Best Glass ???

[Ibrahim Abdulkarim]

We looking to buy a new set of lenses and leaning towards the new zeiss cp.2 superspeeds but was told the 18mm doesn't cover epic at 5k and taking the dragon 6k upgrade into consideration what set of lenses would be the best investment ?

 

[David W. Jones]

I don't know I would call a T3.6 18mm lens a super Speed.

As far as what lenses are the best investment for you? Only you can answer that. Nobody here has a clue as to your budget, your shooting situations, or your clients needs better than you do.

All the Best!

Dave

 

[Mark K.]

The full-frame/Vistavision coverage offered by CP.2s does make them a really appealing investment given something of a trend towards larger sensors. But it's all a question of what you need.

I'd suggest avoiding the 18mm CP.2 as it's T/3.6 and doesn't offer the same coverage as the rest of the CP.2 range.

The Compact Primes now offer a constant T/2.1 aperture across the range from 25mm to 135mm, which is nice. Now they just need a new 18mm T/2.1 and they'll have a really nicely rounded set. At the moment, the wide-end is only T/2.9 with the 21mm (and soon the 15mm as well) - both of which are lovely pieces of glass, but it's nice to have a constant aperture across a set of primes.

The 'Superspeed' CP.2s look nice, but I think a constant T/2.1 aperture across a set makes it more appealing than a heavily mismatched range - i.e. T/2.9 and T/3.6 with wide lenses, T/1.5 with 35-85mm lenses, and T2.1 for the rest. It just makes them a bit of a confusing offering (especially if you're thinking of renting them out). I'd suggest keeping things mostly to just the T/2.1 versions, with the 21mm or 15mm for the wide-end.

A 15mm T/2.9, 25mm T/2.1, 35mm T/2.1, 50mm T/2.1, 85mm T/2.1 and 135mm T/2.1 would make for a nice standard 6-lens set IMO.

 

[Florian Stadler]

RPP

 

[Mark Toia]

If I was purchasing primes of any make or model.. my advise is to make sure they are at least F1.2 (T 1.3)
IF you want 2.8 glass, buy ZOOMs... and then get every lens from 18 to 50 in one bottle... 70 t0 200 in another.... Still shake my head when I see people purchase f2.2 upwards primes for the price of say a ZOOM...

Just sayin.

 

[Ryan De Franco]

Dragon will bring a stop and a third of sensitivity. So a shot for which you would have needed T/1.3 superspeeds will fly with the T/2.1 standards, and be a hell of a lot sharper and clearer for it;

Or a shot that needed T/1.3 master primes and a jedi focus puller can afford to stop down and put more than one eyeball in critical focus.

Shooting at 2 and up gets rewarding after a few years of "wide open and hopin." (hoping the negative was decent, on 16mm documentaries; hoping the AC was sober enough to hit his mark, on red....)

why do you like T1.3 Mark? subject isolation, shooting at dusk, using practicals to light natural scenes?

 

[Mark Toia]

Why do you like T1.3 Mark? subject isolation, shooting at dusk, using practicals to light natural scenes?

All Valid points Ryan,

I quite often shoot in low light, so much so, that the last 3 jobs I have been on, I wish I had another 1 to 2 stops up my sleeve...
yes Dragon may bring up the ASA, but all thats going to do for me is give me less noise, but not the depth of field I require.

But at the end of the day, I only like bright glass for the dark and the short depth of field.

 

[sergio arguello]

Junusz's choice for Lincoln was Superspeeds

 

[David W. Jones]

Junusz's choice for Lincoln was Superspeeds

Older Panavision super speeds.

 

[David W. Jones]

For what it's worth, these "new" Zeiss CP.2 super speeds are not the same thing as the original Zeiss cine super speed lenses, and have a completely different look. The CP.2 line of lenses use the same optical design as the less expensive Zeiss ZF still lenses, which borrowed their optical design from the original Zeiss Contax still lenses. In fact the original Zeiss Contax lenses have a look which is closer to the look of the early Zeiss super speed cine lenses than these new CP.2 lenses, and I prefer this look over the CP.2 lenses. I also don't let camera companies with a said future release of sensor size X dictate my lens preference. I pick the lens style I feel works best for the job at hand. I have a set of cine zooms, still zooms, Zeiss Contax primes, and Cooke Speed Panchro primes, and choose depending on the job. Sometimes we even rent lenses. That being said, you know your job needs much better than we do.

All the Best!

Dave

 

[sergio arguello]

Ah my bad your absolutely right

Older Panavision super speeds.

 

[James Sielaff]

If I was purchasing primes of any make or model.. my advise is to make sure they are at least F1.2 (T 1.3)
IF you want 2.8 glass, buy ZOOMs... and then get every lens from 18 to 50 in one bottle... 70 t0 200 in another.... Still shake my head when I see people purchase f2.2 upwards primes for the price of say a ZOOM...

Just sayin.

Thumbs up!

(sans vintage primes for that 'look')

 

[Mitch Gross]

We looking to buy a new set of lenses and leaning towards the new zeiss cp.2 superspeeds but was told the 18mm doesn't cover epic at 5k and taking the dragon 6k upgrade into consideration what set of lenses would be the best investment ?

You were given incorrect information. The Compact Primes cover the giant VistaVision format with its 43mm image circle. The 18mm s just shy of that, about 41mm. RED 5K is under 32mm image circle so it will be easily covered, as will 6K.

 

[Stephen Williams]

Shooting at 2 and up gets rewarding after a few years of "wide open and hopin." (hoping the negative was decent, on 16mm documentaries; hoping the AC was sober enough to hit his mark, on red....)

Shooting T2 on 16mm is easy like T4 on 35mm!

 

[James Sielaff]

The only thing about Canon primes is tat they are FF35 compatible, but few cine zooms are. And the ones that do exist are $30K and up, afaik.

 

[Björn Benckert]

For cheap glass I would buy FD lenses. Better build than EF and better picture than most low price PL lenses. I'm collecting a perfect full set and it cost less than a half decent cine lens. And they have one advantage over most other lenses... they are pretty much the smallest you can find. To me cheap cine lenses does not have much of an edge more than that they do no cost much, they will not rent and they are rather big and usually their long focus swings are not so exact or properly laid out. Off course you can use follow focus and focus motors but running around with low priced glass and put on expansive motors feels a bit backwards I think. Also the clicking F stop does not bother me much, a lot of times I find it to be an advantage to be able to go from one F-stop and then "click back" to where I was before, on cine lenses it's not as exact. Even used our FD 35mm on the milo last week then having a small lens that has a small diameter and can get close to things is a huge benefit. We might put gears and permanent front rings on them but I kind of like to have them as they come only drawback then is the issue of getting filter on there as they have a spread range of front diameters. Hard to find this amount of good glass for a few k usd... http://wordpress.syndicate.se/syndicate-epic-fd-mount-and-lens-set/

also the mount is only 500usd.