“What Jay and Christopher have done with this book is to help demystify the often technical nature of optics, to allow people like me to become more qualified to articulate my feelings and instincts with an expanded vocabulary to discuss the look of lenses. It’s an essential text for all filmmakers.”
“For those looking for a single source on both the technical and aesthetic aspects of cinematic imaging, The Cine Lens Manual is truly invaluable.”
“The Cine Lens Manual is my new Bible... engrossing and immensely graspable for all filmmakers.”
“I can’t put the book down. It’s brilliant what Holben and Probst have created. This is a must for every cinematographer.”
It is the camera that separates cinema from other art forms and the lens that allows a scene to be captured by the camera. The cinema lens, therefore, is at the heart of filmmaking. All aspects of a production are carefully crafted with the intention of being captured by the lens and camera to create a visual story. The Cine Lens Manual is a comprehensive examination of the art and science of cinema optics. Written in clear, easily-digestible language, and extensively illustrated, The Cine Lens Manual is designed for readers of all levels of experience from novice to expert. With more than 60-years of experience between them as cinematographers, technical journalists and educators, authors Holben and Probst break down the most complex concepts into easy-to-understand ideas, without requiring a mastery of calculus or physics. This manual is not just for cinematographers, but for all individuals with an interest in the lens — directors, visual effects artists, camera assistants, animators, technical journalists, historians, students, rental house technicians — anyone looking for a deeper understanding of cinema optics. It is unlike anything else that has ever been written on the subject.