Gear of the Year Winners 2025: Lenses
Posted on Oct 27, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker
We reveal the worthy winners in our ninth annual celebration of top-tier moviemaking lenses
Cameras may steal the headlines, but lenses are what shape the foundational look of a film. This year’s awards once again highlight the optics professionals trust to deliver sharpness, character and creative control. From record-breaking zooms to cinema prime sets, and even the accessories that make them achieve even more, here’s why these winners secured filmmakers’ votes.
1. Zoom
Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports
Super-telephoto zooms with constant maximum apertures are rare in the world of lenses. So Sigma’s 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports smashes expectations with its blend of reach, speed and stabilisation in one formidable, stylish package. Pointed at wildlife or sport, it delivers the kind of subject isolation usually only achieved by primes; and its constant f/4 aperture means consistent exposure and smooth background blur across the zoom range, while its up-to-date optical stabilisation technology offers up to 6.5 stops of shake compensation. Voters clearly appreciated a lens that clinches great shots without compromising on sharpness or handling.
2. Prime
Zeiss Nano Prime Set
When Zeiss announces new cinema glass, the industry takes notice. The Nano Prime Set brings full-frame coverage, T1.5 speed and Zeiss’s legendary optical consistency into a smaller package aimed at modern productions. Covering six focal lengths from 18-100mm, these primes provide precision with a distinctive rendering many filmmakers prize. The set also has uniform gear positions and 95mm diameter fronts for fast, no-fuss swaps on-set. What stood out most to voters, though, was the balance – high-end Zeiss quality but at a price and weight that makes them viable for independent productions as well as larger shoots.
3. Lens Accessory
Magic Video Box
Sometimes the unsung heroes of filmmaking are the accessories that expand the bounds of what a lens can do. The Magic Video Box is a universal accessory system that lets creators shoot those straight-down-the-lens talking head interviews that are now a staple of contemporary documentary making. Compact, adaptable and designed to fit seamlessly into existing rigs, it’s become a favourite for anyone who wants a direct, engaging look for their interviews. Voters have rewarded its quality and practicality, recognising that it opens creative doors while being more portable and affordable than traditional options.
Editor’s choice
Schneider-Kreuznach Isco4all
The Pro Moviemaker team felt one lens system deserved special recognition: the Schneider-Kreuznach Isco4all. This unique modular kit combines three high-quality spherical Cine Primes with front-mounted Iscorama anamorphic adapters, allowing filmmakers to switch between spherical and anamorphic looks quickly on-set. Its flexible design draws on German optical engineering to deliver true anamorphic character — complete with the trademark oval bokeh and flare — to a much wider range of productions.
This article was first published in the November/December 2025 issue of Pro Moviemaker
