Lens Test, can you see the difference?

[XiaoSu Han]

Hi!

Today we tested three kinds of lenses, ARRI Highspeed, ARRI Standard and the Cooke S4 series.

We used the same minimum aperture on all of the shots, f2.0 (f2.1 standards but didn't matter) and same settings of course, basically the same focal lenght as well.

Can you tell the difference, and most importantly, tell which lens is which? I included JPEG's for reference here and 2K TIFF's straight out of REDALERT also.

I'm curious about the guesses.

http://dedicated13.nessus.at/red/1.tiff
http://dedicated13.nessus.at/red/2.tiff
http://dedicated13.nessus.at/red/3.tiff

 

[Ramesh Jai]

Just guessing -

1 is standard.

2 is superspeed.

3 is Cooke.

How far off am I?

 

[Michael Lindsay]

Using a laptop and only the Jpegs in the browser.. for Fun

1 S4
2 Super S
3 Standard S

Tests like this (both subject mater, frame and lighting) rarely help one differentiate between lenses. Charts or expansive architectural shot help with sharpness and geometry. Flare test are definatly a great way of separating lenses. Having said that maybe this test is like your project? If so it's a great test (as well as fun).

kind regards

Michael L

 

[Mitch Gross]

Just looking at the JPEGS, I agree with Michael. #1 has nice contrast and an even field (Coke S4). #2 has a loss of contrast and color depth (SuperSpeed). #3 exhibits darkening at the corners, unless that's just the lighting in the wider frame (Standard).

It would have been nice to look at something other than a blank wall behind you.

 

[XiaoSu Han]

I'll post flare grabs in a sec

 

[Robert Horwell]

s4
super
standard

 

[David Birdy]

Standard
S4
Super

Dave

 

[XiaoSu Han]

here are the flares, that's easy I guess.

A

B

C

 

[Tico Llaurador]

I agree with David's assessment.

 

[jimhare]

Regardless of which is which, I believe image 1 is the most pleasing to the eye.

 

[albert rudnicki]

S4
Super
Standard

So which one will it be?

 

[XiaoSu Han]

the majority was right, it's S4, HS, Standards

we're probably going to go for the standards, for the interesting flares and we can get more focal lenghts for the money. also the vignetting could be quite an interesting effect for our film...

flares are HS, Standard, Cooke though, I somehow don't like the Cooke flares at all...

I think that you can see the difference, but if I don't have the luxury of choice, it's not as bad as I thought after reading so many review about how good which lens was. In the end those differences are all quite subtle I guess.

 

[Ramesh Jai]

the majority was right, it's S4, HS, Standards

we're probably going to go for the standards, for the interesting flares and we can get more focal lenghts for the money. also the vignetting could be quite an interesting effect for our film...

flares are HS, Standard, Cooke though, I somehow don't like the Cooke flares at all...

I think that you can see the difference, but if I don't have the luxury of choice, it's not as bad as I thought after reading so many review about how good which lens was. In the end those differences are all quite subtle I guess.

Thanks for posting these. To the average eye the differences are very subtle. I guess lens are a personal choice. One can get great images with just about any decent lens. Why such a big price difference though?

 

[Stephen Williams]

Hi,

I remember saying Standards would porthole on a Digital sensor when wide open back in May 2007. Most people denied the problem and bid up the price of Standards.

Stephen

Edit, I get the feeling that the sensor is not centered to the lens mount, rotating the lenses 180 degrees wold be an interesting test.

 

[JanneJansson]

Hi,

I remember saying Standards would porthole on a Digital sensor when wide open back in May 2007.

What is the reason for this?

 

[Stephen Williams]

What is the reason for this?

Hi,

The standards were designed for film, film does not care how the light hits the surface of the film, unlike a digital sensor. Lenses for digital should be telecentric, the light travels in a straight line.

http://www.edmundoptics.com/techSupport/DisplayArticle.cfm?articleid=261

Stephen

 

[Michael Lindsay]

flares are HS, Standard, Cooke though, I somehow don't like the Cooke flares at all...

The flares were interesting... What was your aesthetic objection to the S4 flare?

I once flare tested 2 MP's, with Red, and also didn't find the flare interestingly usable. That said I use a lens flare about once a year. Does your film use lens flares?

I find it, with my limited experience, useful to test lenses with a hard light out of frame pointing down the lens. Did you try that? I imagine the S4s may do quite well in this kind of test.

I think that you can see the difference, but if I don't have the luxury of choice, it's not as bad as I thought after reading so many review about how good which lens was. In the end those differences are all quite subtle I guess.

Lens choice is something that DP's often bring to the table. That said there is so many things more important to a film.

Good luck with your project!

Michael L

PS I believe the standard Speed to be the most blue of lenses. This may offer another small Red advantage.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Best creative use of lens flares = Blade Runner.

 

[Michael Lindsay]

Best creative use of lens flares = Blade Runner.

The orchestration of all the moving light sources is what intimidates me about that film. Easy enough on a promo but on a feature?

Michael L

 

[JanneJansson]

Hi,

The standards were designed for film, film does not care how the light hits the surface of the film, unlike a digital sensor. Lenses for digital should be telecentric, the light travels in a straight line.

http://www.edmundoptics.com/techSupport/DisplayArticle.cfm?articleid=261

Stephen

Ok, This is a major pice of info regerding lenses. A very, very expensive cine glass will be less good, then a much cheeper DSLR lens.