SALT Results... (Part 1, Results)

[Phil Jordan]

Brook summed it up best, I was an RPP buyer before the test and am still an RPP buyer now. Thanks to all for doing the hard lifting.

 

[Rodney James]

Thank you Matthew I did read your review but are you completely sure that U are not forgetting something?

David Mullen, you are a champion in my eyes and you always cut straight through the bull. Every post you make should be put in a book; thank you for your involvement in this test.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Fair, well-balanced and well-written. Generally matches what we have tested, minus other tests we've also performed. Certainly a solid primer and the volumes of data that will follow should appease most.

 

[Leif Thomas]

Thanks a lot guys for your experience, time and will to share the results.
Wished those nasty MPs showed up.

Thanks for clearing away that hype about the RPPs. Now I'm really feeling pretty comfortable in getting my first own set of glass that compares pretty well to other more expensive brands.

 

[sander kamp]

I would like to thank David for being so honest about his knowledge (or lack thereof) of lenses. It's a refreshing statement here where sometimes you get the idea that being a DP is all about lenses, while in reality lenses are a small piece of what makes the image.

 

[Stephen Lovett]

Thanks and a question

Thanks and a question

Thank you fine folks for all your hard work.

This was super helpful.

Like many on the thread, I've got a set of RPP's on order. After seeing them in Vegas, I decided they were good enough that they removed the final fiscal obstacle gating a Red One purchase, and I'm in process now.(I should take delivery sometime next week, whoo hoo!)

I'm a little bummed about the follow focus thing, but I'm very happy that my opinion wasn't totally off the mark, and that they do represent the kind of value proposition that they appeared to.

Given the lack of a shorter prime, I'd been leaning heavily toward the short Optimo Rouge zoom anyway. (I talked to Able this week) but would like feedback on the viability of mixing RPP's and the Rouge's as a matter of course.

Any opinion about the warm color cast being something that could be easily managed in a primary correction on set (think keeping a client / director happy) or in post would be greatly valued. Or are the differences sufficient that they are going to require some significant work?

BTW I'm one of those odd balls that actually like zooms, and chose the primes due to image quality, and speed, as well as the aforementioned cost factor. I don't have a deep seeded need to own a set of primes :laugh: I just want a set of tools that cover a sufficient focal range.

Thanks again, and all the best,

Stephen

 

[Ken Robings]

Speaking as the designer of Focus Optic's Ruby, Stuart and I appreciated Evin's feedback as a end user (and John Ryans) while we were working on the production version. And that was free advice he was giving us, he was not a paid consultant (Stuart could back me up on that, Focus is his company).
I have been designing production equipment for thirty years, and I have attained my level of expertise by talking to AC's, operators and DP's over the years. I could not to this without their feedback. Thanks again.

 

[Matt Uhry]

Thanks for clearing away that hype about the RPPs. Now I'm really feeling pretty comfortable in getting my first own set of glass that compares pretty well to other more expensive brands.

I would say that optically the RPP's tended towards the front of the pack and when behind were not far behind. They had a bit more CA than the Ultra's. Physical design wise there are some small, but still frustrating issues, but you can get over those pretty easily when you think of all the money you are saving.

I'm an expectant RPP owner in the next 10 days and freaking thrilled about it.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

 

[Jamon Lewis]

Fair, well-balanced and well-written.

Thanks for the tests and results def interesting and invaluable. I do have one question for David Mullen (which I'm surprised nobody asked) how do these lenses compare to the Primos?

 

[Matt Uhry]

Given the lack of a shorter prime, I'd been leaning heavily toward the short Optimo Rouge zoom anyway. (I talked to Able this week) but would like feedback on the viability of mixing RPP's and the Rouge's as a matter of course.

Any opinion about the warm color cast being something that could be easily managed in a primary correction on set (think keeping a client / director happy) or in post would be greatly valued. Or are the differences sufficient that they are going to require some significant work?

BTW I'm one of those odd balls that actually like zooms, and chose the primes due to image quality, and speed, as well as the aforementioned cost factor. I don't have a deep seeded need to own a set of primes :laugh: I just want a set of tools that cover a sufficient focal range.


Stephen

Hi Stephen -

I thought the Wide Optimo Rouge was a Superstar amongst the other excellent lenses. There is a bit of barrel distortion at the wide end and it's a 2.8 and the red rubber grip is ugly - otherwise it's pretty much undeniable.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

 

[Frank Weeks]

Very nice work gentleman. You walked a tightrope between accuracy and politics very honestly.
My only question would go to Evin. We visited the Lomo suite at NAB. Can you offer any opinion as to how they might have compared in this test? You had the chance to see a couple of their primes on the projector. With a T-1.4 speed across the board, I am still interested.

Thanks to all of you for your hard work.

 

[Evin Grant]

I really can't say because after talking extensively with Lumatech I know the final designs will be substantially different than those prototypes shown at NAB. This is why they were not able to participate in SALT, the protos were back in eastern europe.

 

[Frank Weeks]

Thanks Evin. Great job putting all this together. Very informative.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

Thank you very much, but where is the pony!?!?!

I'll have to re-read them soon. I told you guys about the 25mm and 35mm RPPs but nobody listened. Glad to hear someone else (that knows what he is talking about far more than me) felt the same way about them. Looking forward to the pics and clips. Thanks for the reviews.

Evin, could you please tell me a bit more about how closely you think the Ruby would match the RPPs?

Matthew, could you please consider and get back to us regarding focus mark modifications and grease replacement on the RPPs? I too felt the grease was a bit heavy for my taste. Possibly replacing it with a grease proven at below freezing temperatures.
And I also thought that Brook's idea of possibly adding a few extra marks and extending the fixed mark on the focus ring to reach all the way down to the moving barrel was a great one!


PONY! PONY! PONY!!

 

[albert rudnicki]

Love ya all for putting it all together
Thanks! and Thanks again.

Albert

 

[Evin Grant]

I haven't got them side by side yet but there seemed to be a similar color rendition, not to mention the same even field illumination and very high resolution. As soon as I get my hands on some RPPs I'll try to scoop up the Ruby and do a side by side. but please don't hold your breath.

Here's your frikken pony!
:beatdeadhorse5:
never said it was kicken, he he.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

Here's your frikken pony!
:beatdeadhorse5:
never said it was kicken, he he.

HAHA... awsomest most epic post! :emote_happyhappy:

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Thanks for the tests and results def interesting and invaluable. I do have one question for David Mullen (which I'm surprised nobody asked) how do these lenses compare to the Primos?

Without seeing them up against these lenses looking at the same subject (which is hard since Primos are PV-mount) I can only say that my general feeling is that the Primos and Ultra Primes are similar. They are both somewhat neutral-to-cool, whereas I'd describe the Cooke-S4's as being neutral-to-warm. In movies, I always notice these days that Cookes have a brassy warmth to bright edges, like bright chrome on cars, headlamps, etc. whereas Primos are neutral in that respect.

It's hard to describe, but the color of Primos seems very "white" and clean, and the contrast is closer to the snap of Zeiss rather than the roundness of Cookes.

When I started out in this business, I mostly used the cheaper primes and zooms -- Z-series Panavision, Zeiss Super-Speeds, Cooke zooms, etc. I just learned how to compensate for certain softness issues by working closer to an f/4 and keeping the lighting more contrasty and edgier. It was an extension of my techniques when I was shooting mostly 16mm, and before that, Super-8 -- you learn how to create the illusion of greater sharpness. Once I started working with better lenses, I could start using softer lighting, more lens diffusion, etc.

 

[Evin Grant]

It's hard to describe, but the color of Primos seems very "white" and clean, and the contrast is closer to the snap of Zeiss rather than the roundness of Cookes.

This is not surprising given the generally neutral qualities of Leitz (elcan) glass.

 

[Jamon Lewis]

Without seeing them up against these lenses looking at the same subject (which is hard since Primos are PV-mount) I can only say that my general feeling is that the Primos and Ultra Primes are similar. They are both somewhat neutral-to-cool, whereas I'd describe the Cooke-S4's as being neutral-to-warm. In movies, I always notice these days that Cookes have a brassy warmth to bright edges, like bright chrome on cars, headlamps, etc. whereas Primos are neutral in that respect.

It's hard to describe, but the color of Primos seems very "white" and clean, and the contrast is closer to the snap of Zeiss rather than the roundness of Cookes.

When I started out in this business, I mostly used the cheaper primes and zooms -- Z-series Panavision, Zeiss Super-Speeds, Cooke zooms, etc. I just learned how to compensate for certain softness issues by working closer to an f/4 and keeping the lighting more contrasty and edgier. It was an extension of my techniques when I was shooting mostly 16mm, and before that, Super-8 -- you learn how to create the illusion of greater sharpness. Once I started working with better lenses, I could start using softer lighting, more lens diffusion, etc.

Now that's an answer!... Thank you kindly for that extra jewel :smilewinkgrin: If there was an icon for tipping my hat it would be inserted right here " "... Thank you kind Sir.