LARGE-FORMAT CINEMA LENSES WITH A DISTINCTIVE IMAGE CHARACTER

MUSE PRIMECINEMA LENS SERIES

We founded ELYSAS on a simple belief: the value of a truly exceptional cinema lens should not come from exclusivity, high prices, or the mystique surrounding how it performs. Its value should be found in the image itself. MUSE PRIME is our first answer to that belief.

— AaronCo-founder, ELYSAS

MUSE PRIME BEGINS WITH IMAGE AESTHETICS AND VISUAL CHARACTER

In the Digital Era, Image Character Matters More Than Sharpness Alone

Today’s digital cinema cameras capture extraordinary levels of detail. But we have always believed that sharpness is only the starting point—not the ultimate goal of cinema lens design.

The character of a cinema lens is defined not simply by how much detail it resolves, but by how resolution, contrast, residual aberrations, focus falloff, and color rendering work together to shape the way people, space, light, and emotion are rendered on screen.

MTF and the Optical Design Philosophy Behind MUSE PRIME

Throughout the development of MUSE PRIME, ELYSAS has treated MTF as an essential measure of optical performance—but never as a target to be maximized in isolation.

MUSE PRIME delivers the resolving power and contrast required for modern digital cinema while deliberately balancing residual aberrations across the image. Rather than pursuing the highest possible MTF at every spatial frequency and image height, the optical design is tuned to preserve detail without pushing the image toward an overly hard or clinical rendering.

The result is a modern level of resolution with a more natural, organic image character—one shaped not by sharpness alone, but by the balance between resolution, contrast, aberrations, and the way the image transitions in and out of focus.

*In this context, the aberrations considered include the five primary monochromatic aberrations—spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, field curvature, and distortion—together with chromatic aberration.

A Delicate Balance Between Clarity and Organic Rendering

At the plane of focus, MUSE PRIME preserves the resolving power and fine detail expected of modern cinema optics. As the image moves in front of and behind focus, carefully controlled residual aberrations, focus falloff, and defocus structure shape a clear but natural separation between the subject and its surroundings.

This controlled transition from focus to defocus gives the image a stronger sense of depth while preserving natural skin tones and an organic texture. The result is an image that feels resolved without looking hard, and dimensional without relying on excessive blur.

A DEFINING PRINCIPLE OF THE ELYSAS AESTHETIC

“We don’t reject sharpness. We simply don’t believe it should define the image on its own.”

Translating Image Character into Optical Design Constraints

We translate aspects of image character that conventional optical metrics do not fully describe into measurable targets and constraints within the optical merit function. This allows aesthetic goals to become part of the optimization itself, rather than something evaluated only after the optical design is complete.

The process requires longer development cycles and repeated design iterations, but it turns an abstract visual intent into an optical result that can be manufactured, measured, and consistently reproduced.

Explore Melted Bokeh｜渐融焦外

DESIGNED BY CINEMATOGRAPHERS, FOR CINEMATOGRAPHERS

MUSE PRIME Core Features

Melted Bokeh｜渐融焦外

Making focus falloff part of the visual language.

MUSE PRIME’s signature Melted Bokeh｜渐融焦外 combines clear, resolved detail at the plane of focus with a smooth, organic transition into defocus.

Subjects separate clearly from their surroundings without feeling cut out from them. Backgrounds fall away gradually while retaining shape, depth, atmosphere, and a natural sense of space. The character is distinctive without becoming distracting—expressive when the story calls for it, but always in service of the image.

Explore Melted Bokeh｜渐融焦外

Near-Zero Focus Breathing

Pull focus without noticeably changing the frame.

From 25 mm through 100 mm, MUSE PRIME is engineered for near-zero focus breathing across normal shooting distances, keeping image scale and framing remarkably stable through a focus pull.

The 135 mm Macro maintains the same near-zero-breathing behavior at conventional shooting distances. As focus moves toward true 1:1 magnification, some change in image scale remains, but breathing stays tightly controlled for a macro optic. Focus pulls remain composed and intentional, without unwanted changes in framing drawing attention away from the shot.

Every Lens Weighs Less Than 0.9 kg

Large-format performance without the weight normally associated with it.

Every focal length in the MUSE PRIME series weighs less than 0.9 kg, keeping the camera package lighter and easier to balance for handheld, shoulder-mounted, gimbal, Steadicam, drone, and motion-control work.

For owner-operators and compact crews in particular, lower lens weight makes it easier to move between setups and allows the camera to respond more naturally in motion. MUSE PRIME brings large-format optical performance and full cinema mechanics into a compact, lightweight package, giving cinematographers more freedom in how they build and move the camera.

*The weight statement refers to PL-mount configurations. See the specifications table for LPL-mount weights.

The World's First Native-Design, Modern Large-Format 135 mm Professional Cinema Macro Lens with Continuous Focus from Infinity to 1:1

True 1:1 magnification with the working room of a longer focal length.

The MUSE PRIME 135 mm Macro reaches true 1:1 magnification while retaining the mechanics, handling, and image character of a purpose-built cinema prime.

At macro distances, its longer working distance leaves more room around the subject for lighting, motion-control hardware, product rigs, and practical effects. It also helps keep the camera and lens farther from reflective surfaces—particularly useful for product, tabletop, and precision macro work.

Away from macro distances, it remains a fully capable 135 mm telephoto cinema prime for portraits, close-ups, inserts, and compressed-perspective compositions, extending the range of the MUSE PRIME system without requiring a dedicated specialty lens for macro work.

Extended Large-Format Coverage

Coverage beyond standard full-frame and VistaVision formats.

MUSE PRIME is designed around a 46.5 mm image-circle standard, providing full coverage for full-frame, VistaVision, and comparable large-format cinema sensors. Across the series, usable coverage extends farther, reaching the FUJIFILM GFX 16:9 image area.*

That additional image-circle margin gives cinematographers more flexibility for Open Gate capture, reframing, stabilization, horizon correction, and multiple delivery aspect ratios, while leaving more room to work creatively within the outer image field.

*The specified image-circle design standard for MUSE PRIME is 46.5 mm. Usable coverage may extend beyond this nominal design area.

A Consistent T1.8 from 25 mm to 100 mm

One working stop across six core focal lengths.

The six core focal lengths from 25 mm through 100 mm share a consistent T1.8 (f/1.7) maximum aperture.

That consistency keeps exposure and low-light performance predictable as lenses are changed, allowing cinematographers to move through the focal-length range without repeatedly compensating with lighting, ISO, or filtration. It also helps maintain a continuous working rhythm on set and a consistent visual language across the series.

Large-Format Depth and a Fully Usable T1.8

Designed to perform at T1.8, not simply reach it.

MUSE PRIME was designed from the outset with T1.8 as a true working stop. At maximum aperture, resolution, contrast, off-axis performance, and aberration balance remain within the intended imaging character of the lens rather than requiring the lens to be stopped down to deliver its designed look.

T1.8 is also where Melted Bokeh｜渐融焦外 is most pronounced, combining strong subject separation with the natural depth and dimensionality of the large-format image.

With equivalent framing, the depth of field at T1.8 on full frame is comparable to approximately f/1.1 on Super 35, depending on the specific Super 35 sensor area used for comparison.*

Across the focal-length range, color, contrast, defocus rendering, and skin-tone reproduction are tuned for consistency, allowing cinematographers to change focal lengths without disrupting the visual character of a scene.

*Depth-of-field equivalence refers to equivalent framing and does not imply equivalent exposure. T-stop governs transmitted light; depth of field is determined by optical aperture, focal length, subject distance, and format size.

Compare defocus rendering across focal lengths
Captured with MUSE PRIME 25mm

25mm

A wide perspective that keeps people dimensional within their environment.

The MUSE PRIME 25mm keeps a generous sense of environment around the subject without the exaggerated feel of an ultra-wide field of view. It is a natural choice for environmental portraits, two-shots, group compositions, handheld and Steadicam work, and narrative frames where character and location carry equal visual weight.

Magnesium Alloy and Precision All-Metal Construction

Lower weight through material choice and mechanical engineering—not compromise.

MUSE PRIME combines a precision all-metal internal structure with magnesium-alloy exterior components to reduce weight without sacrificing the rigidity and durability expected of a professional cinema lens. Component design and manufacturing processes were developed specifically around the mechanical requirements of the MUSE PRIME system and the demands of everyday production use.

The metal chassis provides a stable foundation for the optical groups, stainless-steel mount, focusing mechanism, and iris assembly, while magnesium alloy delivers a high strength-to-weight ratio where reduced mass matters most. The result is a rigid, durable lens body with substantially less overall weight.

Consistent Professional Cinema Mechanics

Change focal lengths without rebuilding the camera around the lens.

Across the MUSE PRIME series, every lens shares a 95 mm front diameter, 86 mm filter thread, standard 0.8 MOD gearing, and consistent focus and iris gear positions. Matte boxes, filters, follow-focus units, lens motors, and other accessories can remain in place as focal lengths change, minimizing unnecessary adjustment between setups.

That mechanical consistency is especially valuable on gimbals, Steadicam, cranes, remote heads, and motion-control rigs, where even small changes in lens dimensions or gear position can require additional balancing or reconfiguration.

CONSISTENT FOCUS GEAR POSITIONCONSISTENT IRIS GEAR POSITION

PL and LPL Mount Options

Established compatibility with the flexibility to work across modern camera systems.

MUSE PRIME is available in both PL and LPL mount configurations.

PL remains one of the most widely established standards in professional cinematography, with broad compatibility across cameras, accessories, and rental inventories. LPL uses a larger mount diameter and shorter flange focal distance, providing greater optical design freedom for large-format lens systems while supporting current-generation cinema camera platforms.

Together, the two mount options allow MUSE PRIME to integrate easily into established production workflows while remaining adaptable to newer large-format camera systems.

Custom Optical Configuration for a More Personal Image Character

MUSE PRIME can be individually configured beyond its standard optical specification. Through custom coatings and selected optical adjustments, characteristics such as flare, contrast, color rendering, perceived sharpness, and bokeh can be tuned toward a specific visual direction.

This gives cinematographers, production companies, and rental houses the option to build a more distinctive version of the MUSE PRIME look while retaining the core characteristics of the platform—including large-format coverage, T1.8 performance, controlled focus breathing, and consistent professional mechanics.

Rather than treating customization as a cosmetic variation, these configurations are intended as long-term working tools for productions and cinematographers seeking a repeatable, identifiable image character.

TECHNICAL DATA

Specifications

Download MUSE PRIME specification sheet
Specification25 mm T1.832 mm T1.840 mm T1.850 mm T1.875 mm T1.8100 mm T1.8135 mm Macro T2.8
Lens MountLPL / PL
Focal Length25 mm32 mm40 mm50 mm75 mm100 mm135 mm Macro
ApertureT1.8–T22T1.8–T22T1.8–T22T1.8–T22T1.8–T22T1.8–T22T2.8–T22
Image Circle46.5 mm
MOD* from Lens Front160 mm / 6.3 in210 mm / 8.5 in260 mm / 10.2 in360 mm / 14.6 in610 mm / 24 in860 mm / 34.6 in140 mm / 5.9 in
MOD** from Sensor Plane300 mm / 11.8 in350 mm / 13.8 in400 mm / 15.7 in500 mm / 19.7 in750 mm / 29.5 in1000 mm / 39.4 in300 mm / 11.8 in
Breathing Effect (Infinity – Close Focus)< 2%< 2%< 2%< 2%< 2%< 2%Infinity–0.1× ≈ 3%; 0.1×–1× ≈ 17%
Focus Rotation270°
Iris Rotation63° (Non-Linear Scales)
Angle of View (Diameter)84.8°73°61°49.4°33.8°25.3°18.2° (0.1×), 15.7° (1×)
Filter Diameter86 mm
Front Diameter95 mm / 3.7 in
Iris Blades11 Blades, Rounded Diaphragm (Customizable Diaphragm)***
Length to Mount98.5 mm / 3.9 in98.5 mm / 3.9 in98.5 mm / 3.9 in98.5 mm / 3.9 in98.5 mm / 3.9 in98.5 mm / 3.9 in114 mm / 4.5 in
Weight — LPL Mount907 g / 2 lb928 g / 2.05 lb893 g / 1.97 lb804 g / 1.76 lb899 g / 1.98 lb898 g / 1.98 lb935 g / 2.06 lb
Weight — PL Mount858 g / 1.89 lb880 g / 1.95 lb843 g / 1.86 lb754 g / 1.66 lb851 g / 1.88 lb844 g / 1.86 lb884 g / 1.95 lb

* Distance from the subject to the first lens element.

** Distance from the subject to the sensor plane.

*** A bespoke iris is part of the customization service; feasibility and pricing are assessed individually.

Specifications updated 21 April 2025

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