Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
  • 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 :)

Canon Cinema Prime vs Canon FD

D

Dave Blackham

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
2,543
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Would any one have examples of a side by side test of a Canon Cinema Prime vs a Canon FD L prime, Im interested to see how they look side by side.
 
Maybe Björn does? He's got a nice FD collection at least...
 
Dave Blackham said:
Would any one have examples of a side by side test of a Canon Cinema Prime vs a Canon FD L prime, Im interested to see how they look side by side.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing because of the FD's older coatings, they may be a bit more low-con and prone to flaring? (kind of like Contax Zeiss are to ZF/CP2?)
 
The 35-105 1:3.5 (constant) is pretty nice, though. I passed a shop recently who had it in the window, asked out of curiosity and he wanted 20,- Euros only. Feeding my addiction…

Definitely less contrast than a Zeiss C/Y, but nice flares and not bad for a zoom from those times.

I've heard that the FD 85mm 1.2 L is a portrait monster, but it goes for massive dough, so I'll pass on that one, having a 85mm 1.4 C/Y.
 
Thanks every one.

We have a set of EF lenses most of the later SCC coated lenses and most of the L series FD lenses. We prefer them to the EF lenses for their mechanics and don't see a huge difference in look to EF lenses apart from speed. Also they compare favourably to K35's the only issue being number or blades in the iris making the Bokeh less smooth in some cases. We dont have a set of Cinema primes to test against so we think, though this is entirely speculation that the newer coating (if there is a newer coating that is) will control flares better. Assuming you want flares controled better that is. So far we have just be vigilant in using a good matte box to stop stray light finding its way in to the lens. Be good to see some side by side tests if any one has some. We will do this if and when we can lay hands on some Cinema primes.
 
Dave Blackham said:
Thanks every one.

We have a set of EF lenses most of the later SCC coated lenses and most of the L series FD lenses. We prefer them to the EF lenses for their mechanics and don't see a huge difference in look to EF lenses apart from speed.
Click to expand...

I think one of the dirty secrets in optics is most designs don't change very much...they get tweaked a bit, here, there...but the "core" of the design rarely changes. Just look at Contax to ZF...some of the lenses designs barely changed at all...and the Contax designs were drawn up in the mid 70's. My assumption is a number of the primes we know and love (from Nikkors, to Canon, to Leica) are often based on 70's and 80's designs that have sightly "evolved" over the years...especially classics like 50 1.4's, etc.
 
Nick Morrison said:
I think one of the dirty secrets in optics is most designs don't change very much...they get tweaked a bit, here, there...but the "core" of the design rarely changes. Just look at Contax to ZF...some of the lenses designs barely changed at all...and the Contax designs were drawn up in the mid 70's. My assumption is a number of the primes we know and love (from Nikkors, to Canon, to Leica) are often based on 70's and 80's designs that have sightly "evolved" over the years...especially classics like 50 1.4's, etc.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking.

I am hopeful of getting some Cinema Primes up on an Epic and the FD's on another put them both on a 3D SbS rig and shoot some tests. Finding the Cinema primes is the issue here.
 
The Canon 35-105 f3.5 is a GEM. SMOOTH focus and zoom, two touch, some of the most amazing flares I have ever seen. Don't think, just buy one if you can. They're cheap on ebay
 
I would think twice before getting any geared out cine primes. Ask yourself how often do you work with a an AC, how often do you use remote focus or FF gear, how often do you actually use the witness marks, marking focus discs and / or use a tape measure?

Personally I find myself pinching the screen far more often than any of the above. No matter if I use our hawks or any other cine lenses. And I do very rarely even bring a tape measure when we shoot. Further more I very often find cine lenses to be in the way and heavy.

And when I actually do pull focus, like when having somebody walking towards the cam or such I find it way more easy to rehears a few times and pull focus with my hand straight on the lens, Even when having the camera on the shoulder, I more often find the FF systems to be more in the way than being of any good help.

When doing milo work we of course use focus motors, the same when we are on cranes or actually have a AC and wireless FF.

But basically for the most part I find it better to remove gear from the camera than adding. And I do not find breathing or any other "still lens feature" of the FD's disturbing, all lenses breath and the FD's are more solid than most stills as they are nicely built and do not flex much.


For being on a tripod or any kind of normal shooting scenario I actually prefer the FD's over most cine glass. It's nice to use the Summilux-c's, Masterprimes, Cooke's or other expansive glass but picture vice the FD's deliver the just about the same quality picture. And with a strap-on focus gear ring you can be on cranes, use FF systems etc.

Also you get a complete set of FD's including the mount for the price of even a slow and shitty Cine lens. So as you might all ready have guessed my recommendation is definitely to consider these babies as a first pick. They will not bring in any money as rentals but on the other hand they will get the jobs done and their cost is stupidly low.

And regarding cinematic look, I think it has absolutely nothing to do with your lens being a cine lens or not, glass is glass and the difference between still glass and cineglass is just the build and the price. Cinematic looks is achieved trough so much more than the lens used. Lightning, filtering, grading and picture processing is much more valid factors.

But if you really want to get a strong look right trough the lens I would suggest something like Dog Schidt lenses: https://www.facebook.com/DogSchidtOptiks
 
Our converted stills lenses have gears fitted to them as an option to use if you want, they are removable so you can use or not as you want. Bjorn is quite right though they can get in the way and complicate things. One of the nice things about these lenses are they are small and simple and robust, newer electronic lenses are not so robust and also if you do want to fit a gear many newer lenses are not so well suited.

The other point is we tend to use screw on ND's which makes for light weight use. You can use the 52mm filter on many of them excepting the lenses with large front element or if you want use an 80mm front to standardise on your filter size.

There are too many camera set ups these days which have many more accesories fitted to them than needed that compilcate what should be a small elegant set up.
 
Dave Blackham said:
Our converted stills lenses have gears fitted to them as an option to use if you want, they are removable so you can use or not as you want. Bjorn is quite right though they can get in the way and complicate things. One of the nice things about these lenses are they are small and simple and robust, newer electronic lenses are not so robust and also if you do want to fit a gear many newer lenses are not so well suited.

The other point is we tend to use screw on ND's which makes for light weight use. You can use the 52mm filter on many of them excepting the lenses with large front element or if you want use an 80mm front to standardise on your filter size.

There are too many camera set ups these days which have many more accesories fitted to them than needed that compilcate what should be a small elegant set up.
Click to expand...

Pretty much exactly why I love our Contax setup. For all these reasons. Superbly made, manual focus lenses that aren't clinically modern ...but still very sharp...I think are a fantastic way to go, especially....as you say...considering the fast pace most jobs have to run out these days.

I love that we can put 8 to 10 fully modded lenses into ONE 1510 Pelican.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top