Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • 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 :)

Anyone identify?

J

jaimefilm

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I have the chance to buy this set of Zeiss primes but I cant seem to find any info on them anywhere. Can anyone tell me what they are and how much they would be worth?


35624422__1236118444__1__1-ecbf3d6a.jpg
 
jaimefilm said:
I have the chance to buy this set of Zeiss primes but I cant seem to find any info on them anywhere. Can anyone tell me what they are and how much they would be worth?


35624422__1236118444__1__1-ecbf3d6a.jpg
Click to expand...

Your going to have fun pulling focus with those lenses, If they were in good condition a few hundred each.
 
I hope you are not buying from a Craigslist ad from a crook in Miami !
 
I'm looking for a phone for my desk. I came across this one and it seems alright for the money. What do you guys think?
535_1236744795.jpg


Really, you don't want these lenses.
 
Wow.. You guys really ripped him on his question. :/

These lenses are fine optically, but they are just so out dated...
They have a clicked aperture, no focus or iris gear, very short focus rotation, no PL mount, etc...
In order to get these lenses on par with modern cine lenses, you would be better off with a set of Zeiss ZF lenses.
 
I partially agree with matthew. ZF's are a bit easier to use in the modern sense, yet they still turn the wrong direction. Seem to give a flatter image, and have other optical issues that these older zeiss cine lenses do not. I own a set. They are great optically and seem to give a slightly more cinematic image than that of a still lens. Hopefully I can have you some side by sides up next week to look at(we are supposed to be doing some tests).

Personally I prefer these...albeit I have had to jump through some hoops to get them to work in all situations. I think the work around is worth it. Have Duclos check them out when you get them though... its worth it. I just had a friend send off an anamorphic and says it is well worth the money.

(r)yan
 
Haha... Yeah, I guess we did kinda rip on the lenses. Really, these are decent lenses that you can probably pick up on the cheap - couple hundred each. An old set just like this sold on ebay a week or so back for about $3400 and that may have been a bit high. Saw a set about like this one go at the end of last year for less than half of that.

Mechanically, they're definitely dated. Optically they are good, but still dated. If I recall from the one time I've actually played with a couple of them. They share many of the same characteristics of older Cooke Speed Panchros and other really old glass. The coatings don't handle flare as well as contemporary or even "newer" 25~30 year old lenses, the wider focal lengths show more falloff or port-holing. They will produce a filmic and organic image.

If you don't mind messing with the dated mechanics and other "flaws", heavy breathing, poor tracking, full coverage of S35 is somewhat of a stretch, etc.. These could be a good set to pick up on the cheap. Could even be a good set to pick up just for various artistic or aesthetic reasons. You would have a real tough time renting them out and you may find that many clients you end up working for may not be very enthusiastic about them. I would personally opt for some Zeiss ZF's or grab one of the < $9K sets of Zeiss standards that pop up on ebay from time to time.
 
I have a set of these for my Arri BL2 - when used with the blimp housing, mechanically they are doable, because the blimp housing has the gears (with a big diameter) for follow focus, and the focus markings are on the blimp housing and therefore quite visible.

Last week I put one of those PL converters on these lenses just for kicks with my Red and was quite pleased with the look. Like Matthew said, optically they are actually pretty good. Without the BL2 blimp housing (which itself is a pain the butt when changing lenses), focusing is almost impossible to do dynamically - you can't even see the markings. By the time you have someone put gears on them, declick the iris, add housings with visible focus marks, and preferably put PL mounts on them, the upcoming choices for PL primes will seem like bargains.

Good luck with your choice!

Matthew Verkler
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I will stay clear of this set then, at least until I grow the extra finger. I was always thinking of going with the ZF's but I also didn't realise you could get a set of standards for as low as 9.000, so hmmmmmm.
 
What surprised me is the fact that the picture you showed is the one
that was used for a set of lens I already bought a month ago ! ??
 
I would beware of that as well.

From what I have been told, and when I had my lenses projected, these lenses do cover s35. The 16 does have a bit of light falloff, nothing near as bad as some DOF adapters.

As for 9k standards, I think you would be hard pressed to find a set for that much. You might get 2-3 lenses for that much...not a full set.

A set of these lenses just went for 8,800 on ebay...
 
Depending on which lenses, I've seen sets of T2.1 standards in PL mount for under $10K for a 4 lens set. They cross ebay quite a bit, although less and less common lately due to increased demand.

With the current insanity on used lens pricing, you have to ask yourself just what these lenses are worth to you. Super Speed pricing is completely F8$@CKED UP right now. I don't care how lens dealers try to justify it, the perceived demand has sent prices far beyond their real world values. Look at going rental rates for the Speeds and then ask yourself if $45K to $60K for a 4 or 5 lens set even makes sense? How would you ever ROI a purchase like that? If they were rented out every single week at a 3-day week rate, it would take 18 months to ROI them, assuming you didn't have to pay any taxes on your rental income, but most of us do, so... To add more food for thought, a brand new set of 5 Ultra Primes can be had for $60K right now and they are easier to rent for a higher price. In fact, there's a brand new set due to ship just shortly that is up for sale here on reduser. 5 lenses, $60K.

Back on the subject of the Zeiss standards. They go for $2000 to $3500 per lens these days, depending on which lens and what condition. Some of the wide lenses really go up in price, though. Going rate on a good condition 10mm is $12K. The 12mm goes for $8~$9K, 14mm for $6500, 16mm for $4000.

For a set of standards of typical focal lenghts, let's say a set of 18, 32, 50, 85, I would not pay more than $8K for it. I know many people will, that's their business, but if one looks around hard enough they don't have to go through that sort of brain damage or financial rape. The ones on ebay (r)yan speaks of just ended yesterday. A five lens set of 16, 24, 32, 50, 85, Arri standard mount T2.1s. These sold for a fair price, given today's market. Ebay item# 280317714762
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top