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Optar vs Superspeeds

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Tim Naylor

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Has anyone comparative experience with Optars over Mk 3's? I like the Mk 3's alot because of the way the flare (easily). Any comments regarding the Optars build, mechanics, optics, flare, etc would be most appreciated.
 
Are you asking about the sets at IndieRentals? (It's the only place I've actually seen "Optars."

I've used both sets and I really disliked the Optars...a lot.

I thought they were really bland lenses, with some of the ugliest flares I've ever seen...when I could actually get them to flare at all. I really felt that they had absolutely no character, no charm, nothing about them that made them worthwhile at all. They were very low contrast as well...in an ugly flat kind of way. The true definition of dull.

Mechanically they were fine, I don't recall any real difference between their build from the Super Speeds.

The only lens from the Optars that I actually liked using was the 14mm.

I love the Superspeeds. Same speed, but they have real character. They're nice and creamy wide open (in a way I quite liked) and they have a wonderful cool look, which I really prefer to the warmth of Cooke lenses. They flare beautifully as well. Mechanically they worked...no complaints or anything to write home about. I like adding a standard speed 135mm to the package. I've never used the 65mm though. I've heard that length (though from Panavision) was the 'close up lens' on multiple seasons of The X-Files.
 
The Optars are inferior to the Super Speeds. The build quality on the Optars is sub par.
I think I've spent more time tuning the Optars at Indie than any other lenses in their inventory...
They are finicky and not very reliable. Very prone to image shift with regular use due to their focus helical design.
The optical design and result from the Optars is not bad, but still not quite as good as the Super Speeds.
All in all, they are decent lenses. Just not as good as Super Speeds.
 
Optars - Super 16?

Optars - Super 16?

I presume the discussion in this thread is about the super 16mm Optar Illuminas, built in a different factory in Russia from the new Super 35mm Illuminas built by the LOMO factory in St. Petersburg.

As a cameraman for 40 years I used the S16 Optar Illuminas beginning around 1996 and thought they were superb, especially the 8mm wide angle.

Mitch Gross posted this on another forum about the S16 Optar Illuminas:
"I own a set of Illumina’s and they are terrific. They have a slightly warmer, smoother contrast look than the Zeiss glass, similar to the difference between Cooke and Zeiss. I think the lenses are top notch and I'd put my 12mm up against a Zeiss 12mm any day. The lenses have excellent color and contrast, are very flare resistant and corner to corner resolution is very high." Mitch Gross, New York...from Cinematography.net

Everyone has their own opinion, of course, about lenses and it is true that some very early lenses from the S16 Optars had some mechanical problems but they were solved in a very short time and over 2,500 sets of 6 lenses have been sold! They continue to be sold today and most all who use them love them.
 
Wow Fred, how old is that quote?

I did use to own a set of S-16 Optars, purchased from Abel Cine when I was a client, not an employee. I did really like them, but they needed to be tweaked by Abel's optical tech to get them to perform well initially. After that they never needed any real service for the decade that I owned them, other than regular checkups at Abel along with the rest of my camera package.

I stand by what I said then. They were very nice lenses.
 
why are they comparing 16mm lenses with 35mm lenses. When I first read the title I assumed he was referring to the new 35mm Lumina lenses that are about to be released
 
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