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Big Movie Time: Need Lightest Lens options to Summilux-C for Drone on Feature

Chris Jordan

Chris Jordan

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We are shooting on a pretty large budget feature in a month, and the DP is pretty set on the Summilux-C lenses.

They are pretty heavy (for a drone). I can handle 30lbs no problem, with these lenses i'd be at 32 lbs. I'll also be at 5,300 feet above sea level, which drops me back to 28lbs AUW.

What lenses do you guys love, that could be similar ( I know I know) to the summilux-c kit? It's a hard sell, but I need to make this happen for them.
CHEERS!
 
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To get anything close and be in a lighter weight class you'll need to look at Sigma Art or Zeiss Otus. Neither of which are "perfect" matches for the Summilux-Cs.

My solution was get a bigger drone.

phfx_redEpicDragon_4KBMGE_08.jpg


Or perhaps rent a Weapon as it's lighter weight.
 
Thanks guys :) We have a bigger drone, but not one we want to use on such a big production. Phil, I'll check out those lenses! Thank you brother...
 
What about the Summicron-Cs? Or some cine-modded Leica R's

The Summicron's drop a little weight. The Modded R's should get you there. Just not a lot of wide options.
 
go lecia M mount and get lecia summilux m lens . This will cut alot of weight. I curious if u do a test to compare the 2 lenses
 
Chris Jordan said:
Would Zeiss Super Speeds be better than the Otus? They are the same weight it looks like.
Click to expand...

If you don't need to be real wide you can maybe find a Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 in Leica M mount. It's a tiny, tiny lens. Otus primes are closer to Summilux-Cs than Super Speeds in a variety of ways.
 
There are some lenses that can be of use, but none will really be of fair trade...

My strong suggestion... Follow Phil's one... Rent a Forged Weapon and keep the Director's happy...

If the One and a Half pound you shave off is not enough, then just get a Leica Summicron C Prime and shave off an other Pound, unless you are also in need to go T1.4...

In fact thru some of the tests I got very specific about, I noticed clear superiority on image quality for the Summicron's vs the Summilux's... Speed is good, but some times image quality is more important... Even so to the eye of the general public it will make no difference there is a difference... :)
 
Have a look at the new PL mount. It is 100gm's lighter.

We are flying with canon mount as it is much lighter with good lens options.

The Leica mount is another good idea.

It's a tricky one, and we are going through the same process as you are. Unfortunately, I don't have a good answer.

Personally, I would love a totally stripped down Weapon Drone Edition. With the 6k sensor, RAW only, limited monitoring, limited outputs, changeable lens mount. Anything to get the weight down further.
 
the leica noctilux weighs 1.5 LBS and has a draw that is VERY similar to the LUX-C rendering. if you don't need to focus to infinity, the 35 summilux-M also draws in a very similar way. cron M glass will appear sharper on the dragon than the CronC or LuxC, as it generates slightly more contrast.

you will also save weight with the M mount, so that may help a bit too!

if you need a test on Leica M glass, just let me know. i have an epic dragon, noctilux M, and 35 lux M.

good luck!

joey
 
Summicron-Cs would be my recommendation. They are lighter than the Summilux-Cs, plus, they are shorter and the weight they do have is not as front heavy. Since both the Summilux and Summicron sets are of fairly recent vintage, the coatings and overall design should have shared properties that aid intercutting. The Summicrons should also resolve very well, making stabilization and re-framing of the aerials in post more viable. YMMV.

Cheers - #19
 
I would try and determine the stop the DOP wants to shoot and focal lengths and use that info to test some of the lens options red-users have put forth here, also the distances involved. Often (but not always) were talking about 15 ft to 60-100 or more distances from the point of interest so the resolving power of the lens and sensor should come into play.

A big show should start with the Weapon to shave some weight to get ahead of the weight problem then through testing at the stop/distance focal length needed. id guess some of the lens ideas above would bare some solid lighter-weight options to the Summilux's and cut in fine. The "salt" lens test were very well done and worth looking closely at how many quality lenses start looking almost the same after about 2.8, which is not an un-likely stop (down from 2.8) for these aerials to be filmed.
 
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