The Godfather parts 1 and 2. If you are looking for more modern examples of what they can do, they were the primary lenses used for Rush (2013), and The Witch (2015).

Our set was rehoused by TLS. The lenses have a modern cam drive focus system, which is buttery smooth and extremely reliable. Close focus is excellent on all 7 lenses, they all have matching gear positions, and matching 110mm fronts. These are one of our favorite sets of vintage lenses because of their gorgeous character combined with excellent Super 35+ and FF coverage, which is ideal for modern sensors like the Alexa 35 and Alexa Mini LF.

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Rent Baush & Lomb Super Baltars