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  • 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 :)

Illumina S35 "Soft Roll Out" in Miami

No, they were shipping units. I am trying to be fair and careful with the opinions I'm sharing, because someone receiving a set of these lenses today might have different experiences. Were these pre-production units, I would definitely have that disclaimer, but because these were production units (early ones, albeit) I believe they are fair game for criticism.
 
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Kar, thanks for the candid response. Short of the early company announcements, your observations have been most bits of information available. Thanks again.
 
The lenses used by Pasha Patriki on this music video were prototypes. They were shipped to him for field testing and to report any problems. There were issues with mechanics and markings and the lenses were returned to Luma Tech for further evaluation. That was quite a few weeks ago and many changes have been made and the mechanical designs altered by the LOMO factory. The optics have not been altered in any way as they are superb. New lens sets are now ready and will be shown at NAB.
 
late call

late call

The issues mentioned here are echo of the general issues with 16mm Optars.
It's a bit late in the game but since there are not many sets out there the damage is minimal and mosly to the egos:sneaky2:
I hope this is not taken as bashing but a constructive criticism. Take it as a free advice from someone in charge of dozens of camera lens projects in the heart of film industry. I'll be blunt: these are not minor issues- they are major issues, get your s#&t together and show your best- otherwise these lenses have no chance...
 
Glad to hear about the improvements. Whether or not they were 'prototypes'...I can only say that he purchased them at retail price with the intent to keep them...the option to return did exist and he chose to exercise that option after our initial experience with them.
 
Hi everybody,
I am the DP who used these lenses - Kar Wai thanks for sharing! I felt like I should put in my 5 cents.
I did pay for the lenses, however it has been decided that the lenses were still in the prototype stage, after talking directly with LOMO factory in Russia.
I was well aware that this set of Illuminas was one of the first to arrive in North America, and while I agreed to pay for it - the truth is, it was still very much a prototype. I personally know Gregory Mirand- the man behind the design of these lenses, and that's why I had my confidence that we will be able to work things out.
Which is exactly how things went along.

So I want to tell you guys - hold back, they are making some serious improvements on the mechanics of the lenses, and they will at NAB in two weeks - you should check them out. If the problems that we have pointed out so far have been fixed (which is what they are claiming), then this might be a very good set of lenses to have.

As mentioned before, the optics in these "prototypes" were great, it was a few mechanical issues that we had issues with.
 
Here's a link to the video we shot with these lenses:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL2-c4IUuZk&feature=player_embedded
As Kar Wai Ng mentions, we shot at around T2.0 most of the time, ans also used a streak filter. We clearly had a lot of lighting fixtures blaring directly into the lens, because we wanted as many flares as possible.

In fact, later in post director Alon Isocianu added even more flares. The only real lens flares are those rainbow-type rings, which expand as we move in relation to the source of the flare. These were actually only so prominent on 35mm lens, and not so much on others. In fact, we used mostly 35mm lens on the performance part, as well as 18mm for the wide shots.

I have been in contact with Gregory and Fred Salaff, and they have been very attentive to my feedback (which includes all those that Kar Wai Ng mentioned in his posts), and they have been apparently working on resolving these mechanical issues.
I just want to be very clear on that.

I might not be going to NAB this year, as I am booked on a shoot those days, but if I do - I really want to evaluate the new set!

And as any DP or AC, we love to talk about lenses, and could talk about it forever. I will be happy to chat with anyone about these, please shoot me an email - pasha@dop.ca (I am not a very frequent forum visitor).

Cheers!
 
This all bodes well IMHO. Forums like these certainly apply the blowtorch to manufacturers but on the upside they feel the heat early in the piece, not after releasing hundreds or thousands of units onto the market. The makers of these lenses, with any common sense whatsoever, can clearly see what the market expects and should be able to deliver.

Anyone who criticises Jim and Red for their "vapourware" approach to announce first, second, third etc. then release when ready should take a look at what's happening here. This is the power of the market's involvement in the development process, as distinct from the develop in secret and cover your arse when sales begin approach.
 
+1

been trying to find out as much info about these lenses as possible, really not a lot online. Would love to see more footage, lens testes, and news of any upgrades on this mechanical operation and quality from the prototypes.
 
I would only consider 3 lens sets at this point (assuming I did not own RPP's)

1) RPP's
2) Uniq Optics
3) Zeiss Compact Primes

Those seem to be the ones everyone I saw at NAB was evaluating/buying.

Oh, and the Leica's if I had the budget.
 
Bob Renalds said:
I would only consider 3 lens sets at this point (assuming I did not own RPP's)

1) RPP's
2) Uniq Optics
3) Zeiss Compact Primes

Those seem to be the ones everyone I saw at NAB was evaluating/buying.

Oh, and the Leica's if I had the budget.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the Cooke Panchros. They may be 2.8, but with the faster Epic/Scarlet that's not really a big deal, particularly if that 2.8 turns out to be usable (which reports claim it to be). I haven't tested them myself, but the chance to work with S4 quality every day? Not to be tossed out without a lot of thought. These are first on my list of "have to check them out in person" lenses. I shoot as much as I can with the S4s...they have a magic quality that belies specs. My two cents.
 
Stuart from Focus Optics was there and I played with the lenses a bit. The weight and t-stop was good but the iris felt a bit funky and the rings were a bit gritty. Stuart said he'd smooth the iris and focus rings before they left his shop if you slap down the $34k. The bokeh wasn't my favorite. I'd have to see more footy out of them. He was very excited about his Ruby. Nice wide zoom with very little distortion.
 
I am very excited to see more footage and to hear more new about them. I want to potentially invest in a set, and want to see proper reviews before I order... Anybody that has more extensive experience with the lenses please post!
 
So how are these lenses getting along? Anyone bought any yet? I see they are priced at a far more reasonable $27,000 nowadays.

Is quality an issue?*Bearing in mind they have to get shipped to a third party (focus optics) for quality control and a little work? Is that weird?

Are the well respected Abel Cine going to sell these lenses and put their names to them? As they did originally with the s16 lenses.

Are Luma Tech going to be around for long enough to supply parts for these lenses 15 years down the line?

I also notice that a long thread about these lenses was removed from reduser.net . Why would that be?
 
I just read thru this thread and I assume that the lubrication problem if it is only a lube problem should be easy to resolve and the flairing problem if only a baffle fix should also be easy enough to fix, but I wonder about the focus binding problem with a clamp on matte box. This would seem to indicate that the external shell which probally surrounds the outer half of the multistart (helical) focusing thread may be perhaps too thin walled.This in itself is not a serious problem but would require substanial engenerring change orders which might delay release. Since I read no mention of backlash within the focusing group I assume that the maching is of sufficent quality to prevent such.This is critical espically if the lenses have a floating element group(s). As I'm sure others would, I'd like to see some resolution tests and some nice macro shots of a torn down example that has had some excelarated wear tests done to the moving parts. Always nice to see a new product that the manufactuer doesn't demand that a tech. have to attend a high price school at their own exspense to be allowed to do a "lube job".
 
It is very peculiar that the very long thread about the Super 35mm Illuminas was taken down because most of the issues raised in this older thread have been answered. I can only surmise that those who were in charge of the thread thought that I have been spamming. I was attempting to answer questions and concerns about the Illuminas.

The last reply I posted announced to the forum was that this is the last week to purchase a new set at the old price and that as of January 1 the price will increase $3,000. Of course, this could be construed to benefit Luma Tech but at the same time it is cool information for those contemplating purchase high quality high speed PL glass at this time.

There were many links on the large thread giving examples of footage shot with the Illuminas.

During the past year and a half the LOMO factory in St. Petersburg which manufactures the Illuminas solved the mechanical issues and no longer is it necessary to send lenses to Focus Optics for each sale. But It will be possible for anyone who wants to purchase the lenses to do so from Stuart.

Spare parts are available and there is a one year warranty on parts and labor for the Illuminas.

Specs of the lenses can be seen on the Luma Tech website:
http://www.lumatechinc.com

All deliveries after January 1 will also have a change in aperture marking. The widest aperture will be T1.2 and there will be a new color scheme and an overall enhanced look. The 135mm T1.6 lens will have its prototype ready in March and the 14mm T1.6 a few months later. Both lenses will have the same 95mm fronts as the other 5 lenses in the set (18mm,25mm,35mm,50mm,85mm).

All the Illuminas cover the 5K format.
 
I don't know what is standard in the lens world, but do have any sort of return policy?
 
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