thoughts on a Zeiss Vario Sonnar

[Gregory Sheffer]

I get my RED in about 6 weeks. Need to figure out my lens. I am planing on doing my EFP style shooting in 2K so I am looking at a Zeiss Vario Sonnar T2.4 12-120mm s16 converted lens. Anyone use this with a RED yet? Anyone have thoughts?

 

[albert rudnicki]

I am sure I've seen some posts talking about this lens, do some search.
My opinion is that zeiss has never been very strong in zooms.
Cheers

 

[Jorge Díaz-Amador]

Vario-Sonnar

Vario-Sonnar

Is the RED 2K sensor area wider than 10.3 mm? If it is not, then you will NOT need a S16 converted version of that lens. I think it is though.

I will agree that I never thought the Vario-Sonnar was that great. Zeiss are prime lens guys. The 10-1 has trouble resolving above 140 lp/mm, and has a lot of distortion in the wide angle range while focusing. This is the famous "breathing". The distortion characteristics of the lens acutally change while focusing at the wide end. When you look at the corners on the projector while focusing, it's a really noticeable effect.

I think the best S16 zooms are the Canon's and the Angenieux HR series (11.5-138mm, 7-81mm).

 

[Hans von Sonntag]

12mm focal length is pretty long in S16 land. You will miss the short end. I would rather go with a 8-64 Canon available for 6-8 k (Euro) wich is optically even better in IMHO.

Hans

 

[Nick Gardner]

I always loved my Ziess 12-120 optex conversion. The 12 mills is wider in the 16x9 super 16 frame, so I never felt too constrained there, you can also pop a .6x aspheron on that lens and get to about 7mm (non zoom thru, fixed focal length). At least mine was really sharp, very resistant to flares, cut great with ziess speeds. Does breathe like a mother though. I never liked the canon super16 zooms, they didn't have the contrast that the Ziess did. They always seemed milky to me. Thats just my opinion, satisfaction may vary.

Nick

 

[Matt Uhry]

I always loved my Ziess 12-120 optex conversion. The 12 mills is wider in the 16x9 super 16 frame, so I never felt too constrained there, you can also pop a .6x aspheron on that lens and get to about 7mm (non zoom thru, fixed focal length). At least mine was really sharp, very resistant to flares, cut great with ziess speeds. Does breathe like a mother though. I never liked the canon super16 zooms, they didn't have the contrast that the Ziess did. They always seemed milky to me. Thats just my opinion, satisfaction may vary.

Nick

I vastly preferred the Canons, especially the 8-64 and it's variants to the Zeiss 10-100, 11-110, 12-120 etc. The Canons focus close, don't breathe and are super sharp. I used to own a Zeiss 10-100 and I was really happy the day I sold it to a guy in Australia. Goodbye nasty little lens !

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

 

[Mike Prevette]

I second the Canons. the 8-64 and 11.5-138 has been with me on more shoots than I can count.