Is it right time to invest in lenses now???

[PatrickFaith]

Hi ,
Thanks for your replies....we have decided to wait till NAB 2012 in April ...
Harcharan

Great thread, makes sense that it's a good time to rent or use what u got. I still recently picked up a RPP and am glad that I did (but I have lined up work for it, I don't think I would get it if I didn't have a queue of projects). I think us "glad to be 4k" crowd and not thinking of anything else are in a much nicer situation then the "high" end cinematographers that are pushing the edge.

Some of the threads comment on used/old cinema glass, I think that is a great idea, but that requires almost a mentor for a young cinematographer to make the right decision(i'm kind of chicken on getting glass from people i don't know). This I think will be my long term strategy as I get more experience with cinema lenses.

As for a new complete set, I'm for sure in the "wait" mode .... probably all the way to Nov/Dec 2012 - to see how other's respond to RED and have the RED lenses in stock. This means waiting for NAB, possibly means waiting for late 2012/2013 for actual delivery.

[Cüneyt Kaya]

it totally depends on what you want to do with the lenses imho.
there are already plenty of very good glasses at affordable prices....with hits in the mechanics...which is normal at these prices.
only model i can think of are strict digital lenses only, like the optimo rouges which cost 1/3 compared to their film borthers.
i would be happy to see leica T1.8 lenses at 10k per lens....but yoou can have Ultra Primes for that money today.

so if its only for your own projects:
rpp, schneider, unique-optics, optimo rouges, compact primes, still glass.

if you really want to earn on renting,
get Ultra Primes, Cooke S4/S5 , leicas, Masters etc.

I dont expect Cooke to introduce a digital only line up...because they are so overbooked with their current line up, that you wait 12-18 months for a set. same goes for the leicas.

Maybe Zeiss will do something. Lets see.

I hope the new Primes of RED also have top mechanics and you can shim them. Right now its a little bit strange that you cant shim them by yourself. I used them, nice glass, but heavy and mediocre mechanics.

I wish T1.3 in the size of ultras with the right mechanics for 7,5k.
The T1.3 area is only covered by old zeiss HS lenses and new expensive Masters, Leicas and Cooke S5.
Another T1.8 lens would have a hard time in the rental market because of the Ultras Primes. They are 10k and are topnoth in every area. QC, sharpness, mechanics, worldwide support.

The 2x Anamorphic with real flares can be something too. For this i hope for a 4:3 Dragon sensor with improved DR and sensitivity...with a night mode, where you sacrifice DR to gain even more sensitivity.


Lets wait and see. I made the desicion for Cooke because of their Look AND their value on the rental market.

[Tim Duran]

Jannard's position on Red primes belies their practice and statements above: "The RPP's really are amazing... We have played with a ton of lenses over the last half a year, and the RPPs continually beat most in resolution and field illumination." Comments like this are in direct contradiction to the images Red produces showing Leica lenses attached to their own Epics. The great SALT thread supports Jannard's statement but with a proviso "...for the price." As I've said in the past, until Red produces lenses that can stand on their own amongst the key competition without the qualification that they are good in that price point, I'm not a buyer. Remember, with a multi-million dollar budget as is common for projects today, the added cost for glass that does not generate the negative or qualified sentiment that RPP's do is an inexpensive price to pay. And not taking responsibility for faulty distance marking on the lens does not impress me, either. You don't see the majors say "Oh, buy the way, if you want to have the lenses work properly, you need to ship them to Duclos for proper markings. What we sell you are only close approximations."

[Jon MIchael Puntervold]

Jannard's position on Red primes belies their practice and statements above: "The RPP's really are amazing... We have played with a ton of lenses over the last half a year, and the RPPs continually beat most in resolution and field illumination." Comments like this are in direct contradiction to the images Red produces showing Leica lenses attached to their own Epics. The great SALT thread supports Jannard's statement but with a proviso "...for the price." As I've said in the past, until Red produces lenses that can stand on their own amongst the key competition without the qualification that they are good in that price point, I'm not a buyer. Remember, with a multi-million dollar budget as is common for projects today, the added cost for glass that does not generate the negative or qualified sentiment that RPP's do is an inexpensive price to pay. And not taking responsibility for faulty distance marking on the lens does not impress me, either. You don't see the majors say "Oh, buy the way, if you want to have the lenses work properly, you need to ship them to Duclos for proper markings. What we sell you are only close approximations."

Hmm, I'm very happy with my first RPP - the 25mm. Extremly sharp and I love the image, f1.8 is fast... Markings are okay. I don't need a number between 35 and 40 centimeters...

[Michael Hastings]

I wish T1.3 in the size of ultras with the right mechanics for 7,5k.
The T1.3 area is only covered by old zeiss HS lenses and new expensive Masters, Leicas and Cooke S5.
Another T1.8 lens would have a hard time in the rental market because of the Ultras Primes. They are 10k and are topnoth in every area. QC, sharpness, mechanics, worldwide support.

The 2x Anamorphic with real flares can be something too. For this i hope for a 4:3 Dragon sensor with improved DR and se

what about Illumina S35?