The Cooke Varotal 25-250mm T3.9 (Mark II / Mark III) is the long-range classic zoom of the Cooke Varotal lineage — and one of the most legendary, influential, and iconic cinema zooms in film history: originally launched in 1983 as the successor to Cooke’s first long-range 10:1 zoom, the Varotal 25-250mm rapidly became the absolute industry-reference zoom for more than two decades — the inseparable companion of generations of cinematographers worldwide. With an extraordinary zoom factor of 10x and a focal range of 25 to 250mm, it covers in a single lens from moderate wide angle to super telephoto in Super 35 format, with a constant aperture of T3.9 and the unmistakable Cooke Look™ — that unique combination of sharpness without harshness, organic warmth, classic and unmatched skin tones, and a deliberately organic image that only Cooke knows how to create. Perfectly colour-, contrast-, and character-matched with Cooke Speed Panchro, Mini S4/i, S4/i, and S5/i prime lenses.
Its image is everything that defines the Cooke Look™ in its most classic and vintage expression: low-contrast, fine, organic, and warm — at full aperture T3.9 the lens delivers a unique softness and visual character that flatters all subjects, especially faces, with a classic and unmatched skin tone rendition. Available in two barrel configurations: focus ring at the front with zoom at the rear, or zoom forward with focus at the rear — the Panavision-style version. With a PL mount, Super 35 / APS-H coverage, 15mm and 19mm rod bridges, a 121mm front diameter, a length of 305mm, a minimum focus distance of 1.60m, and a weight of just 4.75 kg — remarkably light for a 10x Super 35 zoom of this reach —, the Varotal 25-250mm is a historically significant optical instrument in the cinema industry.
Perfect for: cinematographers seeking the most classic, iconic, and cinematically rich long-reach Super 35 zoom on the market — constant T3.9, 10x factor from 25mm to 250mm, the unmistakable vintage Cooke Look™, low-contrast and organic image, exceptional skin tones, and perfect compatibility with Cooke primes —, for feature films, series, commercials, documentaries, and any Super 35 production where extreme telephoto reach, organic warmth, and the historic visual character of Cooke are as important as focal versatility.
