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Problems with Red 50-150?

N

Neil Barrett

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I'm about to buy a used 50-150mm zoom and wondered why red stopped making them?
did they suffer from the same problems that the 18-50mm had?
anyone know a good reason not to buy a 50-150 lens?

thx
 
Well, being I recently saw a used one list (used) for over $2500 what a new one went for, I think that demand for it is certainly high.

My guess is RED is coming out with a new model.
 
Hey matt
so you own one. . .
how are they mechanically and optically?
were there problems with some of them as there was with the 18-50mm?
 
I still like my 18-50mm lens, mine is a pretty good copy...though with the EPIC, it's more like a 25-50mm lens, because of vignetting issues at wider than 25mm at 5k...the 50-150mm has been one of my favorite lenses but I'm not sure about vignetting at 5K. I've been almost exclusively working with primes on the EPIC and canon glass on the SCARLET. I'll take a look. but the 50-150 remains a very popular lens, for good reasons. it's sharp, doesn't breathe too much, nice color rendering...it's always been a bit of a mystery, why they stopped making them. in the spring, i'm working on a micro-budget feature which will be shot on all zooms - with the Tokina 11-16mm, the 18-50mm, and the 50-150mm on a SCARLET, we should have a terrific range for coverage....and I know it will look great.
 
Neil Barrett said:
Hey matt
so you own one. . .
how are they mechanically and optically?
were there problems with some of them as there was with the 18-50mm?
Click to expand...

Mechanically much better than the 18-50, which isn't saying much depending on which one you have.

Optically great.
 
They are both cheap! . Optically amazingly sharp and great all rounders.. Mechanically they were never going to compete with a $30k ++ Cooke, Arri or Angenieux lens.. those lenses are built very well... so why try to compare them build quality when one is 10th the price of the other.... . Optically side by side.. nothing in it, The OLDer 18 to 50 is probably sharper.

We bought 2 of each, had them 3 years now, they are all working perfectly... We have them in Libras, scopios, really rough car rigs, all our tough jobs were if the camera crashed and burned, we didnt care about loosing the lense.. for 3k each... They are very disposable.

You can by 10 of these things compared to one ARRI ZOOM...

Just putting in perspoective....

The 50 to 150 is small, light an sharp.. and cheap.. And I don't have a clue why they pulled it.
If you can buy a second hand one... Do it!
 
FWIW, I asked Ted about the 50-150 at NAB and he as well wishes it still existed.

My guess is that the lens is a rehoused Sigma 50-150, which Sigma discontinued. I have a Nikon mount 50-150 and it is great glass in a very useable focal range. Found mine on eBay and it was barely used.
 
but he couldn't give you any clue if red will be making another one or are searching for other options for the 50-150?
 
I now see that Sigma is about to ship a new version of the 50-150. I wonder, then, whether Red will choose to rehouse this new version when it becomes available. And, no hints from Ted one way or the other.
 
Yes I too really liked the 50-150 as I rented it all the time. If anyone has one to sell I'm interested in buying one.
 
or Digi Optical 50-

or Digi Optical 50-

I just scored a Digi Optical 50-150 which is the exact same lens but without the RED branding. It took me a year to find one that wasn't seriously overpriced. I have seen this lens sell several times in the last yea sell for 9-10k!!, because it's so hard to find. I scored mine for $4800 and it's in perfect condition.

It also has the intelligent chip in it so when I put it on my F3 the depth of field scale and zoom # scale displays in the viewfinder.

Its a great lens and if RED makes a new one I'm sure they will sell a ton of them. They need a longer zoom in their arsenal.
 
i would also think Red would sell a lot of them, and asked jarred in the questions thread if it will come back, but no answer. Now we know that there will be no new RPP in the near future, it would be nice to know what the future is of the 50-150 Red zoom. please red, tell us what the plans are with this lens?
 
Bob Gundu said:
There is a huge problem with this lens... They're hard to find. :-)
Click to expand...


Hey Bob I know where to find one - */smirk/*

I love my 50-150 definitely a go to lens on jobs where I'm travelling alone and can't bring a box of primes or when timelines on set are tight and I don't have time to swap 2 or 3 lenses while the idiot director dithers on his decision making process…
I also use them (I also have the 18-50) on a cooking show I shoot where 'snap-zooming' is appropriate*

*I do not endorse zooming as part of a narrative shoot*
 
Is the 50-150mm Zoom threaded for screw in filters? If not, any suggestions for who to send one to that can attach a screw on filter ring?
 
LCamak said:
Is the 50-150mm Zoom threaded for screw in filters? If not, any suggestions for who to send one to that can attach a screw on filter ring?
Click to expand...

Yes - but I have no idea what the thread is; I use a matte box with drop in filters. However if someone could enlighten me, I would be most appreciative.
 
Anyone else have an idea if the lens is threaded and if so, what size?
 
I can only speak for the Sigma 50mm - 500mm f4 - f6.3 APO DG HSM D. There is a short threaded section ahead of the front element retention ring which uses the same thread. Diameter of thread peak - internal diameter measures 84.9mm, the shoulder where the raised threads start is 85.7mm internal diameter, so my guess it is called 86mm, which the published information confirms. If this is the RED rehoused lens, chances are the front filter thread diameter may have been revised to a more common industry size.

The recently announced SIGMA APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens with image stabilisation is published as using a wider 95mm filter thread diameter.
 
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