These are the best cine lenses for low light when you want fast T-stops, clean contrast at wide apertures, low breathing, and long buttery focus throws for narrative night exteriors, music promos, weddings, concerts, and moody interiors—and here’s what to look for as you buy: prioritize true speed (T1.3–T1.8 on primes; T2 on S35 zooms), strong wide-open performance (coma/astigmatism control, gentle halation), consistent color across the set, large image circles (FF/VV where possible), and metadata (/i, XD, LDS) if you’re doing VP/VFX; if you must run zooms, favor the fastest options you can carry and keep coverage short-to-mid to stay at or below T2.9; standardize fronts (95/114/136 mm) so one matte box and diffusion/VND set rides across the kit, and match weights for quick gimbal swaps. Full-frame/VV prime heroes for speed: Leica Summilux-C T1.4 (compact, beautiful micro-contrast, elegant skin), ARRI Signature Prime T1.8 (creamy rolloff, minimal breathing, LDS-2), ZEISS Supreme Prime T1.5 (neutral-modern with optional XD data), Cooke S7/i T2.0 (classic warm “Cooke glow” with modern control—plenty fast on high-ISO cams), Tokina Vista T1.5 (VV coverage, velvety bokeh, low breathing), Sigma FF High Speed T1.5/T1.3 (sharp, consistent, value workhorse), and Canon Sumire T1.3–T2.2 (speed plus warm tonality and graceful flare when you want mood); stylized night-flare option: ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance T1.5 with controlled blue-leaning flare you can repeat shot-to-shot. Super35 speed legends: ARRI/Zeiss Master Prime T1.3 (near-zero breathing, “perfect-but-creamy” wide open), Cooke S4/i T2.0 (not the fastest on paper but gorgeous at T2 with skin-friendly contrast), Zeiss Super Speeds T1.3 (vintage character with real speed), and Canon K-35 T1.4 rehousings (classic soft-edged night bloom); value S35 primes: DZOFilm Vespid T2.1 and Meike FF/S35 T2.1/T1.5 pairs—surprisingly clean at price and easy to cover a set. Fast zooms for dark sets: Sigma Cine 18–35 T2 + 50–100 T2 (S35 two-lens coverage that behaves like primes at T2), Angénieux EZ-2 15–40 T2.0 S35 / T3.0 FF and EZ-1 30–90 T2.0 S35 / T3.0 FF (convertible, fast in S35 mode), and Fujinon Cabrio 19–90/20–120 T2.9 (S35 servo-ready—use on dual-native ISO bodies or add a stop of light); for FF, most parfocal zooms top out at T2.8–T3.0—treat them as “when you must” coverage and lean on primes for the darkest work. Practical buyer tips: build a 3–5 lens low-light spine around your format—FF: 25/35/50/75/100 at T1.4–T1.8 (e.g., Summilux/Supreme/Vista/Sigma HS), S35: 18/25/32/50/75 at T1.3–T2 (Master/S4/Super Speeds) and add the Sigma T2 zoom pair for handheld coverage; standardize fronts and gear spacing so your FIZ marks don’t move, test flare/halation at your target T-stop (street sodiums, LEDs, neon), and confirm coverage for open-gate/6K modes; if you need character, mix a single “hero” lens (Sumire, Radiance, K-35) for close-ups while keeping a neutral set for continuity. Low-light shooting tips: rate exposure by T-stop, lock a 180° shutter, and let ISO float on dual-native sensors; protect highlights first—lift shadows with noise-managed log rather than clipping practicals; focus wide open with a bright onboard and marks (long throws earn their keep), enable breathing compensation where supported, and keep filtration simple (⅛ diffusion to taste, avoid stacked NDs at night); use negative fill to deepen faces without raising ISO, add tiny edge lights for separation, and ride practical dimmers for contrast; if zooming, keep focal lengths shorter and moves measured—T2.9 reads cleaner around 24–50 mm than at the long end; for gimbals, pre-balance to your heaviest fast prime, keep lens weights similar, and mind condensation on night exteriors; whether you’re crafting neon-soaked dialogue, candlelit vows, late-club performances, or handheld noir alleys, the best low-light cine choices—fast T1.3–T1.8 primes (Summilux/Signature/Supreme/S7-i/Vista/Sigma HS, plus Master/Super Speeds on S35) and a pragmatic T2 zoom pair—deliver speed with controlled breathing and trustworthy color so your shadows stay rich, your highlights roll, and your footage feels cinematic straight off the timeline.