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Which lenses to buy?

Kevin Gansemans

Kevin Gansemans

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Hi,

I've been searching for a set of lenses that I would like to buy.
But I can't find any lenses to my chose.

I like the new Canon film lenses but it bother's me that there is nog smaller object than 24mm.
And they don't cost a lot of money.

And if I look at the Leica Summilux-C lenses... They are perfect, but so expensief (20-22K /lens).

Does anyone know which lenses I could buy for a decent price?
 
I am sure many will jump forwards to offer thoughts... that said I really feel without knowing both what work you do?.... and what optical, mechanical and aethetic properties you value most the answers will not necessarily be particularly usefull?

My guess: Since you like extreme sports? maybe cheap and light?... so canon mount with some nearly disposable old contax/yashica lenses with an eos adpater?... or if you insist on PL maybe Ultra primes.. biggest range, fast(ish), light, bullet proof and not too expensive.... ??

Good luck... (but a bit more info might lower the need for luck)

M
 
Can you tell us what your interpretation of "decent price" is? This will help us better guide you.

The range is pretty much what you've discovered - from about the $4-7k range for converted still primes (I'm selling a set! :D), up to $140k for a set of 6 top of the line cinema lenses, and everything in between.

I'm partial to (and own) a set of the new Cooke miniS4's (the iPanchros, which just had their name changed) and they'r beautiful lenses. You're looking at about $48,000 US for a set of 6, and they're adding more to the set over time. Optically they look great and are color matched to the rest of the current Cooke line (S4's, 5i's) but only open up to a T2.8.

Again - many good options out there. If price isn't quite as limiting as it is for others then of course you'll get a lot more opinions, but if you have a range you'd like to stay within - let us know! :)

Best,

Pierce
 
Michael Lindsay said:
I am sure many will jump forwards to offer thoughts... that said I really feel without knowing both what work you do?.... and what optical, mechanical and aethetic properties you value most the answers will not necessarily be particularly usefull?

My guess: Since you like extreme sports? maybe cheap and light?... so canon mount with some nearly disposable old contax/yashica lenses with an eos adpater?... or if you insist on PL maybe Ultra primes.. biggest range, fast(ish), light, bullet proof and not too expensive.... ??

Good luck... (but a bit more info might lower the need for luck)

M
Click to expand...
The main purpose of the lenses are for all my works.
I film dance events, extreme sports, videoclips etc... I've been working a lot with the Arri Zeiss super speed lenses.
And they are GREAT! 1.3T and so sharp... it's incredible. But these aren't made anymore and can't be bought.

So when I don't have the extra money to rent this set, I use my Canon lenses that I have. And they are light en easy to work with.
But it's so cheap when it comes to sharpness and light exposure.

Because I film a lot in inside dance events, i need to capture as much as light possible. So T1.3 is perfect for me.
And I also can't use lenses that weight more then 2kg cause I'm always filming without rig (much easier to get between the dancing folks).
Other wise it's to heavy for me.

I'dd like to buy 3 good lenses: someting between 10-18mm then a 35mm and also a lens between 85-100mm.
My budget is arround 10000€/lens. I'm open for every mount!
 
That is a nice budget.

If I were you, I'd probably look at Ultra speeds. I love Cooke lenses, but they are really good for narrative. The Ultra's are smaller and lighter at the same stop as S4's. Master Primes are in the same boat, as I think they are great for narrative, but too big and heavy for lighter use.

Any thoughts on zooms?
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
That is a nice budget.

If I were you, I'd probably look at Ultra speeds. I love Cooke lenses, but they are really good for narrative. The Ultra's are smaller and lighter at the same stop as S4's. Master Primes are in the same boat, as I think they are great for narrative, but too big and heavy for lighter use.

Any thoughts on zooms?
Click to expand...
I took a look at those Cooke optics. To be honest I've never heard about them.
It seems like good lenses, but nothing what I'm searching for.

The Mini's4/i Prime lenses are ok for the weight... But the aperture range of light is just to high. 2.8 :s
The 5/i Primes lenses seems PERFECT to me. But when I saw the weight of this lenses... It's just to heavy
So I don't think this is the perfect thing for me.
 
I think he meant he never heard of the Panchro series. Which is probably why the changed the name. If you can live with the t stop........there is nothing like them. And you can mix and match with s4 and s5........:)
 
Kevin Gansemans said:
I took a look at those Cooke optics. To be honest I've never heard about them.
It seems like good lenses, but nothing what I'm searching for.

The Mini's4/i Prime lenses are ok for the weight... But the aperture range of light is just to high. 2.8 :s
The 5/i Primes lenses seems PERFECT to me. But when I saw the weight of this lenses... It's just to heavy
So I don't think this is the perfect thing for me.
Click to expand...

That is what I meant. Cooke 5/i and Zeiss MP's are amazing lenses, the best in the world, but they are too big and heavy for anything BUT narrative work. I'd never grab a set of MP's to shoot extreme sports, unless I had the time and ability to properly care for them, which often is not the case in run-and-gun extreme situations. The Cooke S4's are wonderful lenses, probably my favorite in the world, and although being lighter and smaller than 5/i's, they can be beefy for some applications or situations, especially when not narrative setting. That is why, if Leica Summilux C's are out of your budget, I'd look at Ultra Primes. They are T/1.9 T/2 but are very uniformly small and light.

The Fujinon Cabrio is the greatest focal length range in a LWZ to date. Might be what you'd want for sports, although sports often requires longer lenses. Just don't expect to find a LWZ in the telephoto zoom range, which is what I'd choose for extreme sports shooting (should I not be moving or etc)... however it (back to Cabrio) is right around a T/2.8 (t/2.9) so you are back to where you thought lenses were too slow. I suppose that really leaves you in the area of either very expensive zooms or primes only. The only good zoom I know of for a T/2 speed would be the Fujinon 18-85 T/2. I can't think of a faster decent-ranged zoom. It's not small or light... that is for sure.

And Timur, I wish the Cabrio was only 30k... it's 38k. I painfully know as I have one on order. :-P
 
Not knowing Cooke it's perfectly understandable for people comming from the world of the photography. Cooke is a top brand for cine lenses since the begining of cinema history. But pro film production that ussualy involves a lot of people (including at least 3 in camera operation) and the world of the photography (just 1 per camera) had just recently married in the last decade.
If you are in a 1 person crew, or in a point and shoot situation. You don't want to be changing lenses or need a long rotation focus ring intended for an AC with a follow focus.
I mostly do narrative. So I'm in heaven with my Cooke i/Panchros set (now MINI S4). And with that in mind when I've tested the fuji cabrio I didn't like it. It fills like cheap, plasticky (of course it is not, it is quite xpensive), has the CF too far and the image looks sterile when compared with the Cooke. But if you are looking for a single lens zoom that covers almost all the common range, lightweight, and quite fast, i would think on it. If you want faster, then you get the weight, one stop faster got to think about 6kg (12lb) at least.
There are certain jobs where a cinema lens is the thing you need, but for some shoot and run docu style it's sometimes easier to have foto lenses or zooms, like canon or nikkors. They are way lighter, the fact that they have a short rotation focus ring sometimes make it easier on unplanned situations, and are way more money friendly.
And one more thought. How you manage to mantain focus in an unplanned docu action situation with a T1.4. But of course if using old superspeed at 1.4 everithing is going to be soft. If I were you I would try to force a T2.8 even if it's 1 stop underexposed... But again just gessing what kind of lens is propper for your kind of job.
 
For your situation, I would look into the Allstar mount and then get the specific lenses you need for the various types of work you do. This mount will allow you to choose lenses for PL(cine style), Nikon including G Lenses, Leica, Oct-19, BNCR, Hasslelblad, Contax, and M42.
 
Kevin Gansemans said:
Hi,

I've been searching for a set of lenses that I would like to buy.
But I can't find any lenses to my chose.

I like the new Canon film lenses but it bother's me that there is nog smaller object than 24mm.
And they don't cost a lot of money.

And if I look at the Leica Summilux-C lenses... They are perfect, but so expensief (20-22K /lens).

Does anyone know which lenses I could buy for a decent price?
Click to expand...
\


You could buy a used Ruby 14-24 2.8 lens for wide angle shots.. 10K-8.5K used
then you could match it with the canon film lenses and have a range from 14mm-85mm.
Canon is adding a 14mm prime and a 135mm prime to the set in 2013 but with higher T stops
 
Brian Anderson said:
\


You could buy a used Ruby 14-24 2.8 lens for wide angle shots.. 10K-8.5K used
then you could match it with the canon film lenses and have a range from 14mm-85mm.
Canon is adding a 14mm prime and a 135mm prime to the set in 2013 but with higher T stops
Click to expand...
Yeah I think I'll just buy the Canon film lenses. I've tested them out and I'm pretty saticified from it.
The price is really cheap, and a good quality. Hopefully the 14 and 135mm isn't a lot higher in T Stops.
 
Another option

Another option

Here is something you should consider. The ProLock-i/OptiTron combo turns still lenses into cine lenses instantly.
No modifications to lenses necessary.
You also get FF, remote control and other perks with it.
You can save a lot of money buying still lenses and they are the same optics as the cine lenses in case of Canon ...
Here is a demo video. https://vimeo.com/53152033
The OptiTron gives you access to over 200 high quality, light weight, inexpensive lenses for true cine work
here is the tesimonial form a (Red)user http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?89431-Optitron-and-Canon-L-glass&highlight=optitron
I think that this setup may fit your style very well...
 

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OptiTek said:
Here is something you should consider. The ProLock-i/OptiTron combo turns still lenses into cine lenses instantly.
No modifications to lenses necessary.
You also get FF, remote control and other perks with it.
You can save a lot of money buying still lenses and they are the same optics as the cine lenses in case of Canon ...
Here is a demo video. https://vimeo.com/53152033
The OptiTron gives you access to over 200 high quality, light weight, inexpensive lenses for true cine work
here is the tesimonial form a (Red)user http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?89431-Optitron-and-Canon-L-glass&highlight=optitron
I think that this setup may fit your style very well...
Click to expand...

Never waste an opportunity.
 
Angenieux 16-42 and 30-80 and perhaps some CP.2s with Duclos 11-16.
 
I vote Cooke Panchro..err... Mini S4's.
7k-9k per lens, superior sharpness wide open (T2.8), and they cover 5K flawlessly.
Matching with other Cooke primes is seamless. Anyone who votes for RPP's has their head all the way up their ass. No offense.
 
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