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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 :)

New Canon CN-E Primes?

I own a set of the CN-E and could not be happier. Their cost to performance ratio cannot be beat and the fact they cover the new 8K weapon is a major bonus. There are better lenses but at 10X the cost so I shoot 90% of my work with them. I just wish they would announce a 100mm focal length. Please Canon?
 
Blair,

Totally agree and I would never make the mistake of pushing my gear on a production. If the director is keen on Cooke glass who am I to argue? If they want to use an Alexa or F55 I am always fine with it. Trying to maximise your rental return by getting your gear on every gig will only damage you in the long run. Presently shooting Alexa with Pana G Series anamorphics and its awesome shooting with other cameras and kit.
 
Jacek Zakowicz said:
?????
I rest my case- you don't like it - and they are fine with it.... ;-)
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in my world you can't just rest a case with some unsubstantiated opinion.. in yours?

you say

They made them in Canon mount only to promote their eco system. Simple. ... ... Not everyone has to like it and they are ready for the consequences...
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opinion pushed as fact?

my clearly anounced as only a suspicion (basically a inference from the bellow interview and some rumours from Lens folk I gossip with;-)

I kind of assumed that canon didn't want a direct comparison with the more complete and dedicated cine offerings... But it could be that they had something more cine planned?
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Side note: you make money out of selling into the canon ecco system hence the dog/race comment that may have confused (... by the way the Optitron2 looks like a great product!...and I am very close to pulling the trigger on a unit)

Canon's offical position articulated bellow

My

https://matthewduclos.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/canon-cn-e-primes-an-in-depth-look/

We had decided to make the new cine zoom lenses and the C500/C300 cameras available in both PL and EF mounts. Zoom lenses are not yet widespread in the global cinematography world and we wanted to service these two constituencies.

We made a quite different decision on the CN-E prime lenses. Because of the huge worldwide inventory of PL mount primes from multiple established optical manufacturers in today’s marketplace, Canon was fully cognizant that it would take quite some time for our new cine prime lens offerings to penetrate the industry. We narrowed our sights for the near term by offering these primes only in the Canon EF mount.

MD: Duclos Lenses is engineering and manufacturing a PL Mount conversion for the CN-E Primes – How well will these primes work with something like an Alexa or a Sony?

CUSA: ARRI’s and the various Sony cameras offer PL mount versions of their cameras, and as such, they meet an industry standardized and tightly specified optical mechanical interface (in terms of diameter and of flange focal distance) . The PL mount converted CN-E primes also meet these tight mechanical specifications. Accordingly, they will work quite perfectly with the ARRI and Sony cine cameras.
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I got to try a set of 50, 85 and 135 and went out to shoot some tests on my Dragon in Stockholm.
I have to say that these lenses are beautiful! They were much lighter and smaller than I thought and created some of the sharpest images I've shot with my camera. I don't really think people understand how great these are, not only are they full frame lenses at T1.3, they are also sharp and works at those apertures. I actually don't understand the love for the Zeiss CP.2s when these are clearly the "Master Primes" of this price range. I'm pretty sold on the price I got, so even if I really wanted PL-lenses, I can't argue with the glass in these.


 
Thank you Michael!!!!
Sorry I don't sell anything into the Canon CN/E Eco system- nothing for Canon cameras, nothing for CN/E lenses on Red cameras so this statement is incorrect.
You guys are such conspiracy theorists ;-)
Anyway I think that the statement from Canon confirms what I said- they used the primes to convince people that it is a viable proper cine eco system- non PL. and I think they succeeded. Zooms are different story -they cost $35K+. There is a Grand canyon of space between the markets for $3500 primes and $35K zooms. It would be foolish not to offer the zooms in PL since their price point and volumes clearly aim at the predominantly PL market segment...
 
Bjorn - so basically their Cine primes are the same as their L series primes - just different housing?
 
Clayton Taylor said:
Bjorn - so basically their Cine primes are the same as their L series primes - just different housing?
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The official answer is no. I believe the optical formula is identical but the coatings are different and if I remember correctly from back when they were announced, the assembly quality control is also better with each lens individually aligned.
 
Christoffer Glans said:
Do you mean the K-35 are actually better or that they have a character that is more pleasant? Because the optical quality of the CN-Es aren't that bad, I think they are pretty good actually, in my own opinion far better than the CP.2s.

From the SALT III test, the K-35 seems a lot worse than the CN-E. I'm not talking about the character, since in pure technical terms, even the Hawk anamorphs are really bad. I'm talking pure optical performance and "cleaness".

But I'm with you on the electronics, seems odd that they have a series of cine primes only with EF mount but without motors. Still waiting for cine lenses with smooth internal focusing, instead of the jerky-business still lenses I've worked with show. This is why I'm wondering about the pricedrop for these sets, if there's something new coming, like, CN-Es with internal motors.
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The K35-s have very different coating and I guess also they are quite big difference between one K35 and another as they got about 40 years on their necks. But to me they are far better builds than canons current lenses, more iris blades and opens up to 1.2. And the coatings are the old radioactive one, that simply is not sold these days so flaring and glaring looks in ways modern lenses just don't. But yes if you want a lens that looks exactly like a canon L lens and comes in a more sturdy housing but still with flimsy EF mount, then the CN-s are a great option and you have more lenses in the can family than any other to mix with so I guess that is a good thing.
 
Björn Benckert said:
The K35-s have very different coating and I guess also they are quite big difference between one K35 and another as they got about 40 years on their necks. But to me they are far better builds than canons current lenses, more iris blades and opens up to 1.2. And the coatings are the old radioactive one, that simply is not sold these days so flaring and glaring looks in ways modern lenses just don't. But yes if you want a lens that looks exactly like a canon L lens and comes in a more sturdy housing but still with flimsy EF mount, then the CN-s are a great option and you have more lenses in the can family than any other to mix with so I guess that is a good thing.
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Yeah, that was one thing I thought of. I think maybe I should sell all my lenses except the 24-70 zoom which I can use for some fool controlled focus when on something like a gimbal or steady. Because it's the same series of lenses it's the sames serie of glass hopefully, or at least coating.

I didn't experience the EF mount with these being flimsy, because Reds own EF mount has an extra locking mechanism they sit tight on it. If I could get a hold of a working PL backend for these I might be able to change the mount on them though. If I do that when the warranty is over, I might bring new life into them and they might be considered far more attractive to use than EF, especially for Arri folks.
 
I own a set of CN-E lenses too and I am super happy with them. Here's a quick test I did when I first got them: https://vimeo.com/116390573

The lenses are honestly imo the best bang for your buck. I use to own a set of CP.2s before these. Also... on another note... is it just me or is the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L II seriously the sharpest glass out there? (like serious master prime sharp) I still can't get over that little gem.
 
I bought a set of K35's brand new back in 1977 if memory serves. I wish I had never sold them.

I would own a set of the new CN-E primes if the lens mounts were swappable rather than fixed EF mount.
 
70-200L is one of my favorite lenses of all time

70-200L is one of my favorite lenses of all time

Jason Ano said:
(snip) Also... on another note... is it just me or is the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L II seriously the sharpest glass out there? (like serious master prime sharp) I still can't get over that little gem.
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+100. How great would it be if Canon produced a beefed up version of that 70-200 2.8 L zoom with PL mount, internal electric motors and quality materials in key pieces. I like their 2 compact Cine zooms: 15.5-47mm and 30-105mm, but even after reducing the price from $24K to $19K/ea that's still $40K for the pair. I expected them to make Cine versions of the MarkII 24-70 and 70-200L series for around $5K a pop, but no love there.

BTW, IMO, Canon has a very underrated winner in their 30-300 Cine zoom but with a list price of $44K its a reach for owner/ops and indies. Sadly, it also has coverage issues on the wide end if you like to use all or most of the Dragon 6K real estate.

Cheers - #19
 
Blair S. Paulsen said:
+100. How great would it be if Canon produced a beefed up version of that 70-200 2.8 L zoom with PL mount, internal electric motors and quality materials in key pieces. I like their 2 compact Cine zooms: 15.5-47mm and 30-105mm, but even after reducing the price from $24K to $19K/ea that's still $40K for the pair. I expected them to make Cine versions of the MarkII 24-70 and 70-200L series for around $5K a pop, but no love there.

BTW, IMO, Canon has a very underrated winner in their 30-300 Cine zoom but with a list price of $44K its a reach for owner/ops and indies. Sadly, it also has coverage issues on the wide end if you like to use all or most of the Dragon 6K real estate.

Cheers - #19
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Why PL mount?
The EF mount has proven plenty strong even with RED. I really don't understand the obsession with PL mount. PL mount has not made anyone famous . (Cliche warning haha) Beautiful imagery work made peeps famous... and that had - trust me , nothing to do with PL mount...
and on a technical level- how would you drive these internal motors?
As far as 30-300- over pricing and poor coverage issues- these are perfectly good reason to down rate a lens IMO. It's not under rated- it's over priced and does not work very well haha ;-)
 
David W. Jones said:
I bought a set of K35's brand new back in 1977 if memory serves. I wish I had never sold them.

I would own a set of the new CN-E primes if the lens mounts were swappable rather than fixed EF mount.
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Duclos change them to PL if you want. I'm thinking of owning the CN-Es until warranty is out and then I might change them to PLs. If I can get a hold of the PL backside that work with the CN-Es then I might be able to change them at a local technician.
So even if they aren't made to be changable, you can do this modification since Duclos have already shown that you can.

As for the PL vs EF debate. EF is better for the internal electronics, but I have to say that PL is much more robust. Swapping lenses over and over will tear and wear out the EF mount much easier than the PL mount, so it's about durability. The PL mount also holds heavier lenses than EF is capable of.
 
No I'm not spending $1800 per lens to have a PL mount added.

I shoot with a number of cameras, and the next lens set I purchase will have swappable multi-mounts.

I'm saving my cash at the moment for an F65 kit purchase, and once that is out of the way I will get back to looking at a new lens set.
 
You are buying a Sony F65, but don't have cash for a PL conversion?

Still, what I meant is that if you find a place to get the PL backside for the CN-Es you might change it locally and not through Duclos.
 
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