Dragon + Canon CN-E primes

[Christoffer Glans]

I'm looking into buying mid range lenses so I took these out for a spin to try them out. Have to say I fell in love with them :thumbsup:

 

[Daniel John]

Looks great Christoffer.

Do you mind sharing which focal lengths you shot with?

 

[Tim Bradley]

Hi Christoffer,

I agree the CN-E's are very nice lenses. I use them frequently and really enjoy the images I get with them.

 

[Matthew Quinn]

Told ya =)

 

[Marcus Friedlander]

I agree that Cn-E's look great but I have such a hard time justifying the price difference between the CN-E's and the normal L series primes. Even as someone who got started as an AC I wouldn't say mechanics alone are worth 3 times the price. What do you think?

I guess it's similar to the WEAPON/RAVEN argument, but if I'm going to invest some serious cash In a set of glass, I'd want more than just better mechanics and an ever so slight IQ boost, when compared to the stills version. I would rather take that price difference and reinvest it into another missing piece of my camera package.


P.S. That applies to the CP.2's as well. I like the image I get with them and I rent them all the time but I could never see my self owning them.

 

[Christoffer Glans]

Looks great Christoffer.

Do you mind sharing which focal lengths you shot with?

Yeah, I had the 50, 85 and 135, but I was filming with a friend who was on a job with them so I could try them out for free, but he filmed on the 50, so all these shots are just 85 and 135.

Told ya =)

Hehe

I agree that Cn-E's look great but I have such a hard time justifying the price difference between the CN-E's and the normal L series primes. Even as someone who got started as an AC I wouldn't say mechanics alone are worth 3 times the price. What do you think?

I guess it's similar to the WEAPON/RAVEN argument, but if I'm going to invest some serious cash In a set of glass, I'd want more than just better mechanics and an ever so slight IQ boost, when compared to the stills version. I would rather take that price difference and reinvest it into another missing piece of my camera package.

I'm not so sure, mechanics cost and precision mechanics cost a lot. Any specialized gear in any business cost a lot because of precision manufacture and niche market. Still lenses are bought by many regular customers, even the L-lenses, but these doesn't have a market outside professional filmmakers, which means they aren't made in a large bulk.
Also, while you can use regular still lenses, I wouldn't want to dare risk a performance because my focus marks are off. Also, how do you do precision focus work with still lenses? Even if you manage to mark the actors and do it, it takes a long time to set everything into place, you would be fired off the set before that's done probably. Working with these, and if they are calibrated correctly, I don't need a monitor or some flimsy follow focus, I only need my laser measure and a pen, that saves time, time is money, money is spent into the built quality

Also, what good is the extra money if you can't buy a proper follow focus for still lenses?

 

[Marcus Friedlander]

I'm not debating the merits of proper mechanics on lenses, and the price associated with that. I think we all know why cinema lenses are a requirement on a professional set, what I'm saying is more of a question of value. All things being considered, are you getting 3 times the value of L series primes with the CN-E primes? Honestly, I just don't see it.

Maybe in your market you can hit those numbers, but I have a hard time believing that someone who would fire you because you asked to get focus marks would be ok with something that doesn't say Zeiss or Cooke on the side of it. On the other side of the coin, I have a hard time believing that a penny pinching producer will pay 3 times the cost for essentially the same image quality. It seems too cheap to be respected by the big boys, and too expensive to be practical for the little guys. But maybe that's just my view and its wrong.

I will definitely be keeping my eye on this set of lenses. But in the mean time, I'm going to wait for that perfect set to be released (I thought it would be the Xenon-FF primes, and although it was very close, it was not quite what I wanted/needed)

 

[AndreeMarkefors]

The obvious question of course becomes: did you shoot anything @4k? =)

I'd love to see some randoms scenes like these, especially at dusk, at 35mm or wider.

I'm sure I'm the only one (ahem), but still… =)

 

[Christoffer Glans]

I'm not debating the merits of proper mechanics on lenses, and the price associated with that. I think we all know why cinema lenses are a requirement on a professional set, what I'm saying is more of a question of value. All things being considered, are you getting 3 times the value of L series primes with the CN-E primes? Honestly, I just don't see it.

Maybe in your market you can hit those numbers, but I have a hard time believing that someone who would fire you because you asked to get focus marks would be ok with something that doesn't say Zeiss or Cooke on the side of it. On the other side of the coin, I have a hard time believing that a penny pinching producer will pay 3 times the cost for essentially the same image quality. It seems too cheap to be respected by the big boys, and too expensive to be practical for the little guys. But maybe that's just my view and its wrong.

I will definitely be keeping my eye on this set of lenses. But in the mean time, I'm going to wait for that perfect set to be released (I thought it would be the Xenon-FF primes, and although it was very close, it was not quite what I wanted/needed)

It's an interesting dilemma. I think that in the end, the lens and mechanical quality wins over producers who lack knowledge. The lens quality of the L-Primes in still photography is that they are one of the fines lenses available in terms of pure optical performance (not character and interesting looks). They are essentially the Master Primes of the still lens world in my opinion. This means that with proper cine-mechanical build they become one of the finest cine-primes available. If I can show a producer that they can get almost Master Prime performance out of a set of lighter full frame lenses with proper cine-mechanics and T1.5 for a fraction of the cost of Master Primes, I think they will agree it's the best way to go.
I mean, I can't compete with larger budget movies that can rent complete gear with Ultras or Leicas, but what I can give a low budget production is far greater with these than say the Zeiss CP.2s.

The obvious question of course becomes: did you shoot anything @4k? =)

I'd love to see some randoms scenes like these, especially at dusk, at 35mm or wider.

I'm sure I'm the only one (ahem), but still… =)

Haha, I'm thinking you are looking into buying the Raven?
I have a strange problem with the focus on my Dragon (seems to be a camera thing), so as soon as that is fixed and if I buy a set of these I could post some more footage

 

[Andrei Goaga]

What focus problems do you have that are camera related?

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

How about a set of CN-E primes with integrated servo FIZ motors (able to be turned off for traditional FF use if desired) and sophisticated focus assist tools. FF35 coverage, modern coatings, not too large or small, 5 lens set for $20K - 14, 18, 25, 40, 85mm perhaps...

How about the new 11-24, 24-70Lmk2 & 70-200LMk2 in a 3 lens set, cine mechanics/throw and internal FIZ motors for $15K?

Canon has the portfolio to take such a road if they wished...

Cheers - #19