What Zoom's for Red One

[Paul Harding]

I am looking for recommendations as to a suitable zoom for the Red One. I currently use a Nikon 18-200 which is not bad, but not good enough, I think.

Can be PL Nikon. I don't really need 18-200 any suggestions please, I have a reasonable budget
Paul

 

[Richard Foster]

I have three Nikon zooms. all very sharp and very good in their ranges, and all f/2.8. They are the 17-35, 28-70, and 80-200. These are very cost effective. The next step up for me would be finding a good used 20-100 Cooke. I used these for many years on Panavision 35 cameras. Very nice optics and mechanics.

 

[Paul Harding]

Thanks.
Do these have a floating focus ring ie continuous turn.

Paul

 

[Paul Harding]

Still looking for recommendations!

 

[Henk van den Doel]

Maybe a bit of a different range than the 18-200, but...
For outdoor work, we use a Sigma 100-300 for Nikon mount a lot and is now one of our favorite lenses. There is a 100 dollar version and a 1200 dollar version, I am talking about the 1200 dollar version. Although the 100 dollar version isn't really bad for the money as long as it gets enough light (used that one as well), I can only recommend it if you need the range and are looking cheap. It feels really crappy and light, images can be surprising ok actually. The expensive one is very well built, sharp through the whole range and makes colors sing. Like the bokeh of it as well and has a pretty long throw. You need rods to support it though, so changing lenses requires a some time and effort.

 

[Paul Harding]

Hey thanks.

Just looked it up it's F4 which is fine for outside, which is what I want it for it's £1150 uk pounds! I will see if I can try one locally.
Paul

 

[G Lap]

Hey thanks.

Just looked it up it's F4 which is fine for outside, which is what I want it for it's £1150 uk pounds! I will see if I can try one locally.
Paul

If you have those sort of funds available Paul I'd check out Nikon's own pro level F/2.8 zooms. The current AF-S G 24-70 and 70-200 are both well regarded (there is a newer VR II version of the later), as is the wider 14-24. Staying wide, there is also a new 16-35 F/4 which is a little cheaper.

There are the older, AF-S D versions of the F/2.8 pro lenses to consider too, which might not have the latest innovations such as VR and Nano crystal coatings but are still very good.

 

[G Lap]

Sorry, just realised that you are talking about the RED One. In which case you would probably want the 'D' series lenses, such as the 17-35 and 28-70 mentioned earlier by Richard, which have aperture rings that the 'G' series lack.

 

[Richard Foster]

Yes the lenses I mentioned were the professional series pre-G series with aperture rings. These are not plastic mount lenses but sturdy metal mechanics. You can have them film modified for about $250 each at Duclos to put on focus gears and remove clicks in the stops or just use Red Rock Micro's Follow focus and self mountable focus gears. If you look hard you can pick up these lenses on ebay used in excellent condition in the 1000 USD range. IMHO the Nikon glass is superior to the Sigma and produces beautiful images.

 

[Paul Harding]

Sorry, just realised that you are talking about the RED One. In which case you would probably want the 'D' series lenses, such as the 17-35 and 28-70 mentioned earlier by Richard, which have aperture rings that the 'G' series lack.

I have the Prolock mount which can use the G series lenes.

Paul

 

[Paul Harding]

Yes the lenses I mentioned were the professional series pre-G series with aperture rings. These are not plastic mount lenses but sturdy metal mechanics. You can have them film modified for about $250 each at Duclos to put on focus gears and remove clicks in the stops or just use Red Rock Micro's Follow focus and self mountable focus gears. If you look hard you can pick up these lenses on ebay used in excellent condition in the 1000 USD range. IMHO the Nikon glass is superior to the Sigma and produces beautiful images.

Have you used the red rock FF? If so how do you rate it?

Paul

 

[Henk van den Doel]

Well depends a bit on which glass of Nikon and which glass of Sigma. We have a pretty lousy Sigma lens we will only use when all other lenses have just exploded, but we also have a Nikon lens here that we think isn't all that great.

What I like most about this 100-300 lens is that it intercuts nicely with our Nikon 50 1.8 which we use a lot. They make a nice pair. Also, we've shot some slowmotion at 2K with it, and even those shots are far from soft like we've experienced with other lenses.