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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 :)

I have a 4k budget, what lenses to get?

J

James Bender

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I have an investor that is investing in a Red for our company, and we have about 30k to spend. By the time I added everything up that I need, I have about 4k left to get some lenses. I know, I know it's not much of a budget for lenses; but there's nothing I can do about it. I have seen some decent lenses out there, and as of now I was looking at the kit that Redrock Micro offers with the Zeiss ZF lenses.

If you were constrained to this budget, what would you get?
 
Obviously, your production can rent higher quality glass as the need arises. That is the beauty of the RED One. But as mentioned, the Zeiss ZF/Nikon glass is a great bang for the buck.
 
Primes on a 4K budget... Hmmm... If you must. Good luck getting a well rounded set of the ZFs on that budget.

How about the Nikon 14-24mm and the 24-70mm for starters along with the Nikon mount. I would like to recommend the Optitek Pro-Lock Nikon mount, but I don't think RED has certified that one yet.
 
Then there we go. That's what I would recommend. Optitek mount with those two zooms to start.
 
The Optitek looks fantastic, but may eat too much into your budget.

I would still say go straight for the ZFs, maybe 28, 50 and 85. Maybe get a Tokina 11-16 in a Nikon mount for the wide stuff.

Remember the cropped sensor magnifies so you need to undershoot focal lengths.

I have about 12 lenses, Nikon Primes, Tokina, ZFs. About 95% of the time I reach for the ZF 28, 50 or 85. They just look better than everything else.

For everything else, just move the camera! :biggrin5:
 
Yeah, thinking about it a bit more, the two Nikon zooms I mention are going to put him right at about the $4K mark on their own. For a Nikon mount, I wouldn't go with anything other than the Optitek one. Doug Underdahl's is also nice -- same as the one from RED (which he designed), but also has iris control.

Also the two zooms I mention only get him up to 70mm. Then again, down to 14mm. I guess it depends which range of focal lengths are desired. IMO, the ZF's are nice, but on a budget of this size it doesn't make much sense to restrict oneself to a few primes. Those Nikon zooms will hold up against most any prime. Being that we're mostly a "cine" crowd around here, I find that all too often primes are overrated vs. zooms.

Another option to consider is the RED 18-50. Used ones go for under $4K a lot of times. Definitely a great lens for the budget shooter. Other glass can be rented as needed.

For primes, I actually prefer the Nikon 24mm and 85mm f1.4 lenses over the Zeiss ZF's at the same focal lengths. The Nikon 85mm f1.4 is one of my all time favorite lenses. beautiful images from that one. Unfortunately they have discontinued the 24mm f1.4 (Why Nikon? Why???). And the newer 35, 50 and 85mm f1.8 models are intended for the APS-C / DX sensors. Another WTF?
 
I think the best option is the birger canon EF mount for $1285. This mount not only lets you use the Canon EF lenses. It also makes a great dumb mount because Canon has the shortest flange focal distance (44mm) which means you can use many other manual lenses (like the Nikons) with a simple $20 adapter. You can also use Leica and others.

If you want to save some money over the ZFs you can also buy used Contax/Yashica Zeiss lenses for a half to a third of the cost of the ZFs yet most are essentially the same optically. The ZFs were based on the C/Y and the Zeiss Compact Primes were based. They are excellent lenses with very smooth mechanics and unlike the ZFs the focusing on C/Y rotates in the "correct" way for cinema lenses. Nikon and ZF lenses rotate the opposite way.

If I were doing it now I would buy the Canon 24-70 F2.8L ($1299 at b&H) - it is a phenomenal lens - significantly better than the 18-50 and covers full frame if you plan on moving to Epic. If you need wider, the Canon 17-55 EF-s 2.8 ($990) is also a great lens and also has image stabilization.

If you need some low light I would look at a used 50mm F1.4 Contax/Yashica for about $250 and an 85mm F1.4 for about $475. These are manual focus and iris, superspeed and have the same T* coating they use on the cine lenses so they get the look and microcontrast for which Zeiss cine lenses are famous. You use a $20 adapter to fit on the EF mount.

The problem with a Nikon mount is it is a longer flange focal distance 46.5mm (which is why it works on Canon but not the reverse) so you can't use any of these other lenses.

Obviously you can also use any of the other Canon and Canon compatible primes and zooms. For example the Canon version of the Sigma 18-50 lens which is essentially the same as the RED 18-50 can be purchased new for $419. Obviously it doesn't have the same mechanics but with the Impero knob and the Birger mount you can have a precision follow focus with smooth very smooth focusing, preset stops, etc.

The picture shows two of the Birger mounts and one of the C/Y adapters.

BTW the birger can also be controlled wired and wireless via your computer.
 

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Actually, Jeff does make a good point about the Red 18-50, plus you can rent standard P/L lenses when needed without changing mounts.

You also put all the money into glass rather than 12%-25% just for the alternative mount.

I started with the 18-50 and loved it, but so much of what I do is in low light and it just wasn't fast enough.

If not for that, it's a gorgeous lens and readily available around that price.
 
Why are so many pushing PL lenses when the OP was obviously OK with using still lenses and all he can get for $4K is a used rehouse PL - optically based on an inexpensive slr lens to begin with?

OP: Is your primary use for narrative/feature type material or corporate, documentary, ?
 
Michael Hastings said:
Why are so many pushing PL lenses when the OP was obviously OK with using still lenses and all he can get for $4K is a used rehouse PL - optically based on an inexpensive slr lens to begin with?

OP: Is your primary use for narrative/feature type material or corporate, documentary, ?
Click to expand...

I primarily do more narrative, feature, and commercial work. Definitely more film style jobs. I have an HVX-200 for doc and corporate work that clients want standard def or tape recordings. I would obviously be good with the Zeiss ZF lenses, and depending on the project would def rent some nice PL mount lenses, but they're so impractical to buy. I'm just looking for something thats good bang for your buck that the average client is cool with that doesn't have the budget to rent lenses for each day of shooting.

albert rudnicki said:
FORGET WHAT I SAID AND GET THIS !!!
http://reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36859

unless you want to handheld...go to my first post.
Click to expand...

And that is amazing, no way it's in my budget. But hey if he'll take it I'm game!
 
James Bender said:
I
And that is amazing, no way it's in my budget. But hey if he'll take it I'm game!
Click to expand...

I don't know if you noticed but his asking price was $4000 firm. Might be the ticket.

Or does your $4000 budget have to include follow focus? If so then I still think your best bet is the birger/canon/impero.
 
Cooke 20-100 is a beauty and it loves Red.
It's fast f2.8 (for zoom), robust, and in spite of it's age, still very up to date lens.
You are also covered from wide to long.
I am using it all the time and often prefer it to Zeiss primes.
The one listed is verified by reputable lens specialist.
I am not affiliated with the seller.
Good luck
 
I'd certainly jump on that Cooke if I could. Bought a 9-50mm 16mm version in anticipation of the 2/3" Scarlet Cinema model. Worth the stretch as a single lens that can probably meet 90% of your shooting needs.
 
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