Canon L Lenses - Zoom or Prime?

[Josef Gatti]

So I've finally decided on the following starter set up. For anyone in a similar boat to me (running dry on funds after the Scarlet purchase , and need some relatively cheap glass that will serve well in most situations) I've done my research and it's looking like the budget (but still quality) options are the following.

Tokina 11 - 16 - for wides/timelapse/2k 60fps
Canon 24 - 70 2.8 - general purpose lens (I do the photography for the show I work on)
Canon 50mm 1.2 - med/close ups for narrative work. This thing is so sharp.

Going off B&H this looks close to a 4k investment - which is not bad. The only thing I'm missing something to punch in real close, I'm thinking I'll add the 70 - 200 once i've started making some money back. Will rent it in the mean time if it's required.

Hopefully by the time dragon rolls out I'll get a PL mount and the Red 18 - 85 BT and step it up a notch, but now we're thinking a well way away.

This will be my first interchangable kit, ever. Kind of excited - I think I've got my research right. Anyone feel free to chime in and give me your 2 cents on how you think this will go.

 

[Luuk de Kok]

Nice list!
However, i would advice to get a zoom or prime a bit longer than 70mm.
When filming on 4k it would be a great advantage to get some nice close-ups.
Perhaps the sigma 70-200 is something to consider?
It's way more affordable than the canon version and from what i saw (i don't use the lens nor do i have experience with it) is that it's really sharp and great bang for your buck.
Good luck with it!

 

[Lliam Worthington]

Re: 'Nifty 50' and older stills glass...

I had a full set of Nikon AI-S primes. Really beautiful lenses, great color rendering etc. Then I put one of the Zeiss ZF lenses on my FS100 and aimed it straight at a bare light bulb, wide open... no ghosting, no flares. From three feet away. I never thought you could get economy glass with coatings of that quality. In real world shooting, commercial or narrative, for the money, they are insanely good. I would love to have some hard mounted gears put onto them, and I would love to get my 85 lubricated so that you can use the same Preston/Bartek motor for all of my lenses, but again, for the price, they are insanely good.

Recently I did a commercial shoot as 2nd Unit DP. 1st unit had 3 Alexas with Ang. zooms and Zeiss/Arri Master Primes. I was shooting on the FS100 with my Zeiss ZFs. Upon final grading, you really can't tell the difference. The DP I was working for was as pleasantly surprised as I was. I'm not saying that they're as good as Master Primes, or as convenient to use in pro settings, but they really can stand up with a little bit of grading.

I've been right on the edge of making a Zeiss decision, and that post Justin really confirms what I am hoping/thinking.
Better contrast and colour rendering seems apparent to me in all the tests I have looked at - though I haven't watched v Leica.
And yours and others comments on the coating quality mixed with better build for focus pulling... I'm in.

Thanks mate

Best

Lliam