Lens Test Shootout: Sony CineAlta Primes, Cooke S2 True Lens, Schneider Vintage, etc.

[Ignacio Aguilar]

This is the lens test that we did several weeks ago to try the new Sony CineAlta Primes vs. other stablished sets of lenses: Ultra Primes, Compact Primes, Zeiss 1.3 & 1.4, Cooke S2, Schneider Vintage, Lomo Sphericals and a Canon k35 + FD mixed sets.
We also have individual videos on our Vimeo channel.

 

[Kris Tait]

Link?

 

[Ignacio Aguilar]

The video is linked, anyway here's the direct link: https://vimeo.com/168020294

 

[Matt Uhry]

Thanks for posting - reminds me how much I don't like Ultra Primes and how much I do like Super Speeds !

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

 

[Stuart Graham]

Thanks for posting.

For me the K's are my favourite, followed by the Cooke/Lomo's.

Have you tried the PEARL OLPF from KIPPERTIE? It pretty much renders sharp lenses to Canon K quality but you obviously retain the mechanics of a modern lens, the uniform size & uniform T stop too.
I tested the PEARL OLPF on a DRAGON with Master primes vs Canon K's. Skin looked amazing, bit like a BNR (black net on the rear element) but with less highlight artefacts than nets give. KIPPERTIE are working on a NET version too, anyway I'm wandering into a different topic

S.

 

[Ignacio Aguilar]

Hello Stuart:
Haven't tried Kippertie's OLPFs. They are pretty expensive and, as a Rental House, nobody asked for them yet. As a DOP I find them intriguing and I'd love to test them someday.
Lenses:
I found surprising that the Zeiss High Speed 1.4 (or "B Speeds") are somewhat lower in contrast than expected. Too bad Zeiss Standards 2.1 were out when we shot this, they would have been a very good starting point for comparisons. Everybody who has seen the tests with me or helped us doing them was very impressed as well with the Sony CineAlta Primes. Terrific performers at a fraction of the cost of other sets of lenses, and pretty good construction and mechanics. Schneider Xenon also have an interesting look (low-con and flarey, but pretty sharp) and I can see them as a pretty hot set of lenses for months to come.

 

[M.Halsell]

Thanks for the test. Does anyone know where the Sony glass originates from?

 

[Bob Gundu]

Thanks for the test. Does anyone know where the Sony glass originates from?

Most likely Minolta.

 

[M.Halsell]

Most likely Minolta.

Thanks. That's been the general response.

 

[Bill Totolo]

Do they breathe like stills lenses?

 

[Tristan Pemberton]

Do they breathe like stills lenses?

The breathing is very well controlled.

It's not clear whether these lenses were modified from still lenses or designed specifically for cine, but they work very well for cinema.

 

[Ignacio Aguilar]

My set covers Dragon 6K FF, but others have claimed theirs show a little portholing on the wides at 6K. Had they been still glass designs, these lenses probably would cover Full Frame 35.

 

[George A.]

The Canon K35s were also my favorites in this test.

By the way (to take over from one of the earlier posts)… I shot with both the Canon K35s and the Zeiss Superspeeds (MKIII). I love the Superspeeds (shot a feature with them).
Pretty similar to the K35s in terms of rendering - extremely cinematic.
However, I did find the K35s to be a bit sharper and a bit less low-contrast then the Superspeeds. And obviously they have huge coverage.

But I would use both without any hesitation - either of them would produce more filmic results on digital sensors vs. more "modern" lenses.





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[Ignacio Aguilar]

Canon K35s are lovely glass with so-so mechanics, but TLS has started to rehouse them.