ZEISS has opened registration for the closed BETA phase of CinCraft Virtual Lens Technology, a new plugin that brings real-world lens characteristics into digital compositing. The software is designed for Nuke and targets VFX professionals who want to achieve authentic optical effects without relying on filmed reference plates.
Part of the expanding CinCraft ecosystem, the Virtual Lens simulates how physical lenses behave — from cat-eye bokeh and focus fall-off to chromatic aberration and distortion. The technology uses raytracing principles and GPU acceleration to reproduce these artefacts in real time, making it possible to apply consistent, lens-true effects across shots directly within a 2D workspace.
Artists can select from a digital library of lenses in the same way they would rent optics from a camera house, allowing postproduction teams to match footage from various sources or stylise shots without compromising realism. ZEISS positions the tool as a bridge between production and post, closing the gap between on-set optics and digital finishing.
The closed BETA runs from December 2025 through February 2026, and participants will receive access to the Nuke plugin along with direct feedback channels to the ZEISS development team (Tell them “Hi!” From the Digital Production Team when you do 😉 ). Applications are open now via zeiss.com/vlt-closed-beta.
The move expands ZEISS’ footprint in virtual production and post workflows. With products like CinCraft Scenario and CinCraft Mapper, the company has already established a digital backbone for lens data and camera tracking. The new Virtual Lens Technology extends that legacy into compositing — where glass meets pixels, and optical physics go fully virtual.
Official BETA Registration: zeiss.com/vlt-closed-beta
