The much-anticipated nominations for the 78th Annual Academy Awards have just been released, and three out of the five films nominated for Best Picture were shot through renowned Cooke S4 Prime lenses. Cooke Optics, an innovative manufacturer of fine, precision lenses for cinematography and ultra-high-end professional photography, was thrilled to have been specified as the lens of choice for the production of Best Picture nominees "Brokeback Mountain", "Munich", and "Capote". As in years past, Cooke's S4 Prime lenses continue to capture the shots that launch great films to a higher level of cinemagraphic excellence.

"Brokeback Mountain", nominated for both Best Picture and Outstanding Cinematography, captures the essence and beauty of Wyoming's rolling panoramic landscape with the aid of the Cooke S4 Prime lens. This stunning and bold film is a modern American love story, written by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx. The movie follows the lives of two men, Ennis Del Mar, played by Heath Ledger, and Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, hired to work as a ranch hand and rodeo cowboy. Director Ang Lee and Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto used Cooke S4 Primes to capture the enormity of Wyoming's expansive vista while maintaining the intimacy of this bittersweet love story. The film has already been honored with a Golden Globe award for Best Picture by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Nominated for Best Picture, Steven Spielberg's "Munich" employed Cooke S4 Primes in its bold portrayal of the terrorist attacks on 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, and the events that marked the aftermath. Using Cooke S4 Prime Lenses, Director of Photography Janusz Kaminski chronicles the intensely secret and widely unknown consequences of this tragic event are in a visually captivating and riveting film that has struck a cord with audiences everywhere.

"Capote", also nominated for Best Picture, is a portrayal of a popular writer Truman Capote's, search for a story. In 1959, Capote learns of a horrific murder of a family of four in Halcomb, Kansas and is compelled to visit the town to further research an article. The conflict between Capote's involvement with his research and his need for a conclusion for his story leads to the publication of In Cold Blood, a literary work that would redefine modern non-fiction. Director Bennett Miller and Cinematographer Adam Kimmel use the Cooke S4 Primes to convey events in this beautifully told, masterfully performed, and deeply moving film.

The Cooke 35mm Zoom lenses show their versatility and flexibility through their use in the Best Animated Motion Picture nominee, "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were Rabbit". This family film revolves around the adventures of the timeless characters Wallace and Gromit as their town's prized produce begins disappearing. The imaginative and inventive duo creates new ways to catch the culprit and save their beloved produce. This film combines the age-old art of stop-action claymation animation and Cooke Zoom lenses to help orchestrate a family classic that has been called «the best reviewed family film of the year!»

«Our team here at Cooke Optics is delighted that our lenses played a part in the making of these fine films. Cooke S4 Primes are preferred and chosen by many of the top directors of photography in Hollywood and around the world to bring their cinemagraphic vision to life,» stated Les Zellan, President of Cooke Optics. «When Hollywood comes calling, Cooke answers the call with superb, precision lenses that provide a visually stunning result in any genre of cinematography.»

Cooke Optics has been the chosen lens of many acclaimed Hollywood cinematographers for good reason. Cooke S4 Primes, renowned for their quality and precision, include focal lengths of 14, 16, 18, 21, 25, 27, 32, 35, 40, 50, 65, 75, 100, 135mm and the recently introduced 180mm with a close focus of only 4'3. All focal lengths are color balanced in order to create superior contrast and resolution above the full Super 35 format. Cooke S4 Primes give exceptional definition and quality in low light or shadow. They also warm image tone under all external, arc, or fluorescent lighting and Cooke's acclaimed multi-coating provides what's known in the cine realm as the «Cooke Look» – a lush, velvety appearance with rich warm colors.

Cooke is a legendary name in both the cinemagraphic and the ultra-high-end professional photography markets. Known worldwide for their precision, exacting tolerances and superior quality, Cooke lenses are requested by many of the world's most respected cinematographers in Hollywood. Cooke S4 Prime lenses, acclaimed for their unique mechanical design and extraordinary photographic qualities, have been used to shoot several of the most legendary and visually beautiful motion pictures of all time, both in Hollywood and internationally. Recent box office releases shot with Cooke lenses include "Brokeback Mountain", "Capote", "Munich", "Pride and Prejudice", "Casanova", "Jarhead", "The Wedding Crashers", "Mr. & Mrs. Smith", "Ray", and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire".

For more information about Cooke lenses, visit their website at www.cookeoptics.com

Source: emediawire