Cinematographer Declan Quinn Brings Decades of Cooke Lens Experience to A Suitable Boy with S4/i Primes
data-src=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c562aaf4-bpthumb.jpg data-srcset=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c561c0e7-bpfull.jpg 2x class=lazyload avatar avatar-80 photo height=80 width=80 />
Brie Clayton January 15, 2021
0 Comments
When it came time to select lenses for the Lookout Point's six-episode series of Vikram Seth's bestselling novel A Suitable Boy, DP Declan Quinn knew exactly what he wanted: Cooke Optics' flagship spherical S4/i primes.
Produced to extremely high production standards and directed by Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, A Suitable Boy tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala) as she comes of age in North India in 1951, at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. The series involves more than a hundred characters, many belonging to one of four extended families.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/15223657/DeclanQuinn2_1200-1024x681.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2350256/>Mira Nair has been trying to make a live-action adaptation of A Suitable Boy ever since its publication in 1993, but the BBC Studios-owned UK production company Lookout Point only recently secured the rights. I've worked with Mira for a long time, with a history that goes back to 1996 with Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love and Monsoon Wedding in 2001, which was a homage to the book of A Suitable Boy, said Quinn. Aesthetically we're on the same page. Mira starts with a look book'; paintings, fashion and location pictures from her first scouting trip to India, then I add images from other movies or photographers and we narrow everything down to create a cinematic grammar for the story.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/15223710/DeclanQuinn3_1200-1024x683.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2350257/>The series was shot in 4K with four Sony Venice cameras - two each for the primary and second unit - and both units started out with full sets of Cooke S4/i primes (16/18/25/32/40/50/75/100/135mm) and a set of re-housed vintage Cooke Speed Panchros, all from One Stop Films of London.
Quinn first used Cooke lenses in film school in the 1970s. I knew they were something special, he said. I love the Cooke vintage lenses, the 25-250mm big Varotol zoom lens and then the 20-60mm zoom, it is just a beautiful lens that covers the focal lengths I like for hand held work. The sharpness and ability to keep close focus is unparalleled for a zoom lens of that time.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/15223818/DeclanQuinn4_1200-1024x683.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2350259/>Quinn's only problem with using his vintage 20-60mm zoom today is that it doesn't cover large format sensors. I just can't go all the way wide - 25mm is about the widest in 4K, he noted. But in 1998, Quinn found another set of Cooke lenses to love. When the original S4/i primes came out, I tested them. That's all it took for me to use them on every film for years, and I also started experimenting with vintage glass, like the Cooke Speed Panchros.
Quinn was so comfortable with his choice of the Cooke S4/i primes that he didn't even do any lens tests. I've got a long history with this lens and the Cooke Look . I knew what Mira was after and the S4/i delivered what she needed, while giving me what I needed: true colour, flesh tones - where the warmness of the Cookes worked wonderfully with the warm Indian flesh tones, sharpness across the entire field, a coating that's great for flare and exterior work, and reliability in a hot and dusty environment. The S4/i's were a solid choice for this project.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/15223830/DeclanQuinn5_1200-1024x683.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2350260/>One major change made after the first week of filming was to discontinue using the vintage Speed Panchros. They flare differently than the S4/i does, explained Quinn. With the S4s, I have more control with the flare and colours, so I decided to stick with the S4/i's because it is easier to grade when intercutting footage shot by two different units.
With a very dialogue-driven script with many characters, Quinn's tendency was to approach A Suitable Boy with natural light and to see faces most of the time, as opposed to silhouette. We would have the camera move through a scene from a certain character's perspective - usually Lata's [the story's heroine]. Tom Walden, our A Cam/Steadicam operator would keep a moving master shot where most of the scene played out. This wasn't a wide shot, but a very useable shot where the camera would flow through the space to follow the gist of the conversation. It was all choreographed, and we would use cuts to cover the other characters as they needed to be covered.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/15223854/DeclanQuinn6_1200-1024x683.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2350261/>Quinn's hero lenses for A Suitable Boy were the 32 and 40mm. Those have been my favourites for most of my career, said Quinn. They represent the human visual perspective the best and are great at separating the actors from the background. And with a 2:1 [18:9] aspect ratio, the 32/40 combo works very nicely.
With large format sensors becoming more commonplace, Quinn does have some experimenting to do. The S4/i are great lenses, but I'm looking forward to testing the S7/i for larger format projects.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/0
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
Cinematographer Declan Quinn Brings Decades of Cooke Lens Experience to A Suitable Boy with S4/i Primes 
