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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 :)

VV lens that won’t bleed you dry

Pawel Lukomski

Pawel Lukomski

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Location
Warsaw, POLAND
Website
www.studio35.com.pl
Hi there everyone! I have a question I’d like to throw out in the air. I’m looking for some decently priced glass for VV (preferably with PL mount). When there is budget I’ll rent premium ones but I need some glass for my own small projects. Recently I have been close to buying DZO’s Vespids but manufacturer was unreliable and the deal didn’t go through. I have a set of 3 Zeiss CP2 35-50-85 and I think I’ll build up on that. When I was using Super 35 I stuck to either CP2 or my Red Pro Primes set when shooting my own stuff. But now there is the problem of sensor coverage with RPPs (don’t want to crop the sensor to 6k all the time). So the question is: do you have any recommendations for FF or VV lens that won’t make me sell my liver? Any thoughts or experiences on that subject?

Thanks RED fam:)
 
For what its worth, i would shoot on the vespids over the cp2 100% of the time without even a mild hesitation. The vespids are so much more exciting than the cp2
 
But the communication with DZO is so bad that it is a dealbreaker :( been waiting for a set for 2 months now (they were supposed to be in May). Still no date, sparse response, no respect for the client… would like to spend my money elsewere
 
People love to diss on them, but the Xeen CF is basically what the Celeres were with better mechanics.
 
I was overly not impressed with the Vespid's (friend has them) and I didn't find anything particularly special about them and IMO they are too slow, but I am a sucker for fast glass. Really surprised no one has mentioned Canon CN-E Primes or Sigma FF Primes, which have both come down considerably in price over the last year. I have even seen some sets of PL adapted CN-E's on ebay floating around for fair prices. I owned both CN-E's and the Sigma Primes for a while and really liked them both but preferred the CN-E's a bit more. I also really like the cleanliness and micro-contrast of Tokina Cinema Vista lenses but they aren't found cheap or even used ofter for that matter. There are also more cine-mod FF lenses not listed such as Leica-R, Zeiss Contax, Canon FD, Nikon AIS, Zeiss Otus, Zeiss Milvus, etc. all which I would personally put above the Vespid's or CP2's but that's just me... Can't speak highly enough in regards to all of the cine-mod lenses listed above (personally own Canon FD and Leica-R's and love them) but the whole bunch I listed above punch well above their weight and performance for price. Just depends on what type of look and character you are going for.

You can check out the Salt VV Lens shootout done previously on Reduser.

https://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?163197-SALT-VV-VistaVision-Lens-Shootout
 
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If you check the third party for sale items I have a Zeiss CP.3 50mm that I used on my Monstro with great results. I bought a Premista that covers the 50mm area so I don't need both. Motivated Seller!!
 
Pawel Lukomski said:
Didn’t Phil Holland test out Vespids somewhere on reduser forum?
Click to expand...

I did indeed, I actually had the prototypes for most of 2020 during the height of the pandemic. They are pretty remarkable for the price. But you'll want to consider a few things.

If you need small, high resolving, well wrangled flare, extremely low breathing, and minimal artifact inducing lenses, Vespids check that box.

Lens flare and distortion is where other options might be a consideration.

At the same approximate speed you have Zeiss CP.3s (I'd recommend these over CP.2s honestly), Xenon FF-Primes (much loved or loathed), Meike Full Frame Primes, and Bokkehlux/Mavo/Nitecore Primes.

Might end up doing a lens test of two this year for public viewing and it's a long, long, long list now of candidates people want to see with a few things unreleased that would be worth tossing into the pile.
 
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Pawel Lukomski said:
Hi there everyone! I have a question I’d like to throw out in the air. I’m looking for some decently priced glass for VV (preferably with PL mount). When there is budget I’ll rent premium ones but I need some glass for my own small projects. Recently I have been close to buying DZO’s Vespids but manufacturer was unreliable and the deal didn’t go through. I have a set of 3 Zeiss CP2 35-50-85 and I think I’ll build up on that. When I was using Super 35 I stuck to either CP2 or my Red Pro Primes set when shooting my own stuff. But now there is the problem of sensor coverage with RPPs (don’t want to crop the sensor to 6k all the time). So the question is: do you have any recommendations for FF or VV lens that won’t make me sell my liver? Any thoughts or experiences on that subject?
Click to expand...



The Tokina Vista 16-28mm zoom is a very good lens, and seems like a sensible choice to supplement your 35/50/85 primes.
And the Mk1 version can be had for a bargain, now that the Mk2 version is out.
 
Seen a used Leica-R set floating for around 10$ (Some DP was selling it), as for ebay - I’d be very coutious about buying lenses with too „fair” of a price. You may end up with having to pay double the amount for restoring them (eg I had my glass shifted a bit in my CP2 when I first bought it - of course used from Polish equivalent of ebay - somebody was not to gentle with that lens, at first sight everything looked ok but when you opened it full wide and inspect the picture on big screen you could feel that something is off).

Big thing for me is PL mount since I own a Kippertie Revolva for PL - which is now an essential part of my shoots. So any cine mods with EF are out of the picture (re-mounting them into PL is often either impossible or just plain too expensive)
 
Phil Holland said:
I did indeed, I actually had the prototypes for most of 2020 during the height of the pandemic. They are pretty remarkable for the price. But you'll want to consider a few things.

If you need small, high resolving, well wrangled flare, extremely low breathing, and minimal artifact inducing lenses, Vespids check that box.

Lens flare and distortion is where other options might be a consideration.

At the same approximate speed you have Zeiss CP.3s (I'd recommend these over CP.2s honestly), Xenon FF-Primes (much loved or loathed), Meike Full Frame Primes, and Bokkehlux/Mavo/Nightcore Primes.

Might end up doing a lens test of two this year for public viewing and it's a long, long, long list now of candidates people want to see with a few things unreleased that would be worth tossing into the pile.
Click to expand...


Any thoughts on Nigtcore Primes?
 
Pawel Lukomski said:
Any thoughts on Nigtcore Primes?
Click to expand...

They are the same glass, no optical difference, between the Bokkehlux, Mavo Primes, and Nitecore Primes. It's another "good for the price" set. A bit more flare than the Vespids, but I would need to do a recent side by side. Tests, which are years apart, say the Vespids are higher resolving slightly.

Oddly came close to grabbing a set a while back, but I have the Xenons. I'll likely get the Vespids relatively soon as they were actually designed for the VV format size rather than FF35. A subtle difference noticeable on the 25mm and there's a wider 16mm coming in that set. As far as I know the Bokkehlux aren't getting more focal lengths.

Budget primes are a balancing act between what you are looking for really. If you want to step up from this I'd aim a bit more in the Sigma/Tokina range if you want speed. Xeen CFs aren't bad for the price either IMO.
 
I'm owning a Rokinon Cine set that where great for a DSLR or even Monstro with a lot of characters (and flaws).
Now I'm looking at either going the OTUS modded 28mm way (and buy one after the other) or buy a set of Vespid for the same price.
Schneider xenon FF is also tempting but I wonder how they hold up in front of the Vespid. The Zeiss Milvus are also interesting.

I need better sharpness than what Rokinon offers.

Any advice? ;-)

Patrick
 
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