What lens set to buy under $30k?

[Cristian Mihai]

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showth...ic-APO-HyperPrime-mini-review&highlight=magic

 

[Marcus Gelhard]

i'm also a big SLR Magic APO Hyperprime Fan. Love my set and also found the sigmas to clinical.
But looks like a lot of people like them. Maybe i have to give them a try again.

 

[Joe Cage]

But is there any good footage on them? Like I find a lot of great stuff on the atlas orions, Leica-R's or zeiss supremes (also thanks to this forum). But on the slr magic APO's I have not seen anything great.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

I think mechanically the SLR product I have seen so far have a long way to go. Poorly engineered and poorly assembled. Actually typical quality of an early Chinese product. I'm sure they will get better but IMO definitely not in the professional realm just yet. At least all the ones I have seen, and since they all were consistent I thing this is pretty much the case across the board...

 

[Eric Santiago]

In regards to purchasing new lenses, I would like to throw this one in due to curiosity.
I have a chance to pick up a complete set of RED PRIMES/ZOOM but not cheap.
When I say not cheap I mean between 8K and 16K.
Long story on why this price varies.
I am stuck in time with a Scarlet and possibly an EPIC-X.
Am I talking stupid here?
Should I just save my money and get something more recent?

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

In regards to purchasing new lenses, I would like to throw this one in due to curiosity.
I have a chance to pick up a complete set of RED PRIMES/ZOOM but not cheap.
When I say not cheap I mean between 8K and 16K.
Long story on why this price varies.
I am stuck in time with a Scarlet and possibly an EPIC-X.
Am I talking stupid here?
Should I just save my money and get something more recent?

These lenses are big and heavy. OK for studio work but not ok for any non tripod work. Just figure out what your most common setups are and decide.

 

[Eric Santiago]

These lenses are big and heavy. OK for studio work but not ok for any non tripod work. Just figure out what your most common setups are and decide.

Thanks Jacek. I actually worked with them since 2009 using a RED ONE MX (day job).
It was quite the challenge for anything run n gun.
One Zoom practically lived with the EZ-RIG setup.
My experiences with lenses are the RED PROs and my old set of Rokinon Cine Primes.
I do a ton of post work and never know what they use (never asked) on set so my experiences is lacking in the lens front.
They are planning on getting rid of the lenses and I was thinking of taking it off their hands.

Now the question is, are they worth it.

 

[Alexander Sutton-Hough]

What about the new brand Irix. They have the 150mm Macro and 11mm out and announced the 45mm 1.5. Are they anything worth waiting for a complete set to be released or not worth it my time of day and might as well buy set of Xeens at that price range?

Also if I go with Sigma set of 20,24,35,50,80 does any one have experience with the Irix 150mm Macro for when I need a macro shot? I Can't find any real world reviews on it.

 

[Michael Tiemann]

What about the new brand Irix. They have the 150mm Macro and 11mm out and announced the 45mm 1.5. Are they anything worth waiting for a complete set to be released or not worth it my time of day and might as well buy set of Xeens at that price range?

Also if I go with Sigma set of 20,24,35,50,80 does any one have experience with the Irix 150mm Macro for when I need a macro shot? I Can't find any real world reviews on it.

You would do well to spend time and money renting a variety of lenses before making an all-in bet. This is not only to evaluate the specific qualities (and idiosyncrasies) of the lenses, but also of your own skills, limitations, and aspirations. Chasing the latest announcements is somewhat of a fool's errand because there will always be something new announced three months after you buy your latest lens (or lens set). What you need to learn is what are the qualities that really sing for your when you have them, what are the issues that make you angry when they turn up, and then purchase accordingly (if you can afford to do so). There are a lot of choices in terms of getting a lens set for less than $30K, especially if you want to emulate directors who shoot with only a single focal length. You've got solid opinions that are very representative of the larger reality of how a variety of lens sets--at a variety of price points--work for them. Your next step should be evaluating whether the most promising set (feature-wise, spec-wise, budget-wise, availability-wise) works well for you.

 

[paulcurtis]

I'm obviously a fan of the APO HyperPrimes (just a fan, not paid!). I think there are a few of us who have taken the time with them and fallen for their look. John Brawley as well being the highest profile perhaps.

They suffer from a marketing issue mostly. Confusion over the name and connection to other lines in SLR Magics range and also the fact that SLR Magic came from a 'toy lens' marketing angle many years ago. But they guys there do know their stuff and they're a boutique design company effectively.

The bigger APO HyperPrimes have smaller and cheaper siblings in the newly announced Micro APO range - these have the same optical formula (they say) but are lighter, EF mount and shorter focus throw. Do not confuse the APO with the other ranges though!

I think mechanically the SLR product I have seen so far have a long way to go. Poorly engineered and poorly assembled. Actually typical quality of an early Chinese product. I'm sure they will get better but IMO definitely not in the professional realm just yet. At least all the ones I have seen, and since they all were consistent I thing this is pretty much the case across the board...

I don't know whether you're talking the range as a whole or the APO HyperPrimes. Mine have been flawless and on remote FF so take a bit of abuse. But i don't rent and I do look after them.

But is there any good footage on them? Like I find a lot of great stuff on the atlas orions, Leica-R's or zeiss supremes (also thanks to this forum). But on the slr magic APO's I have not seen anything great.

On our site there's some public stuff (and on that big thread too)

https://www.inventome.com/productions/one-track-mind
https://www.inventome.com/productions/a-lost-place
https://www.inventome.com/productions/thelibertines (some footage shot on them but this is mostly theatre)

And i have other frames on insta from them for other things and i ought to post more.

I've been through so many lenses, bought and sold and so on. Found these and have been happy for a few years now. I may even get the smaller ones for B cam. Having said that i've not owned Tokina (too heavy for me) or Sigma (i have some of their Art glass but personally find it a bit soulless). So there are many i haven't tried. But M mount, Leica, Xeens, Voigtlander, FD, Contax, Cooke, Lomo, Leica R etc,. been through em all.

cheers
Paul

 

[Matt W.]

I'm no longer shooting much. But I just bought my first set of cinema lenses this year (a much cheaper set than the Xeens, but significantly more expensive than standard Rokinon) and have been researching obsessively...

Imo, there's a strong argument to be made that you're mostly paying for mechanics. Most of the sets mentioned in the second post are rehoused still lens and if you're curious what they look like rent the still lenses and compare them. Compare them against your Rokinons. I personally question the value of paying so much for mechanics unless you have the budget to always hire an AC, but that's just me, and I suppose it can't hurt if you don't mind the weight.

Beyond mechanics I suppose is the need for a versatile range of focal lengths, somewhere around 25-100mm but you might want to go wider or tighter depending. I'd probably like to go a bit wider than 25mm personally. Slightly below that in importance imo is speed, but most of those sets are f2 or faster over the 25-100mm range.

And last I suppose would be look? Which is a bit depressing to consider.

The Tokinas look great to me and SLR Magic sample footage has always looked good to me. Top Gun looks beautiful and that's Sigmas. Otus looks especially good to me, but 28mm is not that wide and the mechanics are not cinema mechanics, which sort of rules that out.

Of course far more important than any of that is knowing what your needs are. You could just need one focal length (unlikely if you're being hired to shoot for others) or you could need long lenses for sports or wildlife or wide for real estate. Or just want something nice.

Corporate clients seem to like Zeiss CP2s. They seem fine to me. Mechanics look really nice without being ridiculously big.

 

[Alexander Sutton-Hough]

Well I came across a really good deal on a Sigma Cine 7 lens set barely used and bought them yesterday. These lenses are noticeably better than what I am used to working with all the time Rokinons, Old Ziess Super Speeds, Ziess Cp.2, Ziess Photo lenses, Canon EF Zooms, old Nikon AIS. I am very very happy with them. Open up all the way holds up so well.

The ironic part was I told my wife back in college 8 years ago when I bought my first Sigma Photo zoom lens for my little Canon 60D there was something about the sigma I really liked and if they ever made cine prime lenses I would defiantly buy them. And back then they were still the third party photo lens brand every one looked down on. I thought they would be cheap like the Rokinons not the price of a cheap new or used car. Alot has changed with that company since then. I cant wait to see what they come up with next.

Only complaint so far is there case for 7 lens set is comically huge. I get keeping these lenses protected but come on. I cant be lugging around such a huge case that is barely being filled up with equipment and 80% foam. They all fit in a Pelican 1510 case that I have and need to buy new foam for. But I don't know what to do with this huge case.

Also there support foot is in a bad place for the follow focus and shoulder hand held work for at least the RED. The follow focus has to be closer to the camera body to get around it and when its on your shoulder in a good balanced place the follow focus is right in your mouth. So I have to remove the support foot to put the follow focus further away to make it work.

 

[John David Pope]

Only complaint so far is there case for 7 lens set is comically huge. I get keeping these lenses protected but come on. I cant be lugging around such a huge case that is barely being filled up with equipment and 80% foam.

This may be obvious, but the set doesn't have to be stored all in one case. Most times I see prime sets on a feature film sets the prime set is stored in more than one case.

 

[Aaron Green]

7 is kind of an odd number for a case. A Pelican 1600 case can comfortably fit 6 Sigma Cine primes, and it's nice & compact.

 

[Alan Greene]

They all fit in a Pelican 1510 case that I have and need to buy new foam for.

Do tell! I would love to scale that case down, if I found an alternate solution that didn't make me paranoid. The 1510 doesn't seem deep enough for the 85mm.

Also there support foot is in a bad place for the follow focus and shoulder hand held work for at least the RED.

I don't think you'll ever need the support foot on them, they're just not that long or heavy. I've never installed mine.

 

[Alexander Sutton-Hough]

Do tell! I would love to scale that case down, if I found an alternate solution that didn't make me paranoid. The 1510 doesn't seem deep enough for the 85mm.

They just barely fit in the Pelican 1510 with the foam.