RED 17-50 vs Zeiss ZE (25,50,85)

[Alexey Datsenko]

Could you tell me please what is better for EPIC and cinema movies?

1. RED 17-50 (6K USD) or
2. Zeiss ZE (25,50,85) (arround 5K)
3. Or buy one lense CP.2 (50 mm) and take in rent 25 or 85 mm.

Thank you

[Mark Toia]

Buy the ZOOM...

Same F stops and you get a pin sharp... 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 21, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 & 50mm lens...

Only buy primes if the lenses have F stops lower than F2...

Oh... don;t forget the 50 to 150......
You get another 50mm and a %1, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, .............................. all the way upto 150mm.. All at f2.8

Live long and prosper :)

[Alexey Datsenko]

Thank you

Zeis Ze 25/2, 50/1,4, 85/1,4

[Mark Toia]

Well those bright f Stops would make me want to have them... :)
You always need bright glass... but its also great to have a bunch of ZOOMs to get you working faster... and carrying less kit around.

If you can cover both, then your riding sweet...

[Alexey Datsenko]

The problem is that I see good footage with 17-50

it is very "cinema look"

http://vimeo.com/11952040

http://vimeo.com/31449453

But I can't find the good footage with Zeiss ZE
It is the best but it seems like old movies (80-th years)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlodC-gKDuY

And the rest is not good

http://vimeo.com/15341500

http://vimeo.com/9597325

[Max M.]

But red doesn't sell a 50-150 anymore :( please red, let us know you're working on a v2 version just like the 17-50, please?

[Shane Kelly]

I have both the 17-50 red pro zoom and a set of zeiss zf primes: Same lenses, just in nikon mount. The red zoom is useful for fast setup and reframing for an exterior or indoor lit shoot. It's reasonably sharp and is a great price for a pl zoom. It does breathe quite a bit but that's not always an issue. The zeiss lenses on the other hand are faster and sometimes you just need those extra few stops.
I'm not sure what you mean by the red zoom giving a more cinematic look. Either lens will give you that if you light and frame correctly.
It's tough to make a general recommendation as it really depends on your shooting style. I've been shooting a fairly low budget travel show with minimal equipment on my epic and decided to use my nikon mount as I could have a lighter package. Here's what I brought: nikon 17-35/2.8, zeiss 35/2. zeiss 50/1.4, zeiss 85/1.4, sigma 70-200/2.8 apo DG. I couldn't have transported that range of lenses in PL mount.
When I shoot in the studio, I may use a cinema zoom, my set of compact primes or other PL lenses.. There's no one lens that will do everything for you. What do you plan on shooting? Movies? music videos? Corporate?

[Alexey Datsenko]

I have both the 17-50 red pro zoom and a set of zeiss zf primes: Same lenses, just in nikon mount. The red zoom is useful for fast setup and reframing for an exterior or indoor lit shoot. It's reasonably sharp and is a great price for a pl zoom. It does breathe quite a bit but that's not always an issue. The zeiss lenses on the other hand are faster and sometimes you just need those extra few stops.
I'm not sure what you mean by the red zoom giving a more cinematic look. Either lens will give you that if you light and frame correctly.
It's tough to make a general recommendation as it really depends on your shooting style. I've been shooting a fairly low budget travel show with minimal equipment on my epic and decided to use my nikon mount as I could have a lighter package. Here's what I brought: nikon 17-35/2.8, zeiss 35/2. zeiss 50/1.4, zeiss 85/1.4, sigma 70-200/2.8 apo DG. I couldn't have transported that range of lenses in PL mount.
When I shoot in the studio, I may use a cinema zoom, my set of compact primes or other PL lenses.. There's no one lens that will do everything for you. What do you plan on shooting? Movies? music videos? Corporate?

Thank you Shane!

I am planning to shoot cinema and in the best way I want to get such kind of picture






But I think it is possible only with Ultra Primes or Master for example.

I mean the footage from RED 17-50 and RPP are very similar to "film look".
For example How do you think is it possible to get such kind of "film look? picture like with Zeiss ZE this ( I mean faces not beer)



But video from Zeiss ZE (it is the best example I have found) it is very similar to "film look" but not so good like old movies (not very saturation and some dingy like in old movies of 80-th years).
Maybe the metter is not in lense and just need to make good post.




Or look at this red truck on 00:45 it is CP.2 it is so saturation.

http://vimeo.com/24859321

Maybe buy one CP.2 for example 50 mm for most shots and then take in rent 25 or 85!

[Daniel Stilling]

Honestly I think you are giving the lenses too much credit.
Theres a huge amount of variables that change your footage until it gets to your screen. You spoke about color saturation. I bet you that there was an artistic decision in post to saturate/desaturated colors. And it goes on and on.
having owned a set of ZF primes and now owning the 17-50, they are all great glass. They are all sharp, and similar color rendition.
one thing I preferred on my ZF's was lens flares. Shoot a light source and it looks great on those. That's tougher on any zoom lens. It depends also on the focal length you might have set up on your zoom.
basicaly any modern "quality" lens will give you great looking pictures. It depends more on how you light it, frame it, block it, how your locations look and so on.
your decision should be more, IMHO, on functionality: do you need flexibility to change the focal length without changing lenses? Do you need smaller and lighter lenses?
Either way you go, you can't go wrong with these lenses. Good luck!

[Alexey Datsenko]

Thank you a lot!