The BSC Expo 2026 took place from Thursday, February 12th to Saturday, February 14th in London. Three of us from UCO (Union des Chef·fes Opérateurs) strolled through the aisles of Battersea Evolution this year: Valentine Lequet, Mathis D’Angelo, and myself. This edition had a unique feel: that of a profession that refuses to choose between film and pixels, between the charm of analog and the exhilarating allure of very large formats.

Vintage endures

At first glance, a hint of nostalgia hung in the air at Battersea Evolution, with the continued presence of “vintage” formats like analog video and film. For example, one could spot some unusual video camcorders dating from the 90s/2000s with their “Low Tech” aesthetic. Camco proudly proclaims itself “probably the world’s largest camcorder rental company, ” a humorous statement that also serves as a reminder to embrace all aesthetics. Perhaps it’s time to dig through your closets and dig out your old Hi8, Digital8, MiniDV, or VHS camcorder. Similarly, Super 8mm and Super 16mm were still very much in evidence, with, for example, the presence of the London-based on8mil lab, which develops and scans 8mm/S8mm and 16mm/S16mm film. Kodak, meanwhile, maintained a strong presence at the BSC with its vibrant booth, which this year featured a truly unique product: the imposing red K65K, a beast capable of shooting 65mm film at up to 800 FPS! An oddity that deserved a closer look, leading to a short interview with Lucas Bonicalza, to be read soon on the UCO website.

65mm takes center stage

On the other end of the technological spectrum, the arrival of new, very large digital formats is imposing its own vocabulary. 65mm was on everyone’s lips with the announcement of several lenses covering these imposing diagonals, already offered by cameras like the ARRI 265, the Alexa 65, the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65, and the Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55. The Zeiss Panoptes 65mm series, announced at BSC, will cover the sensor of the aforementioned 65mm cameras. It draws inspiration from Zeiss’s new modern full-frame series. Ten focal lengths are planned for this summer: 25mm, 35mm, 40mm, 45mm, 55mm, 70mm, 90mm, 110mm, 135mm, and 180mm, all with a T2.2 aperture. This series will also join the brand-new Zeiss lens family, recently unveiled in London: the Aatma lenses. These lenses cover the full-frame format and are presented as an optical legacy of older series like the Zeiss Contax and Zeiss SuperSpeed, with a focus on delivering a distinctive and unique look. They are characterized by soap-bubble bokeh (a feature of the older 50mm Contax lenses) and reduced contrast, resulting in softer skin textures. Added to this will be the brand’s renowned mechanical reliability and metadata integration. Nine focal lengths will be available by June 2026: 18mm, 25mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 85mm, 100mm, and 135mm, all with a T1.5 aperture. Atlas Lens Co also offers a new Kaizen 65 anamorphic series in LPL mount (already present at the AFC Micro Salon) which will offer the possibility of working the height of the 4/3 format of the Fujifilm while offering a 1.5x anamorphic. Five focal lengths will be available: 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm, all with a T2.5 aperture, and will also cover ARRI 265, Alexa 65, and Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K65 sensors. Angénieux’s 12x Ultra 65 zoom lens covers a 60mm diagonal and is therefore compatible with cameras with 65mm sensors. Its focal length range extends from 46mm to 556mm at T5.6. We took a closer look at the Optimo Prime IOP lenses: they offer the possibility of modifying internal elements such as the iris blades (to install an oval aperture, for example), the coating of the elements, etc. A very interesting accessory is added to this: a 0.75x “wide angle” adapter that screws onto the front of the 18mm to transform it into 13.5mm in no time with reduced distortion on the edges.

Spherical optics: Vantage SL

We were thrilled to learn that Vantage is releasing a “compact” series: the Vantage SL (Super Light). It will capture the spirit of the Vantage One, but with a T2 aperture, and will easily fit on a DJI Ronin 4D/Sony Rialto mini. Announced for September, the Super 35 spherical lenses will be in PL mount (E, EF, and Z mounts to come) and will range from 19mm to 100mm at T2 with a 50mm front diameter. Vantage promises a smooth, rounded bokeh, beautiful skin tones, reduced contrast, and vibrant colors. Here is the very first model shown at the show by Alexander Bscheidl:

Lighting: Umbrellas, COBs, and the Tropics

Cineveam presented its three round “umbrella” projectors with LED strips sewn inside: the S20R, S30R, and S50R. These projectors unfold and can be set up in seconds. They will be available from Zebra in April. At the Nanlux booth, cinematographer Rodney Charter ASC CSC demonstrated the latest product: the 5C. This 5W mini COB features an internal power supply and is compatible with the Nebula C8 and a wide range of accessories. The internal battery promises one hour of runtime in full power mode, and significantly more with the additional battery. The complete kit will include eight lights and all necessary accessories (dome, diffusers, optical nose, cutouts, shutters, etc.). The product will also be CRMX compatible. Innport will be the French distributor. To finish on a more tropical note: new reflectors shone at Dédolight with the EFLECT “TROPICALS” which allow bi-color effects adjustable in sharpness and shape. And to conclude this London overview, a word of gratitude to our partners present on site: Blackmagic Design
LCA
Nikon
One Stop Cine
Panavision
Sony
Vantage
Zebra
Zeiss
Innport