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View Full Version : Offhollywood on prime lenses



Mark L. Pederson
04-17-2009, 05:34 PM
I just wanted to make a quick post as a few folks have PM's me to ask me my thoughts on buying lenses - this vs. that.

When I posted about testing the RPPs - I actually held myself back as i thought if I expressed how impressed I really was - nobody would take my posts seriously.

I'm still never sure if people take my word as unbiased - if folks only knew how critical I really am - and how hard I push and torment some of the folks on team Red for new features - they would not think that for a moment.

I sent an email to Jim that day - (he was out of the office) - and I said I wish I had a Master Prime there as they sure seemed to me to be in that ballpark. I was truly blown away.

I'm not a cinematographer, and I am not lens expert. But I meet, and have the opportunity to work with, more successful cinematographers every day, and I listen closely and I pay attention - I am always learning - and I look at Red acquired footage virtually every single work day since the cameras shipped.

I reserved 4 sets of RPPs a long, long time ago. I want one set yesterday - and I am happy to wait for the other three until shipping ramps up - because I know that is actually going to happen faster than folks think.

No, I have not tried the new IBE lenses or the Arri Compact Primes - but I've seen what I've seen and I know some prices are not set in stone - but the ranges are defined and I personally don't think ANY of these other lens solutions comes close to matching a price/performance level of the RPPs.

I think it's great that there are choices - and no question that competition drives prices DOWN - and that's better for YOU and better for ME. Not so great maybe for JIM - but he started this whole revolution anyway and I'm am sure he'll be just fine.

I'm going to build up a RPP + Optimo zoom inventory for the high end clients (until I see more zooms from RED). I have a set of SuperSpeeds owned by someone else that we keep in our rental inventory that work a lot because of the speed - so IF the Luma set can stand up resolution and quality wise - I think it might be a nice move to round out an inventory of RPPs with a set - we shall see.

I encourage everyone to see everything - but I think when you see these RPPs - you are going to GET IT.

I will make a point to post some stuff from real jobs our RPPs shoot right out of the gate.

Alex Wengert
04-17-2009, 05:40 PM
Saw the lenses yesterday. Jim said that I repeated several of your exclamations as they snapped into focus. Very impressive. The bar has definitely been raised.

Mark L. Pederson
04-17-2009, 05:45 PM
Saw the lenses yesterday. Jim said that I repeated several of your exclamations as they snapped into focus. Very impressive. The bar has definitely been raised.

Looking forward to drinks with team Otto Nemenz at NAB!

Alex Wengert
04-17-2009, 05:48 PM
Looking forward to drinks with team Otto Nemenz at NAB!

Same here!

Mike Prevette
04-17-2009, 08:02 PM
You guys are making it so hard on those of us who are not going to NAB. I'm sitting here drooling and rubbing my credit card. (someone has to stay home and take all the work)

Frank Weeks
04-17-2009, 08:57 PM
Mark

I don't know if i'll get the chance to meet you at NAB Mark but I have appreciated your input over the last couple years. I look forward to the reduser event. I'll buy you a drink if I run into you.

Peter Rollins
04-17-2009, 11:52 PM
Ditto Mark. You are one of those guys on here who's advice I really take to heart.

Chris Parker
04-18-2009, 04:39 AM
for me it's between the RPPs and the Zeiss Compact Primes (right now), until i see and feel both. and more importantly, get the results of that S.A.L.T. coming up.

I am leaning heavily towards REDs lenses for now, because of two things:

1. Mark's reviews. Although I do think he is a BIT biased, he knows what is good.
2. RED's habit of breaking price/quality barriers like never before.

Stephen Williams
04-18-2009, 05:08 AM
for me it's between the RPPs and the Zeiss Compact Primes (right now), until i see and feel both. and more importantly, get the results of that S.A.L.T. coming up.

I am leaning heavily towards REDs lenses for now, because of two things:

1. Mark's reviews. Although I do think he is a BIT biased, he knows what is good.
2. RED's habit of breaking price/quality barriers like never before.

Not a difficult choice when you compare the T stops of the lenses LOL

Chris Parker
04-18-2009, 06:02 AM
there is a lot more to a lens than the T-stop. and the difference in T-stop between the 2 i mentioned is quite small.

Stephen Williams
04-18-2009, 06:26 AM
there is a lot more to a lens than the T-stop. and the difference in T-stop between the 2 i mentioned is quite small.

Enjoy lighting your night shoot to T3.8 thats 4 times the light I need than with the Red primes

Best

Stephen

Chris Parker
04-18-2009, 06:34 AM
the Zeiss Compact Primes are 3.5??? i thought they were 2.1, but have not had time to research this lately, and have only been glancing at the news pouring in.

thanks for clarifying stephen, i especially appreciated the WAY you informed me.....

Sanjin Jukic
04-18-2009, 06:36 AM
Enjoy lighting your night shoot to T3.8 thats 4 times the light I need than with the Red primes

Best

Stephen

Available light shooting example done with an ordinary photo still lens on RED1 (quick & dirty handheld shot with a very tin DOF & FOV at wide open at this speed of T1.3):

Canon FD L 50mm f/1.2 (T 1.3) @ f/1.2 (T1.3) wide open all the time>>>> (http://homepage.mac.com/sanjinjukic/RED/Canon50mmFD_FilmMuseum720p.mov)

Curran Giddens
04-18-2009, 06:42 AM
Isn't it also a hassle that the Zeiss Compact Primes have different T-stops? I don't know much about lenses, but like the fact that the RPP's are all rated the same except for the very widest (14mm T?).

Sanjin Jukic
04-18-2009, 06:43 AM
Isn't it also a hassle to have all the lenses at a different T-stop? I don't know much about lenses, but like the fact that the RPP's are all rated the same except for the very widest (14mm T?).

Could be also for 18mm different T stop too.

Jannard
04-18-2009, 08:06 AM
Could be also for 18mm different T stop too.

Sanjin... already confirmed 18mm T1.8.

Jim

Sanjin Jukic
04-18-2009, 08:35 AM
Thanks Jim,

I forgot it but anyway it's a good to know!!!

Jeff Kilgroe
04-18-2009, 08:38 AM
You guys are making it so hard on those of us who are not going to NAB. I'm sitting here drooling and rubbing my credit card. (someone has to stay home and take all the work)

I feel your pain... :beer:

Sanjin Jukic
04-18-2009, 08:42 AM
I feel your pain... :beer:

"Dangerous" NAB in Las Vegas :head_explode:.

Stephen Williams
04-18-2009, 08:44 AM
the Zeiss Compact Primes are 3.5??? i thought they were 2.1, but have not had time to research this lately, and have only been glancing at the news pouring in.

thanks for clarifying stephen, i especially appreciated the WAY you informed me.....

Hi,

They vary the 18mm is T3.8 not 3.5!

Stephen

Charles Angus
04-18-2009, 08:58 AM
Enjoy lighting your night shoot to T3.8 thats 4 times the light I need than with the Red primes

Best

Stephen

Yeah, the Zeiss compact primes are a new housing with the same optics as the ZF lenses. So they have "stills lens" speeds necessitated by the (former) requirement to cover FF35.

They vary from T.3.8 to T1.5.

To me, this says that the whole set is T3.8, as one would always need to light to T3.8 in case you need the 18mm...

Stephen Williams
04-18-2009, 09:05 AM
They vary from T.3.8 to T1.5.

To me, this says that the whole set is T3.8, as one would always need to light to T3.8 in case you need the 18mm...

Hi Charles,

Thats my point, for FF35 they are more useful (drop the 18mm) expecially if native sensivity of Epic / Scarlet was around 1000 iso.

Stephen