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3 Prime Choices for Epic X: your favorite would be most helpful.

Ron Michael

Ron Michael

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I'm on a tight budget but would like to choose three primes over any zoom, mostly for image quality and lightweight, as I need to setup a Steadicam occasionally. What is your favorite prime focal lengths if you had to limit to 3 to shoot interior/exterior scenes on the Red. I was thinking 21mm, 28mm, 85mm for my wide,normal,telephoto. Has that combination worked well for others or what would you recommend?
 
21, 28, 75

or

24, 35, 85

I'd be a lot happier, especially with the first lens set, if I had a wide zoom like the Tokina 11-16

Also, you might consider the Red 17-50.

It sounds like size/weight are your concerns. have you considered SLR lenses? Canon mount Tokina 11-16, Canon 16-35 and a 50mm and 85mm would be pretty solid package and very small.
 
I agree with Alexander. I find it very difficult to get a wide interior shot with a 21mm. An 11-16mm would make a huge difference. If you do go the SLR route, I would get the following focal lengths:

11-16mm
24mm
50mm
85mm
 
21, 35, 75.

75 is such a fantastic focal length for Red. Perfect for MCU and CU. 35 covers your more-intimate-feeling 2-shot, "normal"-view shots of objects and landscapes, 21 covers the wides. If you can afford room for a super-wide, throw that in too. Me I just rent it when I know I'll need it.
 
Can someone explain to me what's the point of using an SLR 85mm lens on EPIC or even Scarlet at 4K, when it essentially becomes 100mm?

In my opinion, standard SLR 50mm will be more than enough for closeups, since it's FOV is closer to 85mm on a cropped sensor. I think that 85mm is too tele, at least for narrative work.
 
Demetri Zuev said:
Can someone explain to me what's the point of using an SLR 85mm lens on EPIC or even Scarlet at 4K, when it essentially becomes 100mm?

In my opinion, standard SLR 50mm will be more than enough for closeups, since it's FOV is closer to 85mm on a cropped sensor. I think that 85mm is too tele, at least for narrative work.
Click to expand...

Some people like 100mm on both FF and Crop sensor cameras for portrait photography. Can't see it being taboo for motion picture uses. To each his own.

I have frequently enjoyed using 85mm, even handheld. Though I use the term 'frequently' to effect, not to be taken literally.

50mm is more than adequate for close ups, but I find the distortion characteristics are not always preferred. Both 50mm and 85 are awkward focal lengths on s35 cameras. If they made them, I'd like 31mm, 42mm, and 70mm; throw in a 24mm, and it's a perfect set.

more realistic recommendation for the OP:

24mm
35mm
and a toss between 50mm and 75mm

or if wide is your style:
21mm
35mm
50mm

Super wide are fun, but don't get much use unless that is your style, but if you already had a style, you wouldn't be asking us for suggestions.
 
Demetri Zuev said:
Can someone explain to me what's the point of using an SLR 85mm lens on EPIC or even Scarlet at 4K, when it essentially becomes 100mm?

In my opinion, standard SLR 50mm will be more than enough for closeups, since it's FOV is closer to 85mm on a cropped sensor. I think that 85mm is too tele, at least for narrative work.
Click to expand...

First off, it doesn't become anything other than an 85mm. I know what you are saying but comparing lenses against a stills format only confuses the issue.
"the point" of using an 85 is the same as if you used a 20mm on a closeup, It's to convey an emotional effect. Each person has their favorite lenses, as can be seen by the responses to the original poster.
I find myself using the 35 a lot but wishing it was a 40,
In the compact primes, in order of use: 35, 50, 21, 85, 28.
 
Well said Shane. An 85mm is an 85mm whether on a 2/3 inch sensor, an APS sensor, or a Vistavision sized sensor. The angle of view changes between sensor size but the inherent "feel" of that focal length remains that of an 85mm.

Many a closeup has been shot on a 75mm or 85mm on 35mm features.
 
Thanks guys, now I know it's not just all about numbers. I'm not a DP so this is not as clear to me as it is for you.
 
Me too. Thanks for the info. I personally like 11-16 tokina, 21,35,85
 
I think it also depends on what you are doing. For a wide, the 11-16 is awesome, but it's also pretty extreme.

I do mosty interviews, so my standard lenses are these:

Contax Zeiss 35 1.4
Contax Zeiss 50 1.4
Contax Zeiss 85 1.4

I also use the CZ 35-70 3.3 for b-roll, pushins, and quick access to macro shots.

But that's just me.
 
Nick Morrison said:
I think it also depends on what you are doing. For a wide, the 11-16 is awesome, but it's also pretty extreme.

I do mosty interviews, so my standard lenses are these:

Contax Zeiss 35 1.4
Contax Zeiss 50 1.4
Contax Zeiss 85 1.4

I also use the CZ 35-70 3.3 for b-roll, pushins, and quick access to macro shots.

But that's just me.
Click to expand...

Nick,

what mount are you using for the Contax lenses?

thx
 
Sid Idris said:
Nick,

what mount are you using for the Contax lenses?

thx
Click to expand...

Sid, I've been using them on DSLR exclusively, with EOS C/Y adapters. When our Scarlet arrives, I plan on using the AllStar Mount. I've been collecting C/Y lenses for over a year, looking forward to seeing how they look on RED.
 
Unless you primarily shoot on FF35 still cameras, I don't see the point of mentally converting 35mm cine lenses to FF35 equivalents. If you shoot all the time on a 35mm cine / APS-C camera, then you already know what a 75mm or 85mm gives you in terms of FOV.

75mm or 85mm is one of the most commonly-used lenses to shoot close-ups on. It partly depends on how close you want to physically place the camera to the actor, especially if they are facing another actor. And how tight you want to make the close-up. Obviously you can use a 35mm or 50mm for a close-up but then the camera will only be a few feet away from the actor. Now some directors and DP's like that, and don't like the look of longer lenses, but others have the opposite reaction.

If I only had 3 lenses, then I might live with a 50mm as the longest though.
 
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