[FS: RED OPTICS] RED PRO PRIMES SET 18-25-35-50-85-100 + Case UK

[Chris Sharman]

The time has come to part with my RED Pro Primes. These are in mint condition and personally-owned, never rented and only handled by myself and professional ACs. Optically and mechanically these lenses are almost flawless.

The only super-nitpicking things to mention are a small mark in the coating of the 25mm front element (about 3/4" length and a hair's width) and a micro dot in the coating of the 50mm, tiny and probably outside the image-capture area. These marks have never impacted my footage in any way and were really hard to photograph, you have to angle the lenses just right to see them but I have attempted to do so in the interests of a full and honest description. Iris and focus are smooth on all lenses and the rear elements are perfect.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better condition second-hand set of RPPs than this. Inclusive of the RED case. You can't get these from RED any more. Super-sharp, modern lenses with great coverage. Lenses are available for inspection in London, UK and with the import duty already paid obviously this would suit a UK buyer to avoid shipping hassle and expense.

Looking for £10,500 + VAT for the set. Will also consider trade for a good condition Zeiss standard-speed MKII set.

 

[Chris Sharman]

Pics 18mm - 25mm - 35mm:

 

[Chris Sharman]

Pics 50mm - 85mm - 100mm:

 

[Chris Sharman]

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[Chris Sharman]

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[Jan Špindler]

Hi is it still actual? Can you send me more details to mail spindler.jan@hotmail.com include zeiss offer. Thx

 

[Chris Sharman]

Still for sale.

 

[Chris Sharman]

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[Chris Sharman]

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[Chris Sharman]

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[Chris Sharman]

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[Chris Sharman]

Still available - and now reduced GBP £11,000 + VAT

 

[Chris Sharman]

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[Chris Sharman]

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[Adrian Weinbrecht]

Hi Chris

Do you know if these will cover Dragon at 6k ?

Why are you selling? (I hope that's not a rude question)

What level of lens would these compare to ? I've never used Red Primes.

Thanks in advance

Adrian

 

[Chris Sharman]

Hi Chris

Do you know if these will cover Dragon at 6k ?

Why are you selling? (I hope that's not a rude question)

What level of lens would these compare to ? I've never used Red Primes.

Thanks in advance

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

I've not tried them on a Dragon, but RPPs were tested for coverage by Phil Holland around the Dragon launch date http://www.artbyphil.com/temp/red/redDragonLensCoverage/redDragonCoverage_redProPrimes.png

Price wise I guess they compare to Zeiss CP2. The Zeiss are smaller, lighter with interchangeable mounts and cover full frame 35mm although they are more expensive and the best part of two stops slower on the wide lenses.

There are a few well documented gripes with the RPPs, not least the physical size and mass of the wider lenses, but they certainly represent in my opinion the best value PL mount prime set on the market. They're super sharp with a modern look and a consistent fast T-stop across the range.

I'm selling them because due to the work I'm doing more of these days and my changing tastes I'm leaning more towards using older lenses which have more 'character' (read: imperfections) and more options on focal lengths in the wide end of the set, I never use the 100mm and the 85 only once in a blue moon.

Hope that's helpful.

Chris

 

[Adrian Weinbrecht]

Thanks Chris

I appreciate the response, I'm just trying to find some decent reviews. I was hoping for them to be a bit better then the CP2s but I appreciate they are cheapish for a PL set. I'm also thinking about the new Schneiders.

Let me come back to you after some research.

best

Adrian

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Plenty of reviews and comments on RPPs around here. I've written them up a few times myself and they're fantastic lenses for the money. They are tack sharp. Sharp to the point where some DPs don't like them in the same way they don't like Master Prime sharpness. They outperform the CP2's as far as the technical aspects go. CP2's still get more love because of the Zeiss name, more compact size, etc… The RPP's have a distinct modern look. Somewhere between a Cooke S4 and an ARRI Ultra Prime.

The 18mm RPP is a monster of a lens and is the oddball that doesn't match the rest of the set. It looks mostly the same, but flares completely different, often producing prismatic rainbow rings in the flares. It's a unique look and kinda neat once you get used to it and learn to control it. My gripe isn't that it does it, but that it's the only lens in the set that does. A lot of shooters don't like the 18mm because it's different, or they don't like rainbows in their flares. That's understandable. Keep in mind the Zeiss 18mm CP.2 is a complete turd. Don't buy the 18mm CP.2! Buy the 15mm CP.2 instead, it's freakin' amazing.

Biggest two complaints you will hear about these lenses from AC's or shooters is they have rather sparse markings and we can't really get parts to service them, they have to go back to RED for repair.

When you put the RPP's on a projector, they are wicked sharp with very good resolution out to the corners. They rival Master Primes in the center and most focal lengths are still better than the Ultra Primes in the corners. 35mm and longer cover Dragon 6K just fine. 25mm shows fall-off with a slight vignette. 18mm is very noticeable. 18mm has noticeable fall-off and occasional slight corner clipping at 5KFF on the MX sensor. 5K on Dragon is indeed smaller, and is covered just fine.

If you're considering a purchase of the RPP's, or any set of lenses, I would recommend trying them out for yourself.

 

[Chris Sharman]

Jeff, thanks for the detailed comments. It's true that they are super sharp, and that's one of the things I'm moving away from towards older lenses. Many jobs still require that sharp modern look though, and it's far easier to reduce sharpness through filtration or in post than to add sharpness that wasn't there in the first place!

The rainbow flares I've found occur on all the lenses, not just the 18mm, though the 18mm is more prone to them. They usually occur at wide open aperture and with an off-axis light source (i.e. out of frame but still skimming the front element). In that sense they're fairly easy to control by flagging the lens as you normally would, unless it's a desired effect.

Stopped down the rainbow is much reduced and strong sources in frame produce relatively pleasant flares. I've not found the 18mm to really differ from the look of the set in other ways though.

The CP2s now have some super speeds in the line which is great, but I feel that if you're putting a set together your set is only as fast as your slowest lens..and awesome though it is, the 15mm CP2 is a T2.9. I'm yet to try the Schneiders but hearing good things.

 

[Adrian Weinbrecht]

Plenty of reviews and comments on RPPs around here. I've written them up a few times myself and they're fantastic lenses for the money. They are tack sharp. Sharp to the point where some DPs don't like them in the same way they don't like Master Prime sharpness. They outperform the CP2's as far as the technical aspects go. CP2's still get more love because of the Zeiss name, more compact size, etc… The RPP's have a distinct modern look. Somewhere between a Cooke S4 and an ARRI Ultra Prime.

The 18mm RPP is a monster of a lens and is the oddball that doesn't match the rest of the set. It looks mostly the same, but flares completely different, often producing prismatic rainbow rings in the flares. It's a unique look and kinda neat once you get used to it and learn to control it. My gripe isn't that it does it, but that it's the only lens in the set that does. A lot of shooters don't like the 18mm because it's different, or they don't like rainbows in their flares. That's understandable. Keep in mind the Zeiss 18mm CP.2 is a complete turd. Don't buy the 18mm CP.2! Buy the 15mm CP.2 instead, it's freakin' amazing.

Biggest two complaints you will hear about these lenses from AC's or shooters is they have rather sparse markings and we can't really get parts to service them, they have to go back to RED for repair.

When you put the RPP's on a projector, they are wicked sharp with very good resolution out to the corners. They rival Master Primes in the center and most focal lengths are still better than the Ultra Primes in the corners. 35mm and longer cover Dragon 6K just fine. 25mm shows fall-off with a slight vignette. 18mm is very noticeable. 18mm has noticeable fall-off and occasional slight corner clipping at 5KFF on the MX sensor. 5K on Dragon is indeed smaller, and is covered just fine.

If you're considering a purchase of the RPP's, or any set of lenses, I would recommend trying them out for yourself.

Super informative as Ever !

Thanks Jeff

Best

Adrian