Large Zoom Range Lens Suggestion

[Jeff Nielsen]

I have a commercial coming up I'd like to shoot on our RED cam. The spot needs to do a massive seamless zoom from a distant subject to wide angle. Many consumer camcorders go upwards of 20x and this is what the client is wanting as one very long pull out, but with higher quality. Does anybody have any suggestions on what might be a good 14x or greater zoom option, preferably very wide on the wide end? I've looked at the following, but am wanting something with a larger range if possible:

Angenieux Optimo T2.8 24-290 (would love something wider to start and longer)

Angenieux HR T3.5 25-250 (need wider/longer)


Thanks!

 

[david_winters]

Panavision has something like a 100:1 zoom lens, but I've never used it. Only seen it. If you can shoot 2k, get a B4 mount and a B4 mount zoom lens.

 

[Lenny Manfred]

there is nothing with more range than that, that i am aware of(maybe panavision has some specialty lenses), but if you choose to shoot 2k, you will have more options, at more reasonable prices, especially if you then get a 2/3 B4 mount adapter, then you can use all those video lenses with longer range. and you are still higher quality than a consumer camcorder. then again, at that point, you might as well just rent a varicam.

keep in mind, the larger the imager, the larger the lens and shorter the range on what is available for a reasonable price out there. the same rule applies to video as well as photography.

 

[david_winters]

This is the lens I was thinking of, and I saw it at NAB. Must have been 2004. 300x not 100x as previously noted. http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_1325.html

Looks like it's B4 mount though (2k with adapter).

 

[Jeff Nielsen]

300x - wow

300x - wow

That lens would be amazing. I am trying to find a place that can give me more info and pricing. I also found a 101x Fujinon lens that would work, but again am looking for a place to rent. Thanks all for the help!

 

[Teague Kennedy]

use a 10x zoom that covers 4k, then digitally zoom into 2k. if you're delivering 1080 should be fine.

 

[Matt Uhry]

What about an Angenieux 12-240 with a 1.4x extender on it - should cover quad HD.

Kubrick used something like that in Barry Lyndon I believe for a similar shot. Kind of an old lens, but should look OK if you can stop down to an f8 or so.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

 

[Karl Gustav H.]

If you do decide to use HD Video glass, then I would want to consider using a 3CCD camera for the shot, simply because 2K from the RED is going to come out at around 1.7K measured and can look a little soft, although YMMV.

~~~
Karl Gustav H.
(Waiting for my real name to change!)

 

[Florian Stadler]

Clairmont carries a Century converted angenieux 23-460 T8 zoom that covers 4k

 

[Raul Gonzo]

I,m not certain what sort of spot this is for- but I have always liked splicing zooms together like Michel Gondry demonstrates here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAmaxMXt9Sg

Of course, this is for a certain type of commercial...

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Clairmont carries a Century converted angenieux 23-460 T8 zoom that covers 4k

Thanks for the note Florian. So many of the people booking RedOne cameras think of it like an HD video rig (CineAlta, Varicam) and assume B4 lenses. When the discussion becomes: "well we could shoot it in 2K and ..." I usually cringe.

On the 10 RedOne Journey shoot the DP, Steve Gibby, stuck to his guns when the winds started blowing toward B4 lensing. After the rehearsal there was not one single person on the team that had not fallen in love with the image quality the RedOne produced using lenses capable of covering the entire sensor.

The plethora of affordable PL primes hitting the market is great, but there is still a need for PL mount zoom lenses with at least 10:1 zoom ratios and a 15X under 15 pounds at T4 end to end would rock hard. I know, but I can dream:beer:

 

[Douglas Underdahl]

I'd go after the Angenieux 12-240 with 1.4 PL extender that Matt mentions. To see it in action, look at the opening shot of CLOCKWORK ORANGE. The zoom is for 16mm format but the extender makes it cover 4k. It will be slow, probably around T4 or so, not super sharp but crazy long zoom range. Also used in BARRY LYNDON and was perfectly suited to that period piece, even though it was a zoom - anyone care to guess how Kubrick did this?