Frequently Asked Questions

How will it take to rehouse my lenses?
New orders typically take 6-7 months to be built once payment has been received.

Do you sell finished sets or source lenses for clients?
We do not keep completed lenses in stock and we cannot, unfortunately, source lenses for clients.

What is the process for placing an order?
Whether you already own the base lenses or are planning to assemble a set from scratch, you can email us at info@zerooptik.com to get a precise quote for the specific focal lengths you have in mind. We require full payment before rehousing begins, but a 25% non-refundable deposit will hold your place in line and we will contact you for the remaining balance when your set comes up in the queue.

Do you offer discounts for ordering sets rather than individual lenses?
Our pricing is formulated with the expectation that most of our clients will order sets of at least 6-8 lenses.

Do you offer a warranty for the lenses you build?
We stand behind our designs and will fix or replace any problems caused by an assembly error or part defect, free of charge. Damage caused by impact or misuse is not covered under that guarantee, however, and is subject to a $125/hr service fee plus the cost of any parts that need to be replaced.

What if the lens I want to rehouse isn’t listed on the Zero Optik website? Can you design a rehousing for it?
We are always interested to know what lenses cinematographers would like to see rehoused, so please email us at info@zerooptik.com if we don’t already offer services for the lenses you have. Designs not listed here may, however, take longer than our typical 6-7 month lead-time.

I don’t need a full rehousing. Can you just modify my lens to PL mount and add focus and iris gears?
We don’t offer mount conversions or simple external modifications. In many cases, trying to build a PL mount onto a pre-existing still-photo housing is more labor-intensive and complicated than completely rebuilding the optics into a totally new housing.

Can you build a custom design, just for me/my company?
We don’t have the bandwidth to take on bespoke lens design at this time.

Can I get custom finishes and colors for my lenses?
For the sake of efficiency, we don’t presently offer custom anodizing colors or external finishes.

What does “rehousing” entail?
Every rehousing company has their own approach and philosophy. We rebuild everything to be as close to purpose-built cinema lenses as possible, so each glass element is removed from the original housing, cleaned, and installed into brand-new metalwork. We install new circular irises to ensure consistent bokeh across every set, at any stop, and re-calibrate the optics for centering and field symmetry. Whenever possible, we also improve minimum focus distance.

Can you recoat lenses with damaged coatings?
We do offer polishing and recoating of damaged elements, but it can quickly become expensive. For that reason, we recommend it only as a last resort for very rare or expensive lenses as it often exceeds the price of completely replacing a donor lens. We can replicate many historical coatings, but modern multicoatings require substantially more effort and expense.

Do you offer both metric and imperial focus scales?
We can engrave your focus scales in either metric or imperial units. Our housings are designed to allow for the quick removal and swapping of focus scales, so if you need both metric and imperial options, we can engrave additional scales for an additional cost.

Is it possible to make a lens’ aperture faster when you replace the iris?
The circular irises we install in all of our lenses do often open further than the original manufacturer aperture, but that rarely results in faster T-stops. The optics themselves are often the limiting factor, not the iris blades.

Can you estimate what kind of shipping and customs fees will be incurred when my lenses ship?
Shipping rates and customs duties fluctuate regularly and we do not have a way of estimating either of those in advance. Non-US clients are responsible for any import fees incurred during the shipping process and we cannot list the finished lenses as being worth less than the total of your original invoice.

Can I come tour your facility?
Because of the safety protocols required to operate while COVID-19 is still an ever-present threat, we cannot allow visits to our office.