Contemplating the Canon Cine lenses VS. waiting for the Redmote Pro.

[Thomas Koba]

I have a Canon EF mount, and I totally ok with the look and quality of the Canon EF lenses for my work. What I hate about them is the focus pulling.

This probably is a fruitless question, as noone knows when the Redmote Pro will be out. But what are you're thoughts on buying into the Canon Cinema lenses?

These are my thought:
Canon Cinema Glass:
They are better than the Zeiss CP2 lenses (people seem to think)
They are cheap enough for me to buy into
They have EF mount.
I could sell them to some C300 owner, when the Redmote Pro is released

Canon EF glass:
I already own what I need.
The Redmote Pro is just too bloody sweet, if it does that wireless focuspulling.
The Optitron is too bulky and expensive. I´d rather pay the same money for a streamlined Redmote Pro, which has not mechanical wheel out front.
But....the Redmote Pro could take years to come out.


So....should I buy Canon Cinema lens or wait....What's your guesses on the Redmote Pro? Anyone in the same boat?

 

[Nick Morrison]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the focus throws on Canon EF lenses are pretty short right? The times I've used them, I found them impossible to focus cinematically with because the focus throws are actually pretty short (and very loose). I always assumed that part of what makes the auto-focusing more successful is the shorter throw. Gives the computer a smaller track to work on. The LONG THROWS are for manual focusing, to give a human being a fighting chance.

My point is: even if the Redmote Pro works, you aren't going to be able to get those great, gradual, very cinematic focus racks because the throws are so short. Right? I could be wrong, but that's my one concern with these EF lenses, regardless.

Not saying the Redmote Pro won't be great, I'm sure it will. But not certain it suddenly means these EF lenses will start focusing "cinematicaly". I worry they will keep those of DV/Video looking throws...

The Canon Cinema lenses do look great though. Are they autofocus too? If they are, then they are best of BOTH worlds...as they clearly have long throws...

 

[Björn Benckert]

If the precision of the red mote is good and can extend the total throw to a lap and a half or so then that would work well. But I guess it quite tricky to digitally extend it that far and have good precision. In the mean time I bought int FD glass. As they have longer throws, cost less, and are of much nicer build than the EF's. Also the mount is far cheaper.

 

[Thomas Koba]

But that's exactly what the Optitron has done to the EF leneses: extending that range electronicly, without jitter and such. (According to what Optitron and users are saying on this forum)

So I assume the Redmote will be able to do that to. If not, then definently Cinema lenses!

 

[Max M.]

I highly doubt the redmote pro will be under $1500, i don't think
its gonna be cheap and i do think if it will ever come, it is at least a year from now. Aldough red said not to show their cards, they announced quite some stuff in april that isn't released as of now. If youre ok with having the canon primes
for the next year, buy them
red will not come with something like a redmote pro in the next 12 months i think...

 

[Tom Gleeson]

These are my thought:
Canon Cinema Glass:
They are better than the Zeiss CP2 lenses (people seem to think)

Has anyone done any real quantitative testing of the Canon Cinema glass? If so could somebody post some links as I have seen very little.

 

[Nick Morrison]

If the precision of the red mote is good and can extend the total throw to a lap and a half or so then that would work well. But I guess it quite tricky to digitally extend it that far and have good precision. In the mean time I bought int FD glass. As they have longer throws, cost less, and are of much nicer build than the EF's. Also the mount is far cheaper.

All the same reasons I bought into Contax glass...