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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 :)

Best Nikon Lens?

FocusOptics said:
Tom,
First of all as a still lenes the focus is focusing in reverse not cine direction. On the focus scale from 2 1/2 feet to infinty there is 1/8 inch of travel so if you want to focus at 5feet or 10 feet the focus travel is about 1/witness mark of travel.
There is no iris ring.
As a rehoused lens the focus is going in cine direction and the focus marks are expanded. In the pictures that you saw the focus roatation is 40 degrees of travel. Wth engraved marks 1ft 8" 2 feet 3feet 5 feet 10 feet and infinity. now we have gone a step farther we expanded the focus travel from 40 degrees of travel to 90+degrees not sure anywhere between 90 and 120 degrees. there is also an iris ring. The iris focus and zoom all have cine geared pitch. internally all the movements have been modified zoom bearings stainless steel cam followers etc. I hope this helps you to understand . Also you have the option of 105mm front or 110mm front.
Stuart
Click to expand...

These are all good features - if someone uses the lens in a cine style shooting environment - which is obviously the intended use for your re-housed lens.

But for the multitude of indies, who shoot in a hybrid style workflow, who do their own focusing by eye racking the lens barrel, where no AC or focus puller is involved, do mobile work where they need lightness (thus don't use a follow focus), and who use the Underdahl Nikon mount knob to control iris, none of the features you list are a necessity or major attraction.

I won't be buying your Ruby because me and my crews use the indie hybrid workflow I just described, which makes the most operational and fiscal sense for us - and the RED images we've been generating with the stock Nikon 14-24 have been stellar. We do a wide range of network and cable TV production, stock footage, some commercials, and a fair amount of high-end business media.

All this said, for those who do a more traditional cine-style field workflow with RED, use focus pullers and follow focus units, and want/need a real good wide cine zoom, I'm sure your Ruby will be great. The features of your lens seem excellent for that.

I think everyone simply needs to analyze what genres they usually shoot, the best crew and equipment for that, and then decide on their lens purchases accordingly.

To each their own according to their needs...
 
One last question. I am considering this package....

The Nikon 17-55 and the Nikon 70-200.

I was considering the 24-70, but the 17-55 costs $500 less. Would you guys think that sacrificing the 55-70 range is worth saving 500?
 
Matt Zervos said:
One last question. I am considering this package....

The Nikon 17-55 and the Nikon 70-200.

I was considering the 24-70, but the 17-55 costs $500 less. Would you guys think that sacrificing the 55-70 range is worth saving 500?
Click to expand...

17-55 is a nice lens, gives you a bit more reach than the 17-35 I have. But, keep in mind it is a DX lens, so no manual control of aperture. You'll need the updated Nikon Mount. For zooms, I am missing the 35-70mm range. I have Tokina 11-16, Nikon 17-35, Nikon 80-200. But I also have primes. If I'm going out with just my zooms, I'll usually stick a 50mm 1.4 prime in there just to have it.
 
How about using follow focus on the nikon lenses? do you need to have them rehoused? some of the DSLR nikon's don't look like can be adapted very easily...
 
You can send it to Duclos or Visual Products and they can install a focus gear for you. Or you could get a focus gear from Cinevate and install it yourself.
 
has anyone used the Nikon AF 85mm f/1.4D IF Lens, How are people handleing the focus for these nikon lenses?
 
scott william said:
How are people handleing the focus for these nikon lenses?
Click to expand...

Those of us who use Nikon lenses, and do a lot of highly-mobile production, where bulk and weight are shot-inhibitors, use the lenses without a matte box or follow focus. We use high-quality, multi-coated, screw-on filters, and focus by eye by turning the lens focus ring.

Hybrid-style production takes practice, but with good skills and enough practice the results can be stellar.
 
I just placed a deposit for my Red! 12 months of saving.

I’m going with Nikon lenses but have only ordered the standard Nikon mount so will need lenses with an iris ring. I have read that most users say there is no picture quality difference between the zooms and the primes, is this correct?

I’m looking at the following options, please offer any advise on my selection – haven’t bought yet :)

Primes
AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D
AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 D

Zooms
Nikon AF Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8D Lens
AF Nikkor 24-85mm f/2.8-4D Macro Lens

What would you suggest?
 
woohoo congratts Scott... welcome to the family :)
 
Anyone have an opinion on these lenses (for RED)?

Primes
AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D
AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 D

Zooms
Nikon AF Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8D Lens
AF Nikkor 24-85mm f/2.8-4D Macro Lens

It seems there are so many models of the same focal length Nikkor/ Nikon lenses.
 
Scott,

I own around 21 Nikon lenses I regularly use on RED. I don't own any of the lenses you listed, so I can't comment on their use on RED or the results.

BTW, I use the Underdahl Nikon mount on RED, so I can use Nikon lenses with and without iris rings. Some of my favorite lenses I use on RED, like the Nikon 14-24 and the Tokina 11-16 (Nikon mount), don't have iris rings, thus I use the Underdahl Nikon mount. You can trade your stock RED Nikon mount into Long Valley for the Underdahl mount. It will cost you a few hundred dollars to do so, but open up a lot of other good Nikon mount lens options for you.

Do a Google search for those lenses, one by one, and read the professional reviews on them for use on Nikon DSLR cameras. That should give you a starting reference to how they may perform on RED. RED, and the DSLR cameras from Canon, Nikon, etc. have related technology CMOS sensors, and the lenses you listed are coated to dance well with new generation CMOS sensors. By extrapolation they should generate good images on RED. That said, I'd still comb through as many professional reviews of the lenses as possible before making any decision to buy one.

Better yet, once you get your RED One with a Nikon mount, then just take your RED and a laptop to a good photography shop, put those lenses on the camera, shoot a few test shots, download them quickly to your laptop, and check out the results. Even then, if you buy one, when you get it shoot a lot of additional test footage quickly, analyze it, then if you don't like the results, get a refund on the lens within the time period allotted by the retailer.

Don't assume each individual lens in a particular model and make are equal. There can be individual lemons. If you know a lens has reviewed well, and you're not happy with the results you get on your particular one, return it and try another of the same lens. Chances are you'll get a better lens the next time around.

Stock 35mm stills lenses aren't necessarily made to handle motion imaging - but most of the high-quality ones do surprisingly well at it - and some do exceptionally well. If you can live with the workarounds of focusing and filtering them, the images from stock 35mm stills lenses on RED can be stellar.

Hope this helps you...
 
What about using the Nikon still lenses on RED FF35 DSMC? when the first scarlets are shipped, will there be RED glass that covers the full 36x24mm sensor area?
 
Wim Verbeek said:
What about using the Nikon still lenses on RED FF35 DSMC? when the first scarlets are shipped, will there be RED glass that covers the full 36x24mm sensor area?
Click to expand...

Nikon lenses that are designed to cover FF35 will do so on FF35 Epic and Scarlet. Those same lenses will naturally cover S35 on those Epic and Scarlet models with the smaller sensor.

RED has not finalized their specifications for any of the new cameras, electronic lenses, and accessories. That said, the new electronic lenses, announced on December 3, 2008, have non-finalized specifications that state they will cover FF35.
 
Hi Scott,
I strongly recommend the Long Valley Nikon mount upgrade. I work with PL mount lenses and with Nikon mount lenses. Just filmed an entire feature film with the Nikon 17-55mm 2,8 because the director wished a very light setup. We have great results!!! Incredible lens and very cheap for a "cinema lens", but you need the modified Nikon mount.
I also own some newer Nikons with Nano coating. They are extremly flare resistant. I hope Nikon upgrades some older Zooms with it too (like 200-400mm 4,0). If you can live with a Zoom starting at 24mm I recommend the Nikon 24-70mm (Nano). One of the best DSLR standard zoom lenses ever built.
If you really have to find the cheapest solution without sacrifiying quality, go for the Long Valley Nikon modified mount and add a Nikon 17-55mm 2,8 GD EF.

Welcome and have a great start with R1 !
Marc
 
Hi Steve, thanks
Just bought the Nikkor AF-D 80-200/2.8, this lens was recommended as Nikon's best glass in this zoom range. I also use the superb Nikkor AF-D 17-35mm/2.8 with my Nikon DSLR.
These lenses seem to me a very good start to cover the FF35 Scarlet/Epic.
Red-one was on my wishlist. But in these exiting times everything changes. The FF35 brain will probably fit best to my future needs (high quality corporate productions, multiscreen productions, and landscape visuals) I currently use the Sony 750HDCAM.
Scarlet FF35 does the highest quality at a nice price, where Epic probably will be to costly for us with use of this brain.

Marc Berger recommends the Long Valley Mount upgrade. What is the difference with the RED Nikon mount. Any guess if this will be usefull for Scarlet -although there's no full specs about it from RED at this time-.
Marc, if you read this, you will have the answer.. :)
 
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