ARRI Rental | DNA lenses

DNA is a completely new concept in lens development, pioneered by ARRI Rental in collaboration with visually ambitious cinematographers. Sourcing vintage optics from different historical periods, we embrace unusual image attributes that arouse an emotional response.

Selected optics are rehoused into modern lens casings, with the manufacturing carried out in-house at ARRI Rental. Each lens has its own personality, often customized for individual filmmakers, allowing stories to be told with a new visual boldness.

DNA across two formats

2017 12-20 ARRI Rental - Prime DNA Lenses Group_whited

Prime DNA for 65 mm

DNA LF for full frame

ARRI Rental Prime DNA T1.6 - T2.8
28 / 35 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 / 80 / 110 / 150 / 200 mm

ARRI Rental DNA LF T1.5 - T2
21 / 25 / 29 / 35 / 50 / 75 / 85 / 100 / 135 mm

DNA credits

Being the Ricardos

A Boy Called Christmas

The Witcher (Season 2)

Silent Night

Yellowjackets

Technology born of relationships

The origins of DNA lie in the artistic drive of cinematographers who were early adopters of our exclusive ALEXA 65 camera. They all played a part in shaping the DNA concept and harnessing its creative possibilities; the DNA in the lenses is theirs.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson ASC ("Breathe")

There were moments of magic in the search that led us to decide upon a path together - meaning ARRI Rental and myself.

bradford-young-on-the-set-of-solo-a-star-wars-story-copy

Cinematographer Bradford Young ASC ("Solo")

DNA glass is a revelation and revolution in my journey to anchor my artistic residue into a particular story... no other glass has afforded me this opportunity.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti ASC, AIC ("Ant-Man and the Wasp")

I was asked how I felt about the DNA lenses...what the feeling of the fall-off and everything else was, and I said I'd compare it to a beautiful bottle of wine, so soft and smooth.

Cinematographer Greig Fraser ASC, ACS ("Mary Magdalene")

Working closely with ARRI Rental we were able to develop lenses that had the right look and feel for the film...so we had a really nice and rounded mix of glass.

Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel ASC ("Bohemian Rhapsody")

Each DNA lens has its own personality. We aimed to create a film that wasn't perfect technically, but had an organic, handmade quality.

DNA LF features

Personal image-making and a unique look
Following the success of DNA for 65 mm, we developed a set of DNA LF lenses for the smaller sensor size of the ALEXA LF system, comprising re-housed vintage optics with a new multi-blade iris for circular bokeh.

Characterful, and still great for VFX
Robust housings and uniform lens rings make DNA LF lenses practical, characterful optics, while ARRI Lens Data System LDS-2 connectors record valuable metadata for easier VFX.

Calibrated, repeatable tuning
Special internal elements can be customized to your artistic preferences in ways that can be accurately recorded, re-set, and repeated at any major ARRI Rental facility.

The DNA look

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DNA news

Dec. 22, 2021

ALEXA 65, DNA lenses, and SkyPanel lights on "A Boy Called Christmas"

DP Zac Nicholson BSC, 1st AC Tobias Eedy, and gaffer Jonny Franklin talk to ARRI Rental about their work on the all-star festive film, directed by Gil Kenan.

Oct. 29, 2021

ALEXA 65 and DNA lenses on “Schachnovelle”

DP Thomas W. Kiennast on why he chose ARRI Rental’s exclusive 65 mm format and customizable DNA lenses for the period chess drama “Schachnovelle” (“The Royal Game”).

Oct. 22, 2021

DP Alexander Dynan shares his cinematic style shooting "The Card Counter"

"We wanted to make sure that we were able to evoke the loneliness in the cinematography but at the same time, feel this disparity between what was going on with [William]Tell and what was going on in the real world."

More news