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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 :)

Anyone using Scarlet + Zeiss ZE Primes?

Cid J Salcido Uyarra said:
I've use the 21mm extensively....

I LOVE THAT LENS!

Its amazing def my lens of choice when it comes to wide angle. May not be as cool on the MX sensor but if you're thinking of going the Dragon route in a couple months then go with the 21mm. If you're gonna stick with S35 format then the 18mm is something to heavily consider.
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Just curious, why's that? Just because the 18mm is a little wider for the smaller s35 sensor? Dragon may be a bigger sensor?
 
Oh and another question to those of you that have had a chance to use the ZE lenses for video-

I've been reading about the amount of rotation it takes to pull focus. Does this inhibit one from pulling focus without the aid of follow focus system? I know that's not recommended in the first place, but I'm just wondering. Thanks.
 
Guys, just to squash a rumor here, I'm pretty certain that there has been nothing from Red saying that the Dragon sensor will be bigger than the current sensor. Don't base your lens choices on that idea.
 
D Fuller said:
Guys, just to squash a rumor here, I'm pretty certain that there has been nothing from Red saying that the Dragon sensor will be bigger than the current sensor. Don't base your lens choices on that idea.
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agreed
 
Steve Tenuto said:
Oh and another question to those of you that have had a chance to use the ZE lenses for video-

I've been reading about the amount of rotation it takes to pull focus. Does this inhibit one from pulling focus without the aid of follow focus system? I know that's not recommended in the first place, but I'm just wondering. Thanks.
Click to expand...

It has nothing to do with using a follow-focus or not. It's about the precision with which you can follow the change in focus required for the shot. If 1/4-turn takes you from 2 feet to infinity, it will take a very short move to go from 10 feet to 8 feet. That's a very difficult move to hit, especially if you are following the current trend to shoot with narrow DOF. If the 2 feet to infinity move takes 300 degrees of rotation, the focus pull will be longer, easier to hit, and easier to feather. It's easier because there's more room for error.
 
D Fuller said:
Guys, just to squash a rumor here, I'm pretty certain that there has been nothing from Red saying that the Dragon sensor will be bigger than the current sensor. Don't base your lens choices on that idea.
Click to expand...

Thanks Cid. About the Dragon, the limitation on the Scarlet-X remains it's processing power. Even if the sensor is bigger, the scarlet won't be able to keep it at 24 fps, as it can only do 12 fps in 5K now. So yes, it might give full frame but in Still mode only, I think.
 
Carter Cammack said:
Watch that crop factor, it makes all of your lenses "longer" (1.6X at 4k, 2X at 3K) and confirm the mount is compatible with Epic/Scarlet bodies.

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This commonly causes confusion. Lenses don't inherently have any crop factor. Sensors and shooting formats have crop factors, but only when comparing one to another. A 50mm Zeiss ZE will yield the same image (compositionally) as a 50mm Master Prime. These lenses are designed for FF35 and will cover any existing Red format across their range. I'm considering the 35 / 50 / 85 all in F/1.4 as a mini super speed set, but totally can't decide between ZF and ZE.

CB
 
It's weird but I really don't like 50. Not sure why but I never use it.

some say 35 is most similar to Human eye but I've heard the same with the 50

Plus you can always buy it down the road

18-21-28-35-50-85-100 This would be a great 7 Piece set. I'd like to work up to this set up.
 
I agree with you Noah, this can sometimes be an issue. In daily use though, the bokeh is circular most of the time. Much like the Cooke S4s, Zeiss designed the aperture blades in order to better control optical aberrations present in all lenses. Unlike the S4s, the Contax Zeiss will not display the "ninja star" bokeh throughout the aperture range, only 1-2 stops below wide open. At f/1.4 or f/4, the effect is gone. Our set consists of:


21mm f/2.8 -- Incredibly low distortion
28mm f/2.0 -- Copied from Zeiss cinema design
35mm f/1.4
50mm f/1.4
60mm Macro -- f/2.8 with 1:1 Magnification, focuses 2 inches from the barrel
85mm f/1.4
135mm f/2.8
28-85mm f/3.3 (T4)
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Ryan, you are a man after my own heart. I own about 14 Contax Zeiss lenses, and love them. Got into them via a DP friend of mine, Peter Fernberger, and then researched extensively over at Fredmiranda.com for advice on what glass was great. Here is what I have:

28 F2 (famed "Hollywood" glass, can focus upto two-three inches)
28 2.8
35 2.8
35 1.4 (one of Fredmiranda faves, does have that "ninja star" at 1.4 to 2.8, which I kinda like to be honest)
35-70 3.3 zoom (legendary for being as sharp as any zeiss prime in its range, and one of the most popular lenses on fredmiranda period. Does not breathe, and has 1:3 macro, very useful. Someone did a test and it was sharper than Canon L primes in its range. Ha!)
45 2.8 Tessar pancake
50 1.4 (x 2)
85 1.4 (also has Ninja star btw 1.4 and 2.8)
85 2.8 (for some, their fave contax glass)
100 3.5 (for others, one of the sharpest contax glass)
135 2.8
180 2.8
80-200 F4 (not super sharp, but has that zeiss micro contrast and feel)
Hasselblad 80 2.8 C with Tilt Adapter (has matching T coating to Contax)

I love them because they have character, and are razor sharp. To quote Shane Hurblut, the new Ziess glass is a bit contrasty. These are less so (I'd rather add that in post), and they do flare a bit, but I like that. These lenses are raved about on Fredmiranda, and they are cheap, fun, and easy to collect. Unlike the ZE, they are FULLY manual (aperture as well). And unlike the ZF, they also FOCUS the right way (ZF are Nikon built, so focus goes the wrong way). There are also countless lenses to get, many more than in the current Zeiss line. I am still missing these that I really want, to round out my collection:

18 F4
21 2.8 (quote possibly one of the most famous wides ever made for still glass)
100 F2 (another Fredmirana legend. For some, one of the best 100's ever made)
60 2.8 Macro (one of best macro's ever)
100-300 zoom (called the 35-70 "on steroids", as it too is razor sharp throughout its range, blowing away the Contax 300 F4)

We just did a shoot with these last weekend, for History. You can see some samples here, if you like (on DSLR, so be kind):

ALL YOU CAN EAT WK: GRILLED CHEESE
http://www.astronautnyc.com/CLIENT/H2/ALLYOUCANEAT_CHEESE/

ALL YOU CAN EAT WK: MUDTRUCK
http://www.astronautnyc.com/CLIENT/H2/ALLYOUCANEAT_COFFEE/

ALL YOU CAN EAT WK: WAFFLE
http://www.astronautnyc.com/CLIENT/H2/ALLYOUCANEAT_WAFFLE/

ALL YOU CAN EAT WK: LOBSTER
http://www.astronautnyc.com/CLIENT/H2/ALLYOUCANEAT_LOBSTER/

ALL YOU CAN EAT WK: FOOD TRUCKS
http://www.astronautnyc.com/CLIENT/H2/ALLYOUCANEAT_GENERIC/

(Most of these shot on 35 1.4, 50 1.4, and 85 1.4, the few zoom shots are with 35-70. The time-lapses are Canon 16-35. All on 5D, 7D and 60D. You can see the ninja star on some of the 85 1.4 closeups into camera)

I like to shoot multicam (2 to 4 cameras), which is why I started collecting so many of these lenses. Besides, it was fun. As a producer/director, I loved having the option of so much glass. For me, each one has a different "personality". I definitely intend to cinemod a bunch of them at Duclos. When we get our Scarlet, I will actually get the ALLSTAR mount so I can remove the crappy EOS adapters, and have a better connection.

Anyway. Enjoy. Hope I've been even mildly helpful.
 
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