Red Zoom lens, to reserve or not to reserve?

[Ricardo Mehedff]

Hi there all,
here's my dilemma, i've already reserved my Redcamera body and am still pondering whether i should reserve the zoom lens....
here's the deal, i've been talking to some of my close DOP friends here in Brazil and they seem to think two mais things regarding the 18-85mm zoom lens:
1. at $9500, they seem to think it's a little too expensive.
2. when i'm using the lens in 18mm or 22mm or 24mm, i'd say that in about half the times, it's because i'm shooting on location in a small room or area. and being a zoom lens, it means it will be a big lens (in size i mean)... my DOP friends seem to think that the actual size of the zoom lens will get in the way when shooting in a tight area.... they think it is much better to have fixed wide angle lenses.

so i started thinking that i need a good set o fixed lenses and that's it......
anyone have any opinions on this??

thanks

[Emanuel A.]

Oi!

Composition is all! In a run and gun shooting, a zoom will make the difference. If you can afford it, hold your reservation -- it's my advice.

Vai em frente, car(ioc)a!

[Ricardo Mehedff]

obrigado/thanks for your advice Emanuel.

[Steve Gibby]

ricbrazil,

The RED team have described their intended size of the RED 18-85 zoom as "compact". Though no exact length and weight info on the lens is available, "compact" doesn't sound like a big, and long lens, but rather short and light, especially when compared to other S35mm zoom lenses. I shoot in a lot of closed-in spaces, and a lot of fast, mobile production, and I have reserved a RED 18-85 zoom. I think RED will engineer the lens to work real well with RED One, in terms of ergonomics, weight, and optics.

$9,500 USD expensive for a good S35mm zoom? Have you checked the prices of the other S35mm zooms on the market? Far higher in price...

[Billy Summers]

Oakley having created the best eyewear optics in the world, might be an advantage as far quality is concerned. And at that price...WHOOHOOOO!

[Ricardo Mehedff]

thanks Gibby!!

[Jeff Kilgroe]

$9,500 USD expensive for a good S35mm zoom? Have you checked the prices of the other S35mm zooms on the market? Far higher in price...

Exactly. I reserved mine. It's probably going to put me too far over budget, but I figure I have several months to work on such issues. Anyway, it's 1/6th the cost of a comparable Cooke or Zeiss cine zoom. As long as it compares to those, then it's a great deal... If it's only 1/6th as good, then I'll probably pass and rent the better lenses when needed.

[Greg M]

From my experience shooting commercials, which is 90% of my work, you will need both. The primes are great, they are sharper, and faster...but the zoom is a must have when moving fast. I would estimate we use a zoom at least 35% of the time on a shoot, sometimes 80%.

BTW-$9500 is a bargain!