Rokinon Cine vs Red Pro Zooms for a low budget beginner set

[Brian Merlen]

I typically work as a DIT or Editor but sometimes operate and am looking to buy some glass. I can't afford nice stuff right now unfortunately but intend to one day get the nice german stuff. So given my current budget I am trying to decide between a red zoom (18-50, 17-50 or ) vs a set of Rokinon Cines. I know the Rokinon will be faster, I know both don't have much brand equity as far as rentals goes and I cant place either in the house I keep my Epic, I am just looking for something I can do low budget jobs on essentially when the budgets not there to rent high end stuff. So I am just trying to figure out if its worth trying to spring for the Red zooms, they are going to be slower obviously but easier for a one man band like myself as far as on set usage goes. So there is give and take to either choice but what I am looking for is opinions of people who have used both given todays market conditions. If you were a relatively new operator with a limited budget at this moment which would you go for and why? I know the zooms dont have much range, maybe I can grab the 85 rokinonl plus the zoom? since the 85 is the cheapest I could probably swing that and still have a telephoto option...

 

[Harry Lipnick]

I typically work as a DIT or Editor but sometimes operate and am looking to buy some glass. I can't afford nice stuff right now unfortunately but intend to one day get the nice german stuff. So given my current budget I am trying to decide between a red zoom (18-50, 17-50 or ) vs a set of Rokinon Cines. I know the Rokinon will be faster, I know both don't have much brand equity as far as rentals goes and I cant place either in the house I keep my Epic, I am just looking for something I can do low budget jobs on essentially when the budgets not there to rent high end stuff. So I am just trying to figure out if its worth trying to spring for the Red zooms, they are going to be slower obviously but easier for a one man band like myself as far as on set usage goes. So there is give and take to either choice but what I am looking for is opinions of people who have used both given todays market conditions. If you were a relatively new operator with a limited budget at this moment which would you go for and why? I know the zooms dont have much range, maybe I can grab the 85 rokinonl plus the zoom? since the 85 is the cheapest I could probably swing that and still have a telephoto option...

Brian-
If you are truly a one man band (not just a turn of phrase) then I think the zoom is the way to go. Would be nice to add the 85 Rokinon to the 17-50 certainly, but how are you going to handle the lens mount difference? To be fair, I have never used either RED zoom, but the 17-50 is supposed to be leagues ahead from what I've heard. Both are pretty low weight too for cinema zooms, so that should be a check in their column. Certainly I'd imagine either one is lighter than 4 Rokinons plus a case.
Anyway, good luck and happy shooting!

-Harry

 

[Adam Beck]

Brian,

I've used both, and I do enjoy the speed of the Rokinon, but it's all dependant on what you're shooting. If its stuff that you need to grab alot of shots in a shot period of time, then the zooms would be the best choice. You can't really add the Rokenion 85 to the RED zooms as a lens package because they use different mounts and would take additonal time to keep switching mounts. I personnally like the RED zooms over the Rokinon, but that's just my opinon.