Behind the Lens: Kismet DP Duncan O’Bryan Featured in British Cinematographer’s “Focus on Lenses”
This May, Kismet DP Duncan O’Bryan is featured in British Cinematographer magazine’s “Focus on Lenses” supplement, offering his insights in the widely-read “Creative Choices” column. Known for his nuanced approach to visual storytelling and ability to adapt lens choices to emotional tone, O’Bryan shares a refreshing perspective on format, optical character, and the growing complexity of lens-language in today’s industry.
Blurring Boundaries of Format
In the interview, O’Bryan reflects on how sensor formats influence focal-length decisions, noting his recent shift back toward shooting on film—particularly with lenses originally built for large-format digital systems now paired with 35mm film cameras. It’s a creative recalibration, not just a technical experiment. “Putting lenses designed for larger formats onto a 35mm film camera” has, he says, pushed him to re-evaluate image scale and perspective in new ways. He also critiques the outdated shorthand often used to describe sensor formats. Terms like “crop sensor” or “large format” no longer reflect the subtle gradations between digital and film systems, especially when factoring in the diversity of lens designs across platforms.
For O’Bryan, lens choice is always in service of the story.
Formerly drawn to wider lenses—like the 35mm—he now tailors focal lengths based on emotion and space. He recalls using a 105mm for a particularly intimate scene between a daughter and estranged father. “We needed something that would reach right out and see the fire in her eyes,” he shares.
In contrast, he turned to an 18mm lens to visually underscore a character’s emotional isolation, showing her dwarfed in a large, empty room. The wide lens choice, in this case, was less about coverage and more about atmosphere—something O’Bryan does with remarkable consistency.
The Lens/Format Partnership
What emerges from the feature is a belief that lenses don’t function in a vacuum. Their impact is tied to format, sensor behavior, and even processing style. For instance, vintage large-format lenses used on smaller sensors might bring unexpected edge characteristics or softness. On the flip side, shooting at larger formats may subtly correct those same artifacts. It’s a balance of intention and adaptability.
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He highlights how photochemical film handles off-axis light differently than digital sensors. On film, even an 8mm lens can deliver clean results, whereas digital sensors are more prone to chromatic aberration and corner distortion.
Navigating Innovation and Reality
O’Bryan also keeps things grounded. He notes that fast glass for large-format systems is often impractical—bulky, expensive, or limited in speed. He’s comfortable working at f/4 or f/5.6 when needed, especially when the format itself (like 65mm) delivers spatial depth and clarity even at modest apertures. The key is understanding how format and lens interact—not chasing specs blindly.
A Practice Rooted in Purpose
What defines O’Bryan’s approach is an unwavering narrative focus. His interest isn’t in technical novelty, but in using tools to evoke feeling. “If the story is satisfied,” he says, “everything I’m doing only matters insofar as the story is being told right.” That sense of humility, matched with optical fluency, sets his work apart.
Optical Intentionality in a Changing Industry
Through this feature in British Cinematographer, Kismet DP Duncan O’Bryan reminds us that lens choice is not just a technical decision—it’s a storytelling act. In an age where sensor sizes and lens libraries grow ever more complex, his approach offers clarity: choose tools that listen to the story, not override it.
Read the full feature — “Creative Choices” in the Focus on Lenses series for British Cinematographer or the supplement — here: British Cinematographer