CVP: Exploring the science of cinema optics at the European Lens Summit
Posted on Jun 27, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker
CVP’s European Lens Summit gives this vital part of the filmmaking chain its moment in the spotlight
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From detuned modern primes to large format debates, the European Lens Summit unites professionals who are tackling the creative and technical questions that define modern cinematography. While cameras evolve at breakneck pace, it’s the analogue glass that retains its special place as a shaping force in the cinematic image. Lenses don’t just record what’s there; they alter how it feels, how it breathes and how an audience connects with a scene.
But in reality, few filmmakers fully understand what’s going on with the many technicalities of their optics. For most, the finer points of lens design and performance remain mysterious – until something goes wrong on-set. This is the key focus of the European Lens Summit. Held in Europe every two years, the 2025 event will take place on 12-13 July at CVP’s state-of-the-art facility in Brentford, London. This two-day event offers an immersive deep-dive into cinema lens technology, performance and behaviour – with direct relevance to any person who shoots, rents or tests glass for professional image making.
A rare learning opportunity
The European Lens Summit is unlike any other event on the industry calendar. This isn’t a sales floor or demo day. Instead, it’s a focused, practical forum designed to help visitors understand the optics they use – not just to admire them. With a full programme of live demonstrations, test set-ups, technical presentations and hands-on experimentation, attendees will walk away with a sharper and more confident grasp of how lenses affect every frame they shoot.
At the heart of the event is education through experience. Whether you are a seasoned DOP trying to better understand how vintage lenses behave in different formats or a rental house manager trying to spec the right set for a demanding production, this event offers insights you simply can’t get from spec sheets or marketing materials.
See how lenses really perform
One key benefit is the chance to test lenses side by side under controlled conditions. CVP’s Brentford location includes a 32ft projection room, dedicated lens testing bay and specialist tools including collimators, focus charts and projector rigs.
During the event, visitors can compare lens characteristics and even gain a deeper understanding of how those traits impact images and workflow – whether it’s for cinema, commercial, documentary or high-end social content.
Attendees can expect sessions covering:
- Lens breathing and distortion. How to see the differences clearly and understand their impact.
- Flare tests; understanding what causes good versus problematic flare.
- Back focus and flange depth calibration, and why they matter for maintaining sharpness and consistency.
- Projection testing, which is used to evaluate image quality and character.
- Field curvature, chromatic aberration and corner performance. These will be explained through visual demonstrations.
These are the kinds of practical concerns that could seriously derail a shoot if not properly understood.
Probe modern vintage and sensor size
Another hot topic for 2025 is the rise of character-driven glass. Cinematographers are experimenting with moving away from ultra-clinical lenses and are now actively seeking imperfections – flares, fall-off and vintage softness – to give projects personality and texture.
The European Lens Summit offers a unique, hands-on investigation into this movement. Attendees can explore original vintage lenses – like K35s, Super Speeds and Canon FDs – along with modern glass that’s been detuned or modified to mimic that look. And if you want to understand how detuning works, the real impact of removing coatings on contrast and flare or how to match older lenses across a project, these real issues are being tackled on-site. Recent experiments on the Angénieux EZ series will be available to assess up close.
Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the vintage revival and how to manage trade-offs between character and consistency in their work.
With cinema camera formats now split between Super 35 and full-frame or larger options, understanding coverage has become a top priority. The event puts this issue under the spotlight with direct comparisons into how lenses perform on both formats. Attendees will learn which lenses cover each sensor size, how image circle and vignetting affect different sensors and the optical trade-offs between full-frame and Super 35 in terms of depth-of-field, size, weight and consistency. The Summit provides clarity on a topic that’s often oversimplified in spec discussions.
Longevity over hype
Sustainability of investment is a growing concern as production budgets tighten and timelines shrink. With more boutique and third-party brands entering the market, knowing how easily a lens can be serviced or repaired is as important as how it works. Throughout the event, attendees can learn which manufacturers offer strong service support, how to identify truly rental-ready lenses and what happens when they break – how long it might have to wait for parts.
This kind of information can be difficult to find. At the Summit, you’ll hear directly from the teams who live this reality every day, and walk away better equipped to make smart, long-term choices.
Perhaps the most valuable part of the European Lens Summit is the freedom to explore, test, compare and question. There will be people and tools on hand to answer any questions. You don’t need to be an optics engineer to attend, but you will leave with new knowledge, practical skills and a clearer understanding of how to get the best out of your lenses – whatever format you’re shooting on.
Vote for us!
With great service, keen prices, innovative showroom spaces packed with the latest equipment and impartial experts on hand to answer any questions, CVP has just been nominated in the Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Awards within the retailer of the year for new equipment category. As the winners are decided by professional filmmakers, do head to our Gear of the Year page now to cast your vote for CVP.
If you’d like to get a hands-on feel for any new bit of equipment you’re pondering, and even check it out with accessories for a genuine idea of what it’ll be like to work with, CVP is the place.
To book a demo and talk to one of CVP’s experts, call +44 (0) 208 380 7400, email [email protected] or visit cvp.com
This article was first published in the July/August 2025 issue of Pro Moviemaker
