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Optica Elite S35 vs. Illumina S35 lenses?

Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan

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What is the difference between the two and which lenses perform better? Both seem to be very similar in build and quality. I havent had my hands on either so just curious.
 
Anyone seen or used both? Ive read two threads about the Illuminas and one about the Optica Elites from 2008. Does anyone have a more recent update. Anyone done side by side test?

From the 3 total threads ive read it appears the Illuminas are fairly sharp wide open but sharper at about 2/2.8. As for the Optica Elites from what i gather is they are more soft wide open. There arent very many proper test with grabs for either lens set. Illumina has several video samples but they dont really show particulars.

Would love to get more info on both sets. Anyone else interested?
 
Matt -- I've wanted to know exactly the same thing. Or just any information about the Optica Elites at all.

Anyone?
 
Andrew Patterson said:
Matt -- I've wanted to know exactly the same thing. Or just any information about the Optica Elites at all.

Anyone?
Click to expand...


This is more info and samples from the Illuminas, i cant find a damn thing anout the Optica Elites other than their website. I cant fine any footage or stills from the lenses. They both appear to be russian, similar t/f stop, weight, similar size, pretty surethe Illuminas are $35,000 for a set and i believe the Optica Elites are $54,000 for a set but again not sure as i cant find any info on them.

I know FJSINTERNATIONAL sells and distributes the Illuminas and he guarantees theie performance or money back so at least someone believes in them.

Its frustrating that there isnt more info as they both appear to be a great value for a fast lense set and yet nothing.
 
He says the Illuminas are different... Made by Lomo on Schott glass.

BUT he also told me Elite was bancrupt at a time they clearly wasn't...

The mechanics of the Elites aren't like ultras... :)

Stil very nice for the price, though
 
Gunleik Groven said:
We have a set of elites as do a couple of others around tis board.

Haven't tried the Illuminas.

The Elites are very uncontrasty wide open. If I measure what I see, it's not really "soft" as such, but very low contrast.

I like them, though...

These grabs are from an Elite 200mm:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showth...s-with-an-Epic&p=835340&viewfull=1#post835340


Cheers

G
Click to expand...

Thanks Gunleik!

I appreciate your input. I like the way those stills look but again i like all the stills you take from all your lenses.

What was the price on a set if you dont mind? Its hard finding info on these lenses anywhere.

Are the lenses still sharp wide open? Or do they soften and get milky when wide open?
 
Ive used the RPP's and was very happy with them, how do they compare to the Elites, obviously the Elites are faster but just curious what your opinion is. Which would you choose if you had the choice between the two only?
 
I think the RPPs are better open...

But then again, that's just me

They are about as bulky as the elites.

I know one who has a nice set of elites for sale. Probably following this very thread and PM'ing you soon...

Don't remember the price of the set, and it was quite a full set we bought...
 
The Illuminas look like a great deal, i just havent seen or heard anything about the Elites and its a shame. Thanks for your info, its nice to know they are in use out there.
 
I have set of the digital Elites and they are great - they all have internal cam focus and have great contrast and resolution from 1.8 onwards. Wide open they loose some contrast. If you've shot with super speeds you get the idea, except the Elites are slightly sharper. They have better edge resolution than and less CA than the Illumina's that I've seen ( NAB ) Side by side would be interesting....

There is almost no focus breathing.

AC's like that the lenses use cams - so that the distant marks are more spread out and the close ones more compressed, Cooke and the Leica Summilux - C do this. They also like that the iris is towards the rear and the focus towards the front.

I've been planning on posting a detailed review, but just got another traveling job and likely won't get to it. The Elites are available to rent in LA from www.houseofsmooth.com if you'd like to try them out.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

Not an awesome picture but you'll get the idea. Size is similar to the Summilux-C's
elite-35.jpg
 
Matt Uhry said:
I have set of the digital Elites and they are great - they all have internal cam focus and have great contrast and resolution from 1.8 onwards. Wide open they loose some contrast. If you've shot with super speeds you get the idea, except the Elites are slightly sharper. They have better edge resolution than and less CA than the Illumina's that I've seen ( NAB ) Side by side would be interesting....

There is almost no focus breathing.

AC's like that the lenses use cams - so that the distant marks are more spread out and the close ones more compressed, Cooke and the Leica Summilux - C do this. They also like that the iris is towards the rear and the focus towards the front.

I've been planning on posting a detailed review, but just got another traveling job and likely won't get to it. The Elites are available to rent in LA from www.houseofsmooth.com if you'd like to try them out.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

Not an awesome picture but you'll get the idea. Size is similar to the Summilux-C's
elite-35.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks Matt!

What is the difference between the S35 Elites and the Digital S35 Elites?

What does the set rent for? I'd like to test out both sets
 
Matt -- From what I have learned on their minimal website, the Optica Elite Digitals are smaller and lighter -- more like the Illuminas.
 
Andrew Patterson said:
Matt -- From what I have learned on their minimal website, the Optica Elite Digitals are smaller and lighter -- more like the Illuminas.
Click to expand...

Size wise alike. I would not say they were alike in any way's other than both being from Russia. Different optical and mechanical designs.

Elite Digitals, Illumina's, Coke Pancro's and Super speeds are a really nice size with the Epic. It's hard to take advantage of the tiny camera with a chunky heavy lens on it.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
 
Matt Ryan said:
Anyone have frame grabs from an Illumina or Optica Elite shoot? Would be great to see the differences in their images
Click to expand...
Here is a screen grab from a recent interview shot with my Epic-M and Illumina 25mm @ T2.8 +/- (light was changing durring the interview so I'm not sure where Iris was at this moment during the 45min shoot.

Coppola.jpg
 
I'll try to post one soon, but it will take a bit of time to find. If you do a search on Illuminas in the lens test forum, you'll find a thread I started and I posted some wide open shots of a sunset there.
 
I saw those in that thread. Just curious if you had some low light interiors or closeups wide open. The shots on Illumina's site are ok but those are really old grabs.

I am still looking for grabs from the Optica Elites as those are the least known or used of the two. Mainly wide open low light situations.
 
Paul Nordin said:
Here is a screen grab from a recent interview shot with my Epic-M and Illumina 25mm @ T2.8 +/- (light was changing durring the interview so I'm not sure where Iris was at this moment during the 45min shoot.

Coppola.jpg
Click to expand...

Heck with the lenses, I wanna hear about our interview with Francis!
 
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