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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Sigma Cinema Lenses

Yeah I've been having similar experiences with the 18-35 ART and the new side handle, sometimes the focusing with side handle works beautifully like a charm, and then sometimes it glitches out and has "focus slip" and even gets lost and stuck until I adjust focus manually from the lens to make focusing from the side handle responsive again. I haven't had this combo of the side handle plus lens for very long but so far the results have been mixed. When it's working well it does work beautifully though. For me the biggest issue right now is how unpredictable it can be which causes problems in a professional environment, because of these issues I've reconsidered getting the GDU lenses because there's no way to manually fix focus if it gets stuck like with the Sigma. Would love to hear from anyone who has the GDU lenses and the new side handle. I hope that this is something that can be fixed via firmware. It would also be amazing if we could reprogram the manual focus speed and throw for the side handle.
 
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No word on pricing yet I presume?!. So many new choices.
 
Just tried it with a bunch of Canon L glass - 24,35,50,85 and the results show a similar bad behavior with focus skips like the Sigma ART but the AF motor noise is a lot lower....

The 85L performed the best, focus rack smoothness and noise were good.

Hopefully this problems can be solved by firmware .. or we just need to wait for a new generation of AF motors to work perfectly with Latitude
 
This is great! RED has changed the game and created a demand for cine lenses. Soon I can drop all of these old school Nikon's and invest in a set of cine style lenses. I saw that sigma didn't have a Nikon mount but that's OK because Tokina does.
 
Yeah I've been having similar experiences with the 18-35 ART and the new side handle, sometimes the focusing with side handle works beautifully like a charm, and then sometimes it glitches out and has "focus slip" and even gets lost and stuck until I adjust focus manually from the lens to make focusing from the side handle responsive again. I haven't had this combo of the side handle plus lens for very long but so far the results have been mixed. When it's working well it does work beautifully though. For me the biggest issue right now is how unpredictable it can be which causes problems in a professional environment, because of these issues I've reconsidered getting the GDU lenses because there's no way to manually fix focus if it gets stuck like with the Sigma. Would love to hear from anyone who has the GDU lenses and the new side handle. I hope that this is something that can be fixed via firmware. It would also be amazing if we could reprogram the manual focus speed and throw for the side handle.

hey Dave,

I am that guy. I have the GDU 24 mm and just got the side handle a few days ago. It was the first lens I tested for obvious reasons. I did not go through a shoot day with it, but in my testing I saw none of these issues. Focus worked like a charm.

I'm in Orlando currently for the next few days shooting at a conference. I have an 18-35 sigma and will throw that on to see if there is a difference. Thanks for the info.
 
I contacted RT Motion support and sent them my tests regarding the "focus slip" issue. They said that is not usual and they are currently researching to see what's wrong with my Latitude :) So maybe there is hope that the system will work fine.
 
Not to go off topic but Tilta has a clamp on matte box that comes with 4 very quick change adaptor plate/rings, including 95mm. Much like the Arri system these work great and also it has a 15mm rod attachment. Been using it on Transformers for run and gun and it is light and yet carbon fibre robust. I am asking them to perhaps make even more adaptors since there are about 10 "standard" sizes for various lenses and manufacturers.
Can't say enough great things...
 
hey Dave,

I am that guy. I have the GDU 24 mm and just got the side handle a few days ago. It was the first lens I tested for obvious reasons. I did not go through a shoot day with it, but in my testing I saw none of these issues. Focus worked like a charm.

I'm in Orlando currently for the next few days shooting at a conference. I have an 18-35 sigma and will throw that on to see if there is a difference. Thanks for the info.

Hey Peter,

Thanks for the info, really happy to hear that you have had positive experiences with that combo. If the GDU lenses and side handle work as I hoped and imagined, it's definitely something I'm going to add to the arsenal. I'm also curious to see how your experience with the Sigma 18-35mm turns out and if it's similar to my experiences.
 
Hey Peter,

Thanks for the info, really happy to hear that you have had positive experiences with that combo. If the GDU lenses and side handle work as I hoped and imagined, it's definitely something I'm going to add to the arsenal. I'm also curious to see how your experience with the Sigma 18-35mm turns out and if it's similar to my experiences.

No problem David. I'm just as curious.

Also, just throwing it out there. I'm in Brooklyn pretty often (originally from Gravesend, now in NJ). So if you ever wanted to run some tests, etc., I'm certainly down. It'd be a great learning lesson for me I'm sure, plus I'd record the tests and put it on my blog.
 
Hey Peter,Thanks for the info, really happy to hear that you have had positive experiences with that combo. If the GDU lenses and side handle work as I hoped and imagined, it's definitely something I'm going to add to the arsenal. I'm also curious to see how your experience with the Sigma 18-35mm turns out and if it's similar to my experiences.

Just to update I've tested the GDU 24 mm, Sigma 18-35, and tokina 11-16 with the side handle focus wheel.

In my brief testing, I've found that the GDU works like a charm. I'm not sure if I remember it ever skipping. The Sigma is the worst of the bunch. It had a lot of trouble keeping up. Once it skipped, it had trouble reconnecting. This happened nearly every time I tried to use it. The Tokina was the middle of the road. It did not 'skip' as much as the sigma, but it did on occasion.

My test consisted of racking focus between two objects. I used the same distance, etc., for each lens. My question to the higher ups is: Is this camera (or side handle) or lens related? I haven't found the autofocus to be that great on the RED in my limited use with it. Is this a by product of that? If so, can it be fixed with firmware?
 
Was at the Sigma launch yesterday, pretty sure they said pricing would be in late november but under 5k. I have the 18-35 and 50-100 lenses and they are amazing, the cine versions are quite a bit heavier but sigma just nailed it.
 
Pricing will be announced OCT 20th. I'm guessing $3.5k/lens list price. Hopefully less tho.

The Canon CN-Es cost around $4000 and they are based of still lenses worth around $2000. Sigma ART lenses are worth around $1300 so if the Sigma Cine lenses land on a price of around the same as the CN-Es that would be a bit odd. The effective price is around doubling so I would guess $2500 per lens.
 
THE SIGMAGLASS WITH RED IS AWSOME

THE SIGMAGLASS WITH RED IS AWSOME

I used this on my latest documentary about MMA "Til Valhall"... https://vimeo.com/173977241

It was a GL Optics rebuild... 18 - 35 mm, but thats kind of the same lens. Its not a Summilux, but its a lot of lens for the money I can tell you that. A workhorse.

Regards and new Epic-W owner. My first own RED.

Even
 
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