Epic Lens Test - Canon vs PL Elite

[Ryan De Franco]

You have to remember that the majority of people who make a liing in film and TV are not filmakers but crew.

+1. Lightfield lenses might be around for a few decades before filmmaking is entirely imagination capture (digital way, way beyond Pixar). Until then, I'll take the new O'Connor follow focus or Arri FF-5 for still lenses....

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

The DP can create way better personal focus "art" on a wireless Wacom screen/tablet which talks in real-time to an AF lens . . . they just use the stylus to control the focus zone/point and adjust the pull velocity instead of a dude turning a knob to hit marks. Cost will be a driver here as well - potentially eliminate one more guy on set. That is until someone brings Lytro's "Light Field" technology to cine - then this discussion and big ass mechanical lenses with gears will be stored with the buggy whips.

Play with these examples and tell me that this style of focusing (either during acquisition on Wacom or after through light field technology) is not the future:
http://www.lytro.com/living-pictures/2328
Click on the part of the image you want in focus - it pulls to that

http://wacom.com/en/Products/Cintiq.aspx

You do know that a 1st AC doesn't 'just' pull focus, right?

This won't eliminate any positions. If your idea were to be a possibility, the 1st AC would likely be pulling focus on the tablet. I don't see a big difference.

Your device is far and away from being ready. First off, you'll need a really quick and intuitive way to change factors such as feathering starts and stops, and speed... change them at a moments notice as the scene may change or be different from the time before. Also, I think the risk of error is higher. I accidentally touch the wrong app icon all the time on my smart phone. I can't imagine trying to touch a specific moving object in frame, if it isn't big and prominent.

Your idea is nice if you're doing simpler work, say an interview or a really obvious pre-set rack focus between objects. But in an active scene with actors, where improvisations, and changes occur, having your hand on an actual follow focus is a great way to make sure you can react and adapt as fast as the action changes.

I can, however, see how people who do not have access to a talented focus puller or cannot pull focus very well themselves would be tempted down this road. But once you have a good focus puller, you'll just decide it's easier to let him sit next to the damn camera and do his job.

It might be useful for macroshots, when DoF is very very shallow, and the shot is likely more set with less need for being able to adapt to changes.

I really don't think DP's are going to be pulling focus in the future. They have 1,000,000 other things to be thinking about and looking for. If a DP does do another job, it will more likely be operating.

[Jiri Vrozina]

FYI the new Nikon D800 and D4 which will be announced at the beginning of 2012 will both have 1080p uncomressed HDMI out. The D4 will have 102,000 ISO, that's a pretty compelling C cam for video.
The D800 will be 36MP too.

Until the redmote-pro starts shipping there is no elecronic follow focusing with any still lenses.
Once it does I'll be very curious to see how the Nikon and Canon lenses respond to it. Exciting times.

Dont worry about Canon and Nikon lenses and start using Zeiss ZEs.
No more PLASTIC here.

[Evin Grant]

Plastic has it's uses and the Zeiss ZE/F are not in the same leauge as the current G Nikkors, and yes, I've tested them side by side.

[Jiri Vrozina]

Well 21mm Zeiss and macro 100 are just perfect....should do more tests....
Nikon really should make new 50mm.

[conrad gaunt]

I own a set of zeiss zf's and a set of compact primes. When it comes to a moving subject that requires a focus pull, I'll choose the cp's every time. I can't imagine tring to pull focus on a canon lens,there is so much more to cinema glass than sharpness.

We spent £480 having focus gears attached to our zf set, focus pulling isn't an issue over here.. an iris pull would be tricky though.. except hdrx kinda makes them even less common

[D Fuller]

Auto Focus ? It's gonna be a little while before it's suitable for narrative filming... Might be a great way to pull off a shot now and then, when you'll let a computer cut your hair it's probably time to let it pull focus. Someday.

Matt Uhry

This might be the best quote of this thread!

As much as I love this technology, there is this really awful layer that can get between you, the artist, and the image you are making. You can spend 20 minutes getting the focus programmed just right, or you can spend 3 minutes setting marks and get the performance just right. It's your choice. have at it!

[D Fuller]

Well 21mm Zeiss and macro 100 are just perfect....should do more tests....
Nikon really should make new 50mm.

Yes. the 100mm macro is brilliant. The 50mm macro is pretty nice too. But Zeiss should be ashamed of the 50mm 1.4.

And yes, Nikon should make a new 50, now that they've shown what they can do with the 85, 35, and 24. And they should make a new 18 as well. and a new 105 that updates the Gauss 2.5. (I could keep them busy for a while if they let me. :-)

[paulherrin]

Auto Focus ? It's gonna be a little while before it's suitable for narrative filming... Might be a great way to pull off a shot now and then, when you'll let a computer cut your hair it's probably time to let it pull focus. Someday.

haha, now i want to cast a computer for sweeney todd, set in 2012...

[Jiri Vrozina]

Yes. the 100mm macro is brilliant. The 50mm macro is pretty nice too. But Zeiss should be ashamed of the 50mm 1.4.

And yes, Nikon should make a new 50, now that they've shown what they can do with the 85, 35, and 24. And they should make a new 18 as well. and a new 105 that updates the Gauss 2.5. (I could keep them busy for a while if they let me. :-)

+1
I wish ZEISS release new wide ZF/E Lenses soon .... new 15,18mm f2.8 would be nice..........