The Zeiss CP.3 lenses continue the evolution of the CP.2 lens line. Again, Zeiss is rehousing their exceptional still photography lenses with upgraded irises. However, the CP.3 housings have smaller 95mm fronts, and Zeiss' eXtended Data feature which allows the camera to record metadata straight from the lens, which provides valuable information to post including the lens' distortion, shading, focus distance, T stop, etc. all in real time.
The lenses have very high contrast, resulting in deeper blacks, and saturated colors.
N/A
Minor SA reduces contrast overall.
Minor SA reduces contrast overall
SA prominent wide open. Cleans up around T4.
SA and CA prominent wide open. Cleans up around T4
The CP.3's are a great upgrade to the CP.2's but with a 95mm front diameter and the option to have have XD support for more metadata to use in your post workflow. Still very compact and light weight, the CP.3 are a perfect fit for gimbal-use or handheld takes as they won't break the payload limit like a lot of other cinema glass. Plus, Zeiss did a great job at keeping these affordable so they can work with just about any budget. Not to mention they're sharp, incredibly accurate in color and strong in contrast.
Moving into the next phase of Zeiss’ full frame cine legacy, the CP.3 inherited their optical design from their Milvus cousins. Their T-stop is limited to a T2.1 to keep the set consistent across the range. What the CP.3 lack in speed, they make up for in image quality and build quality.