Film Lenses on Digital Cameras

[Jonathan Burton]

Just a quick question...

I am very interested in purchasing the S35 Scarlet when it is available. Due to budget constraints, I am thinking of getting a set of Zeiss ZF Nikon mount lenses to go with. However I have heard that there can be problems when putting film lenses on digital cameras. Apparently the surface of a digital sensor is more reflective than the surface of film, and as such, stray light can bounce off the sensor and refract back in the lens causing problems.

Does anyone know if this is a problem I am likely to encounter with my proposed setup? Has anyone had this problem before?

On another note, any comments on my proposed setup would be helpful too. Does this sound like a sensible way to go?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[jimhare]

No problems at all. I use ZFs on my Red 1 and have nothing but great praise for their quality.

For the money they are untouchable. Any issues are not in the visual quality.

 

[Ryan S]

Hey Jono,

I'm still a novice compared with most of the folks here, but as a newly addicted glassaholic, I'll try to answer your question.

As I understand it, the difference between "film lenses" and "digital lenses" is that they will bend the incoming light slightly differently. Digital sensors expose best if the light hits them straight on, or as close to it, instead of at an angle. Film doesn't have that problem.

That said, I've shot with old Nikon still lenses and old Zeiss Super Speeds, both of which were made before the digital revolution. They work just fine. They weren't as sharp as the majority of new modern prime lenses, but they did the job, and I especially appreciated the mild softness of the Speeds for the project I used them for.

The Zeiss ZF lenses are great- they're sharp, contrasty, and work well on the Red One. They'll also cover FF35 if you go that route down the line. You can find quite a few examples of projects shot with them on this forum. But you have to consider that they focus the opposite direction from standard cine lenses, and the focus throw is quite short. They are also slower than most cine lenses, for the most part. The 18mm is especially slow at T3.5.

If you're leaning towards the ZFs, Matt Duclos offers a cine-mod service where he will add focus gears and de-click the iris, making them much easier to use on the Red or with a DOF adaptor.

Depending on your budget, you might also consider the Zeiss Compact Primes. They're basically the same lenses, but rebuilt by Zeiss with cine-style housing, focus and iris gears, the correct focus direction and an increased throw. They're more expensive than the ZFs though. For the money, the Red Pro Primes are (in my opinion) a much more attractive option. Having Zeiss lenses in your kit is always good, but the price/performance of the RPPs is hard to beat.

That's my $0.02. I'm sure the more experienced folks here can add to this (and correct me if I erred anywhere!)

Good luck, good shooting.

 

[jimhare]

I have the Duclos mods and they are an absolute MUST. Declicking the iris, adding permanent (not the weird cheap add-on) focus gears make them beautiful to work with.

Most of the ZFs are faster than the average Cine lens. The ZF 85mm and 50mm are f/1.4, most others average f/2. The 18mm is an anomaly and not popular, simply because it's too slow.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

another option

another option

I have the Duclos mods and they are an absolute MUST. Declicking the iris, adding permanent (not the weird cheap add-on) focus gears make them beautiful to work with.

Most of the ZFs are faster than the average Cine lens. The ZF 85mm and 50mm are f/1.4, most others average f/2. The 18mm is an anomaly and not popular, simply because it's too slow.

If You use OptiTek's Nikon ProLock no declicking and iris gear necessary- these are already built into the mount. Positive lock PL style so no play in the mount, G- lens control (14-24F2.8, 24-70, stock $500 11-16 tokina) etc, etc.
take a look http://optitek.org/nikon-prolock.php

 

[Stephen Williams]

Most of the ZFs are faster than the average Cine lens. The ZF 85mm and 50mm are f/1.4, most others average f/2. The 18mm is an anomaly and not popular, simply because it's too slow.

Can't think of any Cine Primes made in the last 25 years slower than F2. FWIW a Cooke 18mm S3 from 1954 was F1.7. Pretty sure the B&L Super Baltar are F2 at least as well. Not a lot of progress in 50 years!

 

[Jonathan Burton]

Thanks so much for the help! Does anyone know how I can get in touch with Matt Duclos?

 

[Peter Strietmann]

www.ducloslenses.com

 

[Sam Taylor]

Does anyone know of comparative tests made between Zeiss ZF and Zeiss C/Y (contax mount) on a red body? Thanks!