We design and build superior tools that help cinematographers bring their magic to the world.
Our Company
Caldwell Photographic Inc. was founded by J. Brian Caldwell in 2001, initially as a consulting company specializing in lens design and optical engineering. Under Brian’s leadership, the company quickly took on cutting-edge projects that “pushed the envelope.”
Highlights include:
In 2007 the company teamed up with WBDesign, Jenoptik Optical Systems and Megavision to develop 60mm and 120mm hyperspectral macro lenses corrected from ultraviolet through near-infrared, essential for forensics work in law enforcement. These lenses are also used extensively for cultural heritage imaging at institutions such as Oxford University, the U.S. Library of Congress and the Getty Museum for their research into and preservation of priceless documents and artworks.
The company again joined forces with WBDesign to develop the very successful Speed Booster series of focal reducers marketed by Metabones in 2010.
In 2018, Caldwell developed the “mother of all fish-eye lenses”, covering an incredible 270 degrees for true single-shot immersive imaging with high-end cameras such as the Sony Venice.
In 2019 Caldwell Photographic introduced a series of ground-breaking anamorphic prime lenses. Light weight, compact, fast, all of an identical size, and built to be modular and serviceable, the Caldwell Chameleons combine the widely admired look of classic anamorphic optics using counter-rotating Stokes focusing compensation with an elegant and robust mechanical design. Designed from the ground up to have an extraordinary degree of adaptability, the Chameleons are true to their name – built to meet the ever-changing needs of the film industry, both now and in the future.
J. Brian Caldwell PhD
With more than four decades of experience across multiple industries, including aerospace, military, consumer products, and cultural/fine arts, visionary lens designer and optical engineer, J. Brian Caldwell has to his credit 500+ design projects, a dozen patents, and 150+ different, successfully-manufactured products, including the Speed BoosterTM series of focal reducers and the Caldwell Chameleon anamorphic lenses.
Brian earned a Ph.D. in Optics from the University of Rochester in 1988. He then started Optical Data Solutions to develop LensVIEW, an extensive database of more than 30,000 optical designs from the patent literature. After working as an optical engineer first at Projectavision, and then at Concord Camera, he founded Caldwell Photographic Inc. in 2001 to develop and manufacture state-of-the-art optical products.
Wilfried Bittner
Wilfried Bittner is a mechanical engineer specializing in opto-mechanics with more than 30 years of experience in the optical and photographic industries in Germany and Hong Kong. He founded WB Design in 2006 to provide specialized mechanical design and product-development services. Wilfried and Brian have collaborated since 2000 on dozens of projects, ranging from consumer-level cameras to high-end cinematography and aerospace systems. Their work includes the 60mm UV-VIS-IR photographic lens licensed by Jenoptik Optical Systems and the highly successful Speed Booster series marketed by Metabones, with more than 250,000 units sold since 2010. In addition to his major contributions to the mechanical design of the Chameleon anamorphic lenses, Wilfried has designed and fabricated most of the custom alignment tools used in manufacturing and testing these complex systems. Outside of work, he enjoys international travel, swimming, and exploring Hong Kong’s culinary scene.
Eva Chan
Eva Chan has more than 30 years of experience in the camera and optics industries, beginning as a secretary and advancing to roles as assistant to the engineering director and executive assistant to the managing director. She currently works with Wilfried Bittner at WB Design in Hong Kong, overseeing product sourcing, supply-chain management, and customer and vendor relations. Eva has collaborated with Brian Caldwell on numerous projects since 2000. Her expertise—and exceptional language skills—have been crucial to developing and manufacturing the Chameleon series lenses. In 2000, she was named Hong Kong’s Best Secretary by the South China Morning Post. She is known for her organizational skill, business acumen, and diplomatic approach.
Michelle Fuksa
Originally from Denver, Michelle Fuksa holds a B.A. in Film and Electronic Arts (with a minor in Creative Writing) from California State University, Long Beach. She began her career working both at an equipment-rental house and on set with camera crews. In 2015 she became a Lens Technician at Keslow Camera while studying Optical Engineering at UC Irvine. In 2018 she moved to New York to pursue an M.S. in Optics at the University of Rochester, simultaneously consulting for Atlas Lens Co. After earning her degree, she returned to California as an Optical Engineer at Panavision, then spent nearly three years at Raytheon working on advanced satellite systems. In 2023 Michelle founded Eclipse Optical Engineering to expand her consulting work and develop new optical products for the film industry. She has consulted for Caldwell Photographic since 2021, engineering improvements to the Chameleon lenses for on-set durability and devising assembly techniques to maximize performance.
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson is a creative professional with more than 30 years of experience, including work as creative director for top Hollywood creative houses. Now running his own UK-based studio, Properly Creative, Mark continues to serve the film industry by developing branding, logos, packaging, motion design, and narrative content. He is currently lead creative for Caldwell and its lens families, which have become industry favorites.
Loren Lopez
Loren Lopez learned the value of hard work early in life, picking cotton, sugar cane, and coffee beans in her native El Salvador. After immigrating to the United States, she attended night school to improve her English, pursue citizenship, and earn her GED. Loren has five years of experience in jewelry manufacturing, working with high-grade diamonds due to her precision skills. She later gained expertise assembling inkjet, laser-jet, and spool-printer cartridges—mastering the organization and quality control of hundreds of precision components. At Caldwell Photographic, Loren’s responsibilities include mechanical and optical assembly, inventory control, lens repair, shipping, and general office support.
Greg Moeller
Greg brings more than 30 years of experience as a mechanical engineer specializing in opto-mechanical systems. His work spans military and medical optical systems, machine-vision platforms, and high-end optical test equipment. Greg began collaborating with Brian Caldwell more than fifteen years ago at Panavision Federal Systems. He founded TKS in 2018 as a mechanical-engineering consulting firm and has since partnered with Caldwell Photographic on multiple projects, including the Chameleon lenses and the Neo Baltar, Neo Super Baltar, and Ultra Baltar series. Greg’s long-standing relationships with Southern California aerospace suppliers, combined with his project-management strengths, continue to be invaluable assets.
Erwin Scholz (1958 – 2024)
With more than 40 years of experience in mechanical and opto-mechanical engineering in the photographic and photonics industries, Erwin Scholz held nine patents and designed focal plane shutters, digital cameras, zoom lenses, infrared optics, and medical-instrument systems.
Erwin was a vital part of the Chameleon design team from the very beginning, responsible for much of the core mechanical design and numerous engineering improvements. He held a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering/Precision Engineering from Germany. Erwin passed away in 2024 after a long battle with cancer. He is deeply missed as both a friend and colleague, and his contributions remain foundational to Caldwell Photographic.
Nessie
Nessie was adopted from the Pasadena Animal Shelter in November 2018 at approximately one year old. Staff described her as the smartest cat they had ever encountered. Originally named “Catness,” she quickly became known as “Nessie,” and prefers to be greeted with “High Ness.” As Caldwell Photographic’s receptionist and hostess, Nessie also serves as character judge, watchcat, and Morale Officer. She is agile and careful—never having knocked equipment to the floor—and enjoys watching the world from the front window and occasionally catching insects. Her only vice is shredding packing material without cleaning it up.