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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 :)

Please help me choose a set of budget primes

M

Matt Hutchinson

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Hi guys,
As a film student on a budget I'm trying to put together a set of primes for shooting drama. I like using practicals/available light and suplementing those with as few "film lights" as possible to get a realistic feel. I also shoot a lot of interiors in fairly small spaces, so a good wide is essential.

I probably have enough for 4 lenses, but perhaps need 5 or even 6?

Here are my choices:

Tokina 11-16mm 2.8

Sigma 20mm 1.8 or Rokkinon 24mm 1.4

Sigma 30mm 1.4 or Rokkinon 35mm 1.4

Sigma 50mm 1.4

Rokkinon 85mm 1.4

Anything else?

So I'm a bit stuck. Would like to get all 3 Rokkinons, but if I don't get the Tokina, I'm worried 24mm won't be wide enough. The Sigma 20mm perhaps might be wide enough for indoors? Also, do you think I need anything longer than 85mm?

Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

THANKS!
 
I highly suggest you RENT Red Pro primes (cheap) for your shoots and spend your $ on something else. Although I LOVE the Tokina
again pulling focus by hand for action shots is... still lenses are really hard to use on a film shoot and challenging even for the best AC's
 
Tim Whitcomb said:
I highly suggest you RENT Red Pro primes (cheap) for your shoots and spend your $ on something else. Although I LOVE the Tokina
again pulling focus by hand for action shots is... still lenses are really hard to use on a film shoot and challenging even for the best AC's
Click to expand...

Not having any lenses for a camera you own is a pain in the butt. I agree to a certain extent that still lenses can be tricky for focus pulls, but having to rent lenses for every little shoot that comes up is not ideal at all.
 
Agree with rent vs. own when the job merits it.

Agree also it's a total PITA and makes no sense to own a camera and own NO lenses.

Definitely buy Rokinon cine lenses; there's nothing to touch them at the price.

Avoid Sigma; they have a bad rep. with me, and many others I suspect. Quality dubious and not well-controlled in my experience.

The Tokina 11-16 is well-regarded and widely used.

I would also put a good word in for the Nikon 14-24 if budget stretches that far; it's an extraordinary lens. There's a reason Canon guys use them with EOS adapters, and a reason it's available as a $10,000 cinevised version!

Mike
 
Here is what you might reasonably expect from the Sigma 20mm f1.8, which was used in this behind-the-scenes image. Bear in mind this was shot on a Letus/EX1 not Scarlett or Epic so sharpness to be expected from the RED cams should not be judged from this image.

Lighting conditions within the room were spill from the lit scene and indirect daylight reflected from the environment through a window behind me. Distance from camera to door was about 10 feet.

The Sigma lens is near to rectilinear. Shooting with wide rectilinear lenses within confined architecture with lots of straight edges may look a bit weird and distorted if you also move the camera about. It may not intercut comfortably with your close ups. You will observe the abnormal appearance of the open door to the left. If you are going to use this lens in a confined space, maybe try to mix the dress of the location with curved objects, also light to keep any distorted corners of the image from drawing attention. Take greater heed of comments of others here. I am far from qualified to advise.

Contrary to other opinions, I do like this Sigma lens and its companion the 14mm f2.8. However sharpness and contrast deteriorate in the last stop to wide-open. I closed it to f2.8 and used camera gain for this frame grab. Focus remained on a point about 2ft closer than the the doorframe. I did not vary the focus as the actor walked from near to the light into the steadycam operator's shot.
 

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Sigma is about to release their brand new designed 35mm 1.4 and from MTF tests done wide open, it completely destroys the Canon 35mm 1.4 L and the Samyang. Street price is about $899 so it's about $400 more than the Rokinon, but I feel that it's definitely worth it, especially if you shoot wide open. 9 Aperture blades and full metal housing (Like the Zeiss ZF/ZE lenses) to boot also.
 
Have you looked at older lenses? Nikkors, minolta rokkor mc/md, and leica r's. Some beautiful (and cheap) glass there, and they have rock solid build quality, long focus throws, and you can cine mod them
 
john jeffreys said:
Have you looked at older lenses? Nikkors, minolta rokkor mc/md, and leica r's. Some beautiful (and cheap) glass there, and they have rock solid build quality, long focus throws, and you can cine mod them
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I agree. You should consider buying an affordable set primes, and older lenses are a great place to start. Renting glass is a PAIN. Hard to learn if you don't have a set next to you.

Rokkor MD/MC's are not adaptable to Nikon or Canon, so ignore those (though I love them). There is no reasonable way to get them on the Epic/Scarlet that I know of...that doesn't void your Warranty.

But old Nikkors are a great place to start. Leica-R. Contax Zeiss. I think the important thing is to make them a CONSISTENT set - from one brand. Buying a mixed bag of lenses runs the risk of having a mixed bunch of looks - varying colors, bokehs and flares.

People sell cinemodded sets of Nikkors here all the time...for like $3k.
 
Thanks for your help everyone! Have lots of research to do!

BTW has anyone used the Tokina 100mm 2.8 macro lens? Looks very intruiging and I'd imagine would look stunning on the R1.
 
Kyle Gentz said:
Tokina 11-16mm 2.8

Rokkinon 24mm 1.4

Rokkinon 35mm 1.4

Rokkinon 85mm 1.4

Get the Cinema Versions to the Rokkinon.
Click to expand...

I'm confused...Cinema version are like the still lenses? except gear and de-clicking, right? oh...and the red ring!
 
Nick Morrison said:
But old Nikkors are a great place to start. Leica-R. Contax Zeiss. I think the important thing is to make them a CONSISTENT set - from one brand. Buying a mixed bag of lenses runs the risk of having a mixed bunch of looks - varying colors, bokehs and flares. People sell cinemodded sets of Nikkors here all the time...for like $3k.
Click to expand...

Nick & Mike Ross's comment's on Nikkors is right on. Overall the older nikkors are very cheap and excellent(my favorite lens is a old 50mm nikkor). If I did go that way, i would completely do the entire set in Nikkors though, I find it hard to mix cuts between Nikkors and RPP&Zeiss glass.
 
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