Red Pro Primes 3D Rig

[Lawrence Daufenbach]

Has anyone utilized the Red Pro Primes for 3D? I am wondering how they match optically. I currently have a set that I received last fall, and was wondering if I were to buy a set now how they'd hold up matching and aligning with my current set. Are there any nuances or optical differences that would be a problem? I am looking to use the ET Quasar rig with two Red Ones.

 

[Andy Bellamy]

We're awaiting a pair of 18mm RED primes which Alan Piper at RED Pinewood has kindly arranged to be sequentially numbered. We'll get stuck in with these straightaway and if you want to stay in touch over the results I'm happy to let you have some left/right assets for your own approval.

This should be in the next 10 days...

 

[Ketch Rossi]

The RPP's have shown very good matching when we tested them, and as I said else were inn the forum, even one of the guys at ET, found that the RPP's were matched form different sets with surprising good results, were other lenses form few other manufacturers, made us go thru several sets in order to find a better match.

Remember that any artifact difference, form lens to lens, might be nothing at ll when shooting Standard 2D Monoscopic, but in S3D, the better this lenses are matched, the less work needs to be done in post, and some times this differences can be hard to correct, and or very time consuming and expensive, so do your home work and test out , don't shoot till you have a good matched set of lenses for both cameras.

 

[Lawrence Daufenbach]

We're awaiting a pair of 18mm RED primes which Alan Piper at RED Pinewood has kindly arranged to be sequentially numbered. We'll get stuck in with these straightaway and if you want to stay in touch over the results I'm happy to let you have some left/right assets for your own approval.

This should be in the next 10 days...

Thanks Andy, anxious to hear the results.

 

[jonnycom]

We've used RPP's 24mm, 35mm and 50mm in our OmniRig with good results. They are heavy though, when you don't need that extra stop the 2.8 Ruby 14-24 zoom is very nice.

 

[Pedro Guimaraes]

Well, I can only speak of the set I used to put the below hyper rig together.

They matched very well. There primes and you will always find some level of magnification difference.

Built this rig for 3D project last year.

During shooting of course we had matte boxes, 3D FIZ control and all the accouterments.......

IO was motorized as well.

Stiff as can be, a bitch to pan but we got some cool shots..... aso because of the easy to adjust IO we got lots of options for the editor/3d conform. Since we didn't have time fully test IO's and focal lengths...

 

[Andy Bellamy]

UPDATE: we're actually collecting the 18mms from RED Pinewood tomorrow (14th July) so test results should be posted early next week. I'm thinking a zero pitch mirror rig shoot with some calibration grids for a variety of settings.

 

[Andy Bellamy]

Sorry for the delay - since we got them we've been shooting pretty much everyday. Early results are very good indeed - ours are sequential serial numbered 18mms and I have to say I'm very pleased so far. Very clean and accurate over the whole image.

Commitments have prevented me from posting the chart shots - I'll get them up when I can.

 

[Pedro Guimaraes]

18mm? I thought the widest was a 25mm?

Did they come out with a new one?

 

[Andy Bellamy]

Hey Pedro - first a thank you for your exhaustive work on genlocking and REDs, I've found your 3D posts massively helpful and inspirational.

I'm not sure how long the 18mms have been out but for us the cost of ownership was ridiculously low compared to any other glass we looked at and the results have been good.

 

[Pedro Guimaraes]

scratch that, I took a longer look at a pair of 25mm.....

There is some lens decentration visible when racking focus..... try it yourself.

set you 3D rig to "0" IO. Align and overlay both images perfectly with the lenses at say 4" mark.

Then while looking at the overlay view on your 3D monitoring device, rack the focus forward towards infinity......you should be able to see misalignment while you focus. decentration caused by moving elements while focusing....

This is sometimes not minor.......it is almost always MOST apparent when changing the focus "direction".

So if your moving the focus towards infinity then change direction and rack back toward near focus......right at the moment that you change direction usually you might notice a large shift in the lens elements resulting in a diagonal shift of your aligment...mostly up and to towards the right.....

Try it....

I try to take some screen grabs next time.

THAT SAID,

many, many of the lenses I have test exhibit this...including big dollar Cooke's (4i"s), Zeiss.....

Curious to test the new "3D" friendly Cook 5i's.....

So far the Angeniux's Optimo's and Rouges have been the most impressive and consistent lenses for 3D use. Not to mention, even if they are off they allow to to adjust them. Altough with the optimo's you need skills, tools and a bench......but with the rouge you can adjust with allen wrenches while on the camera with no other special tools....

just a knowledgeable hand turning the allen's.

Have fun in 3D lens land.....best way is always to try to pick the best and match lenses from a large group of the lenses you want to use.....tedious? yes......worth it? you tell me.

 

[Andy Bellamy]

Apologies for the delay - we've been busy. Our RED PRO PRIME 18mms have done very nicely for us with our tests so far.

Here's some gratuitous video of them in action on our 3D rig.

http://vimeo.com/15370542

 

[Cliff Hokanson]

Hey any one try the 17-50 zoom on a 3D beam splitter C

 

[Pedro Guimaraes]

Hey any one try the 17-50 zoom on a 3D beam splitter C

I would avoid them if possible.
lots of issues...decentralization while zooming, decentralization while focusing and worse they abruptly reverse directions of the decentration when you rack the focus in the opposite direction.

Also I have found that 2 of these both on 5.6 on the barrel will actually have different physical blade openings. Which can result in a slight DOF offest.

so they are not on my list of lenses I use for stereo work.....