BLACKWING7 T-Tuned Lenses: Character You Can See

Some lenses are designed to deliver the cleanest, sharpest image possible. The BLACKWING7 lenses from TRIBE7 take a different approach.

Purpose-built for large-format filmmaking, BLACKWING7 lenses are designed to give cinematographers control over characteristics such as sharpness, contrast, focus roll-off, halation and flare. The result is modern cinema glass with plenty of personality.

At Aimimage, our set is specifically T-Tuned, or “Transient”, which sits at the heart of the BLACKWING7 range.

What Are BLACKWING7 Lenses?

BLACKWING7 lenses were designed from the ground up for large-format motion picture cameras. Rather than chasing technical perfection, their design deliberately introduces controlled optical characteristics to create a more expressive image.

The inspiration partly comes from lenses produced between the 1930s and 1960s, but these aren’t vintage lenses that have simply been rehoused. They’re modern optics designed to capture some of the qualities filmmakers love about older glass while working with contemporary cameras and production requirements.

TRIBE7 describes the concept in terms similar to tuning a musical instrument: different elements of the image can be adjusted to create a particular visual tone.

What Does T-Tuned Mean?

BLACKWING7 lenses are available with different tuning profiles, including S (Straight), T (Transient) and X (Expressive). Each changes the way the lens behaves and the character it brings to the image.

Our lenses are T-Tuned, with the T standing for Transient.

Transient sits between the cleaner Straight tuning and the more heavily stylised Expressive option. The T-Tuned lenses produce a slightly softer, more artistic image, with greater light reactivity, increased edge halation and more prominent flaring than the S-Tuned versions.

In practical terms, that makes them a great choice when you want noticeable lens character without it completely taking over the shot.

Made for Large-Format Filmmaking

While their look takes inspiration from the past, BLACKWING7 lenses are very much designed for modern productions.

The range offers a broad choice of focal lengths and is purpose-built for large-format capture. That makes the lenses a natural pairing for today’s full-frame and large-format cinema cameras while giving DPs an alternative to the ultra-clean rendering associated with some contemporary glass.

They’re particularly interesting for narrative projects, commercials, music videos and other productions where the lens itself can play a part in establishing the visual identity.

BLACKWING7 T-Tuned Lenses at Aimimage

For anyone who finds modern lenses a little too perfect, our BLACKWING7 T-Tuned (Transient) set offers something different.

You get the benefits of glass designed for contemporary large-format filmmaking alongside a distinctive rendering that can introduce softer roll-off, halation and expressive flares into the image.

If you’re considering BLACKWING7 lenses for an upcoming production, speak to the Aimimage team about testing the T-Tuned set and finding the right combination for your camera and creative approach.