Sven Nykvist

Filmmaker

Swedish·b. 1922 – d. 2006

Known for:

Two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer, Ingmar Bergman's longtime collaborator, master of naturalistic light

Education:

Municipal School for Photographers, Stockholm; apprenticed at Sandrews studio

Sven Nykvist was a Swedish cinematographer who shot over 120 films across a career spanning more than five decades. Born in Moheda, Sweden, to Lutheran missionaries stationed in the Belgian Congo, he was raised by relatives and rarely saw his parents. He entered the Swedish film industry at 19 as an assistant cameraman at Sandrews studio. His collaboration with Ingmar Bergman, which began in 1953 and lasted through the 1980s, produced some of the most visually striking films in cinema history and earned him Academy Awards for Cries and Whispers (1972) and Fanny and Alexander (1982). He was the first European cinematographer admitted to the American Society of Cinematographers and worked with directors including Andrei Tarkovsky, Woody Allen, and Louis Malle.

Sven Nykvist's Gear List(7)

Zeiss Standard Speed Lenses

Zeiss

Product description

Zeiss/ARRI cinema primes introduced between 1964 and 1975 at T2.1, originally designed for Arriflex cameras. The Mark II version added T* multi-layer coatings and the Helicam internal focus system. Available from 10mm to 135mm in PL mount. Replaced by the Zeiss Ultra Primes.

Connection note

Used Zeiss Standard Speed primes on Autumn Sonata (1978) for Ingmar Bergman

Source: Website ↗

Angenieux 20-120mm T2.9 Zoom

Angenieux

Product description

Vintage Angenieux 6x cinema zoom from the 1960s and 70s with a T2.9 aperture and PL mount. Covers Super 35 format. Known for amber and magenta flares characteristic of original Angenieux coatings.

Connection note

Used Angenieux 20-120mm T2.9 zoom on Autumn Sonata (1978)

Source: Website ↗

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Last updated March 20, 2026

Product description

The Arriflex 35 BL (Blimped Lightweight), introduced in 1972, was the first self-blimped 35mm motion picture camera quiet enough for sync-sound shooting without an external housing. Its mirror-reflex viewfinder and rugged construction made it a standard tool in European and independent filmmaking from the 1970s onward.

Connection note

Primary camera for Bergman collaborations from the mid-1970s. Used on Autumn Sonata, Fanny and Alexander

Source: Website ↗

Arriflex II A

ARRI

Product description

The Arriflex 35 IIA, introduced in 1953, was an updated version of the original 1937 Arriflex 35 with a more robust steel film gate and improved 180-degree shutter. It used a three-lens turret with ARRI standard mounts and weighed 13 lbs. Over 17,000 Arriflex 35 cameras (IIA, IIB, IIC) were sold through 1979.

Connection note

Nykvist's personal Arriflex II A (serial #1819), engraved "Sven Nykvist Sawdust and Tinsel 1953." Given back to him by Bergman as a 60th birthday present

Source: Source ↗

Mitchell BNC

Mitchell

Product description

The Mitchell BNC (Blimped Newsreel Camera) was the standard studio motion picture camera in Hollywood from the 1930s through the 1960s. Its rock-steady registration, optical viewfinder, and compatibility with studio lighting rigs made it the instrument of classical Hollywood cinematography.

Connection note

Used on Ingmar Bergman's Persona (1966)

Source: Website ↗

Pentax Digital Spotmeter

Pentax

Product description

A 1-degree reflected-light spot meter with a pentaprism viewfinder and super multi-coated optics. Measures EV 1 through 20 at ISO 100, with an LED readout visible in any light. Powered by a single 6V battery.

Connection note

Ed Lachman confirmed: "Sven used a Pentax 5 spot meter, the same light meter I still use today." Personal unit sold at Bukowskis auction

Source: Interview ↗