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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 :)

Zoom lens

O

Olivier Gresse

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Hi,

I'm looking for a Cine Zoom Lens for my Epic-w and my Sony FS7 because I want to use these two cameras in doc style.

I usually use photo lenses and I find myself stuck often with the 24-70 range which is not wide enough and not close enough.

So I'm looking for a zoom with a better range and especially fluid focus and zoom rings. One that doesn't breathe too much and that gives me a good bokeh in a reasonable price range.

I consider 4 optics at the moment :

- Zeiss 21-100mm LWZ.3 T2.9-3.9
+ Focal range
+ Correct Price (under $9,000)
+ Just 2 kg
+ No breathing
+ Close focus at 0,8m
+ Image circle : 31.1 (cover 7,5K on the red epic-w in HD mode)
- Iris ramp (2.9 wide open - 3.9 at 100mm)
- Colors seems to be very clinicals
- No servo

- Fujinon XK20-120mm T3.5 Cabrio
+ Great focal range (20-120mm, exactly what I'm looking for - 6x)
+ Correct price (under 10,000$ for the version without the servo)
+ Great Skin tones and colors
+ Great Bokeh
- T3.5 : a little too close
- Image circle : only 28.5mm !!! (cover less than 7k on the red epic-w in HD mode)
- Close focus at 1.1m !!!

- Fujinon 19-90 T2.9 Cabrio
+ T2.9 not so bad
+ Image circle : 31.5mm (cover 7.5k on the red epic-w)
- 19-90mm : not enough, I think I need 100 at the zoom max.
- Really Expensive ($28,300)

- Angenieux EZ1 30-90 T2.0
+ T2.0 Excellent
+ Correct price ($10,000)
-/+ Image circle : 30mm (cover 7k on the red epic-w in HD mode)
- 30-90mm : seems to be not enough at the mini and at the zoom max.


Other idea ? What's your opinion on these Zooms ?
 
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I cannot speak to Epic-W, but can speak to Weapon CF about the Cabrio 19-90. I have lots of Canon L glass (just about everything from the 8-15 fisheye zoom to the 200 f2.8 telephoto), and the Cabrio basically matches or beats every Canon lens (prime or zoom) at any given focal length. And that's the V1 lens. I have yet to see a head-to-head test of the V1 vs. the V2. I do understand that the V2 offers slightly better definition at the long end, but without a better definition of exactly what that means, I'm not sure how much that premium is worth.

I shoot 6K HD (6K HD Image Circle = 31.94mm), and the 19-90 only barely begins to vignette at 19mm. Cropping in a few pixels does give you a 19.25mm equivalent field of view...not a deal breaker!

The 19-90's zoom range, control of breathing, chromatic aberration, a smooth zoom when I need/want it, plus the "power to weight" ratio that this lens offers is remarkable.

That said, I do anticipate someday selling that lens when I upgrade my camera to VV, in which case the image circle will miss by more than 10mm, not by less than half a mm.
 
Personal opinion - Angenieux EZ-2 +EZ-1 set

Hands down.
No T stop ramping.

Start low price with just the base 15-40 and 30-90.

If you go VV or need to cover more area buy the angenieux backs that expand the image circle, or a third party image circle expander.

If you want hand controls, you can add them.

With the two lens set you'll be able to run with a B cam and matching lens easily.

Image quality is really good - great for doc work and with an added touch of "magic"

Or if you're "crazy" like me, I'd grab a P+S Technik 35-70 anamorphic and just aspire to shoot all anamorphic always.
 
I actually have the Fujinon 19-90 version 2, and while it does not go to 120mm like the new lens, it is almost a stop faster. I find that much more important than extra focal length, especially when I can punch in from 8K if I need to. I know from using on my Helium Weapon and Epic-W, that it covers 8K WS just fine and I think it covers 8K HD....just not 8KFF. It also makes a freaking beautiful image.
 
Thanks Dan and Scot,

Yes the Angenieux is interesting but not avalaible yet... and I need a zoom for a project beginning at the end of this month.

Usually I use photo zooms that open at f:2.8, which I often miss, it's the surplus of focal range, for example with a 24-70, I can not do close-up (on a FS7), I am forced to switch to another zoom (70-200) and so I loose time. So even if with the Red, you can change resolution and have a bigger crop factor, I look for a zoom with a good focal range.

Dan, no anamorphics for me because I need to use the HD format (TV project).

Scot, why do you sell your Fujinon 19-90?
 
I would love to keep it. I LOVE it. However, I don't have enough dough to keep it and buy a set of primes....one of those things. It is super versatile.
 
Would love to hear what you end up going with. I'm looking for a cine zoom myself and stuck.

Did some research and looked at the AbelCine Behind the Lens series and came up with the following:

Fuji 20-120: good range, breathes, don't like 3.5 aperture. Fujinons have a greenish cast in skin tones which is cause for concern for me.
Fuji 19-90: only hear good things but seems quite heavy and very expensive. Fujinons have a greenish cast in skin tones which is cause for concern for me.
LWZ.3: good range, good price, only complaint I hear is the look is clinical and cool. I wonder how they compare to the Zeiss 28-80 2.9 CZ
Angenieux: love the future proofness but haven't heard much and don't know what the Angie look is (good or bad?)
 
All good zooms, all made in the same factory, the 19-90V2 is the best. But...I would get a Sony 18-110 for the FS7 and stick to primes for the Epic.
 
I am guessing you left it out because it falls out of your "correct" price range, but did you also consider the Canon 17-120 CN7x17 KAS T2.95 (from 17 to 90) / T3.9 (between 90 and 120 mm)?

It has its quirks, but it is sharp, has a nice image, and it's IMO a good compromise in terms of focal range, t-stop and size for an all-in-one lens.
 
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