The Cooke Varotal 18-100mm T3 (Mark III) is one of the most appreciated, widely used, and iconic classic cinema zooms in film history — and the most refined version of a lineage that began in 1971 with the first zoom designed specifically for professional cinematography: the original Cooke Varotal, designed by Gordon H. Cook. With a zoom factor of 5.5x and a focal range of 18 to 100mm, it covers in a single lens from wide angle to short telephoto in Super 35 format, with a constant aperture of T3 and the unmistakable Cooke Look™ — that unique combination of sharpness without harshness, organic warmth, exceptional skin tones, and a flattering softness that has made Cooke the most iconic lens brand in cinema history. One of the very few lenses that pairs perfectly with the vintage Cooke Speed Panchro prime lenses — same colour, same contrast, same soul.
Its image is everything that defines the Cooke Look™: sharp but never harsh, warm, organic, and with a classic, unmatched skin tone rendition — at full aperture T3 the lens delivers exceptional performance with a softness that flatters all subjects, especially faces. At wide focal lengths it has zero breathing, and at longer focal lengths breathing is extremely minimal. With an extraordinary minimum focus distance of just 70cm (2’4″) for a zoom of this range, the Varotal 18-100mm enables extreme close-ups impossible for any other zoom in its class. The characteristic Cooke octagonal iris, a 156mm front diameter, a length of 355mm, PL mount, and a weight of 5.9 kg complete a historically significant optical instrument in the cinema industry.
Perfect for: cinematographers seeking the most classic, iconic, and cinematically rich Super 35 zoom on the market — constant T3, 5.5x factor from 18mm to 100mm, zero breathing at wide angles, 70cm minimum focus distance, the unmistakable Cooke Look™, and perfect compatibility with Cooke Speed Panchros —, for feature films, series, commercials, documentaries, and any Super 35 production where organic warmth, exceptional skin tones, and the historic visual character of Cooke are as important as focal versatility.
