S16 Angenieux 1.8/5.9mm

The Angénieux Type R7 5.9mm f/1.8 is a fascinating vintage ultra-wide cine lens, particularly interesting for 16mm film and small-sensor digital cameras. It is one of those lenses where the character is arguably more important than technical perfection.

What makes the 5.9mm interesting?

The 5.9mm focal length is extremely wide on 16mm. But unlike a conventional fisheye, the R7 is generally described as remaining rectilinear rather than fisheye-like. That means straight lines can remain relatively straight, although you will obviously get significant perspective stretching toward the edges.

This makes it particularly useful for:

• Very wide establishing shots
• Interior spaces
• Music videos
• Experimental cinematography
• Handheld work
• POV shots
• Close-up wide-angle shots
• Distorted/immersive perspectives
• Vintage/16mm productions

The combination of 5.9mm + f/1.8 is particularly unusual. You get an enormous field of view while still having a relatively fast aperture.

The image character

It isn't a modern, clinically corrected ultra-wide. The image has the vintage Angénieux character that people often seek these lenses out for.

Depending on the particular copy, you can expect things such as:

• Lower contrast than modern lenses
• Flare when strong light sources enter the frame
• Some softness toward the edges
• Strong perspective exaggeration
• Vintage rendering
• Potential chromatic aberration
• More pronounced optical character than a modern ultra-wide
• A very "filmic" feel when combined with 16mm film