ZEISS SUPER SPEED S16 MKI 12MM PRIME

Owner´s words : This is a phenomenal lens. It’s surprisingly clean inside for its age. Must have been the least used of a well kept set. There’s some very minimal wear and some very light cleaning marks on the exterior lenses. Normal stuff to be expected with lenses of this age. I noticed there’s a spec or two of dust on the front element in the photo and I didn’t have a blower handy. The focus and iris action is perfectly smooth from end to end. Iris blades are clean. I snagged this as I was first building my super speed set but have over collected a bit and this and some other s16 lenses have to go. I’m including the PL adapter which is pretty expensive as well as the focus and iris gears, and the front ring adapter to an 80mm outside diameter if you want to match your lens fronts to 80. The original box is included. Also front and back caps as seen in the photos. Not seen in photos, but is also included: the original focusing tabs and parts.
I haven’t used it a ton since I got it, but I did use it with an aspheron wide angle adapter quite a bit on one project. If requested I can send some stills / clips from that footage.

The Zeiss Super Speed S16 MKI 12mm is a rare and historically significant individual prime from the original and pioneering first generation of the legendary Zeiss Super Speed S16 lineage, delivering the exceptional T1.3 maximum aperture and distinctive optical character that launched the Super Speed series as one of the most influential and celebrated lens families in professional Super 16mm filmmaking history. As one of the widest focal lengths in the Super Speed S16 family, the MKI 12mm provides cinematographers with an expansive wide-angle perspective ideal for immersive environmental storytelling, confined interior spaces, and dynamic handheld work, while offering the original and unmistakably vintage Zeiss optical rendering that distinguishes the first-generation MKI from its later MKII and MKIII successors. Compact, lightweight, and built to ARRI PL mount standards, this lens is a compelling and collectible choice for documentary, independent film, and television productions seeking the authentic first-generation Super Speed optical character and the unique vintage rendering that only the original MKI generation can deliver.

Key Features:
The fast T1.3 maximum aperture delivers exceptional low-light performance and a beautifully cinematic wide-angle rendering, making this lens a highly capable tool for available-light shooting, immersive handheld work, and dynamic documentary cinematography.
The MKI designation identifies this as a first-generation Super Speed prime, offering the original and most distinctively vintage Zeiss Super Speed optical character that predates and differs meaningfully from the refined MKII and MKIII successors.
The 12mm focal length provides an expansive wide-angle perspective critically important for Super 16mm production, offering immersive environmental coverage, strong spatial context, and dynamic visual energy across a broad range of shooting scenarios.
The original MKI optical formula delivers a uniquely vintage rendering with a softer contrast signature, more characterful flare behavior, and a distinctly organic image quality that sets it apart from the more refined optical performance of later Super Speed generations.
Built with a robust metal barrel construction and PL mount compatibility, this lens integrates reliably with a wide range of professional S16 cinema camera bodies including the ARRI SR3 and ARRI 416.
The rarity of the MKI 12mm as an individual focal length makes it a particularly collectible and sought-after acquisition for cinematographers and collectors seeking the authentic first-generation Super Speed optical experience.
Minimal focus breathing and smooth, well-damped focus and aperture rings make this lens practical for focus pullers working in fast-paced, run-and-gun, and documentary production environments.