Wide 2/3 Zoom

[ryanbarrycotter]

What are the chances of Red or a third party developing an affordable wide zoom for scarlet? Are there reasons besides television economics that all the wide b4 zooms are $20,000 and massive? Scarlet 2/3 is almost the perfect camera for extreme sports etc, just needs a decent wide zoom option.

Any predictions from those who know things about stuff?

 

[David Rasberry]

Super 16mm zooms like the Canon 6.6-66 will work on Scarlet too. They are still expensive, about $16k.
It takes superior optics to match the high resolution of a Scarlet or a 2/3" HD camera on such a small image area. Everything about the design and construction of the lens is more critical on a small sensor if image quality is to be maintained. Hence expensive.
I think that Scarlet will reinvigorate the market for new lenses as RED 1 has and we will see more options over time. But a high quality zoom lens will always be a relatively expensive item if it is to meet all the requirements of high resolution motion imaging: constant focus through zoom, constant speed, low distortion, low chroma aberration, high MTF for good sharpness and contrast, minimal breathing, solid mechanics.
One can get pretty good entry level ENG quality HD lenses starting around $8k for 2/3" cameras today. With advances in computer aided design and manufacturing, maybe we will see some good options in a similar price range in a couple of years. But don't expect any zoom worth having for a 2/3" Scarlet to be much less.