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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 :)

Poor Man's Fujinon 19-90mm T2.9? Photo-lens alternatives

Jeff Kieffer said:
Go Dragon for less then 10000$, and the 24mm becomes more a 21mm. Than the Canon 24-105mm gets wider. ;-)
And f4 becomes even more usable.
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This is actually a very good point and legitimate option. If you use a 5Dmk3 than your 24-105 becomes similar to the Fuji's 19-90 simply because of the sensor size, same thing with using a larger sensor RED. It's a thought! :)
 
If you're going the 24-xxx route I highly recommend you get a NIkon AL mount and a 24-120 F4 VR Nikkor. I think this lens is superior to the 24-105 Canon and has the benefit of a smooth iris pull from the brain. I also know the VR works fantastically well and you have even more reach in a smaller package at the same F4 aperture. No speed booster will work on an Epic brain because of the flange focal depth.
 
Hello Chris


In my experience there is not replacement for a good cine lens. None of the still lens I have used hold focus when zooming, This means that still lens are just variable primes at best. If anyone knows of a still zoom that holds focus while zooming please let us know!

Thanks

Craig
 
Nikon Ai or AI-s 25-50mm f/4 and 50-300mm ED f/4.5 AI-s. Both FF and excellent glass. Looking forward to geting Epics Dragonized to use them at 6K. The Nikon 24-120 f/4 is spectacular, but only as a variable prime as they are fast auto focus lenses, sloppy inside, short focus throw, lots of plastic, etc. Even with those limitations, images are hard to beat for anywhere near the price.
 
It was mentioned here so I felt I should point out that anyone who would like to test an HDx35 Mk.II optical adapter to put B4-mount lenses onto his/her RED camera can do so at one of the AbelCine locations. Please contact us beforehand to schedule a free demo. We also have a mechanical mount adapter so that the HDx35 Mk.II can be used on a Canon EF-mount camera, for the many RED owners who work exclusively in that mount.
 
Having used the Nikon 24-120 a lot on the epic the issue that I found most problematic was the horizontal shift of the image when adjusting focus.
 
Evin Grant said:
If you're going the 24-xxx route I highly recommend you get a NIkon AL mount and a 24-120 F4 VR Nikkor. I think this lens is superior to the 24-105 Canon and has the benefit of a smooth iris pull from the brain. I also know the VR works fantastically well and you have even more reach in a smaller package at the same F4 aperture. No speed booster will work on an Epic brain because of the flange focal depth.
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Thanks for the advice Evin, I have seriously issues with the focus direction on Nikon lenses but I have to keep the option open, the manual iris is a big plus. I hadn't realized that about the speedbooster, that's a bummer :(

Craig Weeding said:
In my experience there is not replacement for a good cine lens. None of the still lens I have used hold focus when zooming, This means that still lens are just variable primes at best.
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Craig, yes I'm sure I agree with you ;) I'm looking for a variable prime lens I don't expect any of these lenses to really be parfocal, especially not at 4k. I'm saving up for a cine lens, and will rent cine glass when appropriate, but in the meantime I want somekind of option for doc work. It's unfortunate that there is hardly anything between a DSLR $500-ish superzoom and a $40k legit cine zoom. The RED 18-85 is very unique in that way, and it's unfortunately very heavy and faster than docu-needs..

Mitch Gross said:
It was mentioned here so I felt I should point out that anyone who would like to test an HDx35 Mk.II optical adapter to put B4-mount lenses onto his/her RED camera can do so at one of the AbelCine locations.
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Thanks Mitch! Question for you, I understand that the HDx adapters correct for the 3-chip prism effect of ENG lenses for 3-CCD cameras being mounted onto single sensor cameras. What about using older super16 CINEMA lenses, such as the Zeiss 10-100mm T3.1 ? This lens I would assume was meant for projection onto 16mm film cameras, not 3-chip ENG cameras, so might the "optical correction for the different spectral alignments " in a HDx adapter have a negative impact on a super16 cine lens attached to a scarlet? Just wondering how that would work.
 
Another off the wall option to consider is the Contax Zeiss 28-85. It covers full frame, and the FOV on Dragon will be equivalent to: 23-70.

PROS:
1) Full Frame 6K
2) Good Zoom Range
3) Tack sharp
4) Cine Focus Throw (270 degrees)
5) Focuses the RIGHT WAY
6) Great Zeiss Look (plus has the pre ZF/ZE coating, a bit more organic, less clinical!)
7) Push Pull Zoom: great for Run N Gun...much easier to find shots on the fly as you can focus and zoom at same time
8) Cost: $500

CONS
1) Push Pull Design: not a traditional zoom design, so its more complicated to "zoom in" with precision as you record. However if you are just reframing as you go, it's great
2) Speed: its 3-3 to F4
3) The F stop isn't constant, you loose a 1/2 stop at the tele end, but you don't notice it much.

Fellow Reduser BEN SCOTT has been using it quite a lot in the UK recently. See some samples here:

And here's one of his great shots below:

9503107303_349933c519_c.jpg
 
You know I had looked into that Zeiss 28-85 lens but ruled it out because of the push pull zoom. If its really not so bad for run and gun that may be a great option!

in your sig it says "LENSES: Contax Mulitcam Set + Zooms (RP Modded), Hasselblad Set (RP Modded)POST: Avid Symphony Edit Suite, RRocket (x3)"
What wide/mid range zooms do you have?
 
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Chris Lawes said:
You know I had looked into that Zeiss 28-85 lens but rules it out because of the push pull zoom. If its really not so bad for run and gun that may be a great option!

in your sig it says "LENSES: Contax Mulitcam Set + Zooms (RP Modded), Hasselblad Set (RP Modded)POST: Avid Symphony Edit Suite, RRocket (x3)"
What wide/mid range zooms do you have?
Click to expand...

I have the following Contax Zeiss zooms:

28-85 3.3-4.0
100-300 4.5-5.6 (Low Dispersion Glass (ie APO), crazy sharp)
--> these two are already modded/leitaxed

35-70 3.5 (amazing)
80-200 F4 (crazy bang for buck)
35-135 3.3-4.5 (great range)
-->The last three are currently being worked on.
 
I have to say the RED 18-85 is a great lens, sharp, and t2.8. But on the down side, it doesn't cover 5K and is 10lbs.

I've hand held the rig several times with a Red One, but if that is going to be your everyday rig, I suggest an Easy Rig.
150238_1703277342433_6835560_n.jpg
 
Nick Morrison said:
I have the following Contax Zeiss zooms:

28-85 3.3-4.0
100-300 4.5-5.6 (Low Dispersion Glass (ie APO), crazy sharp)
--> these two are already modded/leitaxed

35-70 3.5 (amazing)
80-200 F4 (crazy bang for buck)
35-135 3.3-4.5 (great range)
-->The last three are currently being worked on.
Click to expand...
Cool collection! :)

Matt Ryan said:
I have to say the RED 18-85 is a great lens, sharp, and t2.8. But on the down side, it doesn't cover 5K and is 10lbs.

I've hand held the rig several times with a Red One, but if that is going to be your everyday rig, I suggest an Easy Rig.
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Whoa! Talk about a grenade launcher. Still interested to hear your experience, if stripped down with a Scarlet/18-85/monitor/shoulder mount only you think it's doable for 4, 5 hour shoots?

And pardon my ignorance but what exactly are you referring to by Easy Rig ? I've seen a couple of things by that name.
 
Chris Lawes said:
Whoa! Talk about a grenade launcher. Still interested to hear your experience, if stripped down with a Scarlet/18-85/monitor/shoulder mount only you think it's doable for 4, 5 hour shoots?

And pardon my ignorance but what exactly are you referring to by Easy Rig ? I've seen a couple of things by that name.
Click to expand...

Easy rig takes the weight of the camera off your back and onto your hips. It makes hand holding so much easier and saves your back. http://www.markertek.com/Digital-Video-Production/Camera-Support-Stabilizers/EasyRig/ERIG-400.xhtml?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=3786&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=455249472d343030&gclid=CMSW0teBjbkCFSFyQgodSw8AWQ
!cid_3EF5CF9B-8920-4C4D-980B-8B946049E5F9@Belkin.jpg


It would be doable for 4-5 hrs if your not constantly holding it on your shoulder non stop. Your kit would run probably around 20lbs, so practice with a weight to see if you can handle it. The lens is pretty long too, so make sure you have it balanced well.

If your main use is documentaries, I suggest going a lighter route.
 
For documentary shooting, handheld, full day forget about shooting with the red 18-85. Not gonna happen. Maybe with an easy rig, but I think of myself as a very fit guy and hand holding it on a narrative shoot is still a lot of work when you can set it down quite frequently.
You need to add rods + mattebox if you want to be using nd. Plus brick batteries since its docu work go at a moment's notice. Red volts won't cut it. It will be over 20 pounds.

Some Super 16mm zooms with a doubler will cover super 35mm sensors, but they tend to be very soft.
 
I see Nick beat me to it, but just to say the Zeiss 28-85 is now the lens that stays on the camera most of the time. It's astonishingly good for what it is and how much it costs and as a variable prime it is perfect.
 
Ben Scott said:
I see Nick beat me to it, but just to say the Zeiss 28-85 is now the lens that stays on the camera most of the time. It's astonishingly good for what it is and how much it costs and as a variable prime it is perfect.
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Ben, you are a great ambassador for the Vario-Sonnar 28-85! You car shots are looking sick! I couldn't resist mentioning your superb work, I'm a big fan.
 
Cheers fella. That Contax thread of yours will be the death of me and my finances :)

Another grab for a clip taken as I was being thrown around in the back of a truck with the Scarlet (and myself) nearly ending up airborne - 3k 48fps

It's not the greatest shot obviously but as a slomo tracking sequence it all worked really well.


Ford GT40, GT70, GT - Red Scarlet still from a tracking shot by Soma Pics, on Flickr
 
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