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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

18-50 or 18-85? What say you?

Per Jim... ,"We'll ship the 18-85mm zooms in the most fair way possible. Starting in a couple of months, we should be able to assemble about 50 per month."

Although understandable given the fact that a great lens does not happen over night, the decision is pretty much made up for you. If I am three months away from the 18-85mm, then I can wait. After that, things become very painful...

I would love to buy both lenses and think they dovetail nicely, I am just not interested in spending $6500 for bad mechanics. I would even go so far to say that given the option to upgrade my 18-50mm for better mechanics would be worth a couple grand more for me at the very least. The Red 18-50mm CFZ Pro with cine mechanics/markings would fill the bill and give Red's diverse clientele of professionals an even greater range of choices to fit their specific needs.

Am I off base with line of thinking given the situation or would this be a desirable option for others as well if it were in the power of Red to execute?
 
I think Big Jon nailed the key issue - horses for courses.

The RED 18-50mm CF T3 zoom is very well suited for handheld and weight restricted applications. It provides solid optical & mechanical quality for the price vs something like the magnificent Cooke CXX 15-40mm T2 which is a $40,000+ lens :love: - BTW it is a 9" (229mm) long 8 pound unit.

Based on only personally owning one lens:
IF the RED 18-85mm turns out to be as good as we all hope then anyone not expecting to do much handheld should be better off than with the 18-50mm. Better mechanicals, proper witness marks and the ability to get mild perspective compression at 85mm that you cannot do at 50mm, would be worth the extra cost and weight IMHO. This is especially true if there is very little breathing - not that the 18-50mm breathes horribly but there are some moves where its not nice.
 
My 18-85mm zoom reservation is #354. I expect to be served directly after the 353 reservation holders before me have been served or have declined to get the lens. I don't care whether someone has a Red One number earlier than mine; the 18-85 lens reservations were considered separately and I expect that to be honored. Beyond those specific reservations, I think it would be fair to serve early Red One owners first. That is up to Red of course. But I have an existing contract and so subsequent policy changes should not override it.

I am really looking forward to the 18-85, but am still glad I ordered the 18-50, as it's small and light. I can't see running around with a 10 pound lens hanging off the front; I've done handheld with my BL2 and an Angenieux 12-120, and I like to think those days are in the past. I think the 18-85 will become my workhorse lens for everything except handheld.

I also look forward to the Red primes, but I STRONGLY hope that the 15mm is F 1.9 like the others, and would be willing to pay accordingly. I really wish they were all T 1.3, but I know the extra cost and compromise to get there.
 
I am confused, they are taking 18-85 reservations? I will wait for NAB. Also, not to get off topic but anyone know off the top of there head what the diameter of the 18-50mm is, need to know if this glass will fit my chrosziel 450 matte box.
 
The email I got was a bit confusing. It said they'll ship based on who has cameras first, and also that there are several hundred deposits ahead of mine (I placed a deposit on the 20th):

"The zoom order will follow along the camera reservation numbers. After NAB those should really start flying off the shelves."
 
Haskell said:
I am confused, they are taking 18-85 reservations?
Click to expand...

RED announced this lens and started accepting 750$ deposits on this lens at NAB 2006... so it goes way back...
I had an early reservation, but I changed it for the available 18-50mm, which I will add to by th 50-150mm, I guess there are many like me.
 
Haskell said:
I am confused, they are taking 18-85 reservations? I will wait for NAB. Also, not to get off topic but anyone know off the top of there head what the diameter of the 18-50mm is, need to know if this glass will fit my chrosziel 450 matte box.
Click to expand...

18-50mm is 114mm front diameter but also has 72mm threads inside.
 
they are only doing 50 lenses per month? i haven't heard this.

it sure would be nice if RED would furnish us with an 'estimated' shipping schedule, so we could at least plan accordingly. i would wait 3 months for my lens, but not 8. if that were the case, i would have to buy something different.....
 
Per Jim... ,"We'll ship the 18-85mm zooms in the most fair way possible. Starting in a couple of months, we should be able to assemble about 50 per month."

----edit: i quoted andrew,who quoted jim..........is this the way rumours start? (just kidding)
 
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