?? RED RPO Lenses around the world... Metric vs. Imperial

[Ketch Rossi]

Edit: Sorry about the typo on the title is meant to say RPP..

Hey guys,

as most of you know I am at last in the final days in the US and permanently returning to Italy...

We have and ABSOLUTELY LOVE, our RED PRO lenses, especially the RPP set re-done in collaboration with Duclos and the added Focus markings,
but since this are all in Imperial, do you guys see this been a problem bringing all Imperial lenses to Italy?

Should I sale them all here in the US and buy Metrics instead?

Your informed advise is appreciated...

 

[Bérenger Brillante]

Here in France, half AC are pro-Imperials. the other half doesn't care.
I personnaly prefer metrics, as I have a metrics cinetape built in my eyes.

But your set has a pretty high value, with the duclos markings. I would keep it.

 

[Christopher Barrett]

an uninformed opinion.... if you're gonna hang on to the Master Primes, I'd keep everything the same. Easier for someone (your new AC) to get used to Imperial than have to switch back and forth.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Thanks guys,

yes of course the Master Primes, despite the love for the RPP's and the new Leicas, will remain my absolute favorite choice for personal use,
especially for Manual Focusing, as their focus rings are NUMBER ONE.

However what most might not know, some time even the resellers themselves, is that ALL Master Primes, are both Metric and Imperial, despite of how they ship out,
as the Focus Ring can be unscrewed and flipped to serve either Metric or Imperial users across the Globe.

 

[Sebastian Moretto]

Here in Germany, nearly all rental lenses are metric, so that's what ACs around here prefer -- and it's the system most experienced ACs and operators can easily and accurately guess distances in. Not sure if it's the same in Italy...

I'd say it mostly depends on whether you're going to rent your equipment out a lot or mostly use it yourself, possibly even together with an AC you'll work with regularly. If the former is the case, I'd say sell and go for metric lenses (I've actually been pretty happy with the metric markings on my RPPs), if it's the latter, hang onto your Duclos modified RPPs. Most good ACs will adapt quickly as long as they have some time to get used to the change. I know I wouldn't really mind too much myself...

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Thanks Sebastian,

we never rent our gear out, only for hire, however because we will work with AC's form different parts of Europe depending on were the jobs take us,
we will have this lenses used by different AC's, and this is were my concern comes in.

 

[Steven-Marc C.]

Yeah, in France it's about half and half but for renting out I'd say imperial is a safer bet. Nobody would really complain about imperial whereas some don't like metric. Don't know about Italy though... You might want to have both.

 

[Liam Hall]

Just buy an imperial tape measure and lend it to the ACs.

 

[John Marchant]

Surely some further custom marking work is the answer here? Or was the engraving prohibitively expensive? Maybe its my nationality, maybe its my age, but I love to mix my units

 

[Leif Thomas]

I don't know any 1st AC that would accept and take imperial. 99,9% metric here in Germany.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Thanks for the replies guys, still gauging if I should be selling this Imperials and get them exchanged for Metrics, so hope to hear more...

 

[Steve Marshall]

In the UK I'd say it's 60/40 to imperial, but metrics are steadily increasing in popularity as the new generation of ACs come in.