Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register 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 :)

Zeiss Compact Primes

J

José L. Martínez

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
102
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Age
44
Website
www.cerrodelbu.com
I'm considering buying a set of four of these instead of the red pro primes. Although I really like RPP perfomance and speed, I'm really in a need of smallest, lightest primes, and would sacrifice speed in some focal lenghts. Also, since I can get them within EU, I would save a big chunk in customs and import rates.

I was wondering if any of yours has any first hand experience with them, how do they behave, particularly wide open. I'm most concerned about breathing, color matching and bokeh quality, apart from mechanical quality.

Could these lenses provide a quality image suitable for theatrical projection, or am I asking too much from these 'cheap' ultraprime alternatives?.

Cheers,

Jose
 
Hi,

I've held a few in my hands at the zeiss stand @ IBC, the build feels awesome and they're super light, so the will be more steadycam/handheld friendly than the red primes. Unfortunately I could't put them on any of the digi cine cams hanging around on the production village to no testing as of yet.
 
i played with them for a little while at band pro here in los angeles a few months ago, and i felt they where very similar to their original photo versions. in particular, the 50/1.4 and the 85/1.4 are great up to 2.0, but at 1.4 they get milky, which is how their zf versions react too.

i wish they would have converted the 100/2.0. that is a really great lens in the zf version, and it is a macro. also, the 50/2.0 macro is fantastic too. they are both wonderful even wide open. but never mind that.

the compact primes are small and light, which i really like, and they feel well made. a negative is that the numbers are painted on and not engraved.

i like that they are all the same size in every dimension, which makes lens changes easy and fast. i don't love that the apertures change, but i really do mind that the 18 is a 3.4? that is slow. i can live with the 2.8, but 3.4 is pushing it a bit.

they are sharp, but they where not the sharpest in the salt tests. they do breath some, but it did not seen like a deal breaker for me in real life use. one big plus is that they are full frame 35, while the Red primes are not. neither are the ultraprimes or masterprimes for that matter.

my plan was to get the angenieux rouge 16-42 and then get the 50 and 85 compact primes. maybe even the 28. i compared them to the angenieux 30-80 and they where very similar on my red, plus the same front size. again, i like that for lens changes.
 
I did own a set of zeiss ZF's on which the optics of the compacts are based, I believe the Compacts have more iris blades though.

Quality for cost of the ZF's was very good but they do have a rather unpleasant (subjective) softness under f2, but still a very workable stop.

Obviously speed on the 18mm is probably going to be an issue along with the fact that they are designed for full frame 35mm and as such are cropped by the current red formats.
 
D*amn it! I was almost sold.

Seems the RPP will provide a better bang for the buck. Breathing is a no´no for me, and the extra speed... And I think I could get RPP at Red Europe for a small plus...

...

Thanks to all for the answers
 
Extra speed?
50 and 85 are both f1.4; they also cover ff35, so those are the only "cinema lenses" (as of now) where you I'll be able to work on the full frame.

If I was going that route I would pick 21, 28, 50, 85 (skipping 18mm altogether)
 
Absolutely Albert,

...exactly what i think.

I have a set of ZF 21mm f2.8, 28mm f2, 35mm f2. 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4.

I didn't buy the 18mm because it's only f3.5.

AND 21mm will cover pretty large FOV with FF sensor. :)

If Compact Primes are as good as ZFs, then i really might be tempted if i go the PL route...plus maybe a Duclos Tokina 11-16 f2.8

Antoine
 
Hey Antoine, we never had that beer back in Montreal.
I always wanted to ask you about your music thought; do you have any online music reel ?
Cheers
 
albert rudnicki said:
Ask Jim
he knows:)
Click to expand...

Unacceptable! We much conjecture needlessly on this subject :) I battled the Zeiss Compact lens question based on the FF converage. But decided recently to go a different lens direction, largely based upon the inclination that likely FF35 enthusiasm will have to curbed until we get past Mysterium-X product development and release.
 
albert rudnicki said:
Hey Antoine, we never had that beer back in Montreal.
I always wanted to ask you about your music thought; do you have any online music reel ?
Cheers
Click to expand...


Hi Albert!

I will call you in a week! I'll go to Montreal, (just bought SSL compressors :) :) :) ) We could take a beer downtown for sure!

My website is beeing reconstructed right now.

Should be online in 2 weeks :)

Cheers!

Antoine
 
If I were in need of FF35 coverage, my ideal set of lenses would be the Focus Optics Ruby 14-24, and then the 25, 28, 35, 50, and 85 Compact Primes. I think I read somewhere that the Ruby covers FF35 and is F2.8 IIRC.




José L. Martínez said:
I'm considering buying a set of four of these instead of the red pro primes. Although I really like RPP perfomance and speed, I'm really in a need of smallest, lightest primes, and would sacrifice speed in some focal lenghts. Also, since I can get them within EU, I would save a big chunk in customs and import rates.

I was wondering if any of yours has any first hand experience with them, how do they behave, particularly wide open. I'm most concerned about breathing, color matching and bokeh quality, apart from mechanical quality.

Could these lenses provide a quality image suitable for theatrical projection, or am I asking too much from these 'cheap' ultraprime alternatives?.

Cheers,

Jose
Click to expand...
 
Joe Walker said:
If I were in need of FF35 coverage, my ideal set of lenses would be the Focus Optics Ruby 14-24, and then the 25, 28, 35, 50, and 85 Compact Primes. I think I read somewhere that the Ruby covers FF35 and is F2.8 IIRC.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Your going to need some longer lenses, 85mm on FF is a little short, I often use a 135mm on S35.

Stephen
 
Thanks for the advice Stephen, but I think I'll just dolly the camera in closer :wink5:
 
Sony and zeiss have that special relation...and I would be surprised to see this lens any time soon in the zf coat.
Hope I am wrong.
 
As you know Joe, sometimes on location you cannot easily dolly closer.
I was on a job Thursday where my 100mm S4 was too short and my 200mm Nikon was too long, and we were working at T2 so the zoom was not an option. We wasted a lot of time humping the dolly over the threshold to the kitchen of the house we were in (several steps up) Of course we were then right on the edge of the threshold (and a wee bit to tight, but we shot it anyway)
All the time I was lamenting my lack of a 135mm.
Unfortunately, both my wife and I need new cars, so more S4s are a back burner item for now.
85mm on a FF35 camera is woefully short, from what I know about DSLR lens equivalents. I'm sure if the FF35 cine market sees any action Zeiss et al will make more lenses.
I'd consult Matt Duclos' database, but don't many of our longer PL-mount S35 lenses already cover FF35? Like 100mm and up?
Cheers,
Harry
 
Joe Walker said:
Thanks for the advice Stephen, but I think I'll just dolly the camera in closer :wink5:
Click to expand...

Wow.
This comment could sidetrack the whole thread!
This kind of thinking is closely related to the people who feel that with 4K you don't need to do close ups anymore.Just shoot a wide shot, then blow up to get your mediums and CU's.
Wrong!
Okay, in a pinch - maybe you dolly in (if you couldn't afford the extra lenses). But to build your lens package around this seems, well, not right.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top