New Faster Compact Primes at NAB 2012

[David Carstens]

...he said they are a bit soft simply because customers have asked for them to be....uhmm...REALLY????

*spittake

[Nick Morrison]

The zeiss rep said the 35mm is indeed a brand new design and that 50 and 85 are improved version as well (just not a complete redesign)...then I asked them if they are soft on wide open and he said they are a bit soft simply because customers have asked for them to be....uhmm...REALLY????

On fredmiranda.com (a still photo forum as active and enaging as reduser) I've read many stills guys react favorably to the Zeiss 85 1.4 for being "soft". Both for portraits, and dreamy wide open shots. Some people obviously like it.

[Micheal Lee]

I was hoping for new releases of cine lenses this year but not much.

[Thomas Koch]

It's hard to choose a lens without thinking about cost, but the closest way for me to test was to go to this website: http://the-digital-picture.com/Revie...ple-Crops.aspx

and cycle through comparing the samyang (same as rokinon) and the zeiss and canon. After doing that, I choose the Rokinon.

I also find the rokinon to have the longest focus throw, therefor making it best for video.

[Thomas Koch]

The Schnider Cine-Xenar III lenses were actually really impressive this year. They have fixed the main issues I had with them, mostly the telescoping and build quality.

i am seriously considering them, however, I'm not sure how much rental demand there would be for them. The CPs are in demand because they say Zeiss on the side of them, regardless of how well they perform.

[Maz Mawlawi]

The Schnider Cine-Xenar III lenses were actually really impressive this year. They have fixed the main issues I had with them, mostly the telescoping and build quality.

i am seriously considering them, however, I'm not sure how much rental demand there would be for them. The CPs are in demand because they say Zeiss on the side of them, regardless of how well they perform.

The problem is the Schneider lenses seemed pretty heavy....and for the price/weight you are better off with the Red Pro Primes

[Mike 'Fireman' Ross]

The problem is the Schneider lenses seemed pretty heavy....and for the price/weight you are better off with the Red Pro Primes

Well there are issues with that comparison:

1. Full sets of RPPs are not currently available new.

2. The Schneiders have been seriously jacked up in price - $48k for a set of six I was told - to the point where they're not really in competition with the RPPs anyway.

I'll be interested to see what the advent of the series III Schneiders does to the value of the earlier Cine Xenar glass; it's still optically very good, if you can live with the ergonomics. Might be some bargains to be had. Me, I'll be looking for used RPP set in the not too distant future I think. 'Cheap enough to own' :-)

Mike

[Thomas Koch]

According to Jarred, RPPs are going to be back in stock at some point.

[Lee Saxon]

If they really are designing these lenses to be soft intentionally, which I don't for one instant believe, I think they're idiots. You can soften in post much much much much much much much much much more effectively than you can sharpen.