Red Lens

[laboprod]

Dear Jim,

There is a lot of talk about lens that could be mount on the RED ONE CAM, but personnaly I have some questions about the RED Lens.

I've read in a forum (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=67815)where you wrote that (on May 22nd 2006):
"We do NOT plan on duplicating all the work done by Cooke and Zeiss as it relates to primes"

But in an other forum (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/archive/index.php/t-40925.html), you wrote (on January the 9th 2006):
"Let me take a swing at oversimplification on steroids... our camera and lens combo is going to be "bad ass". You can use those "specs" until we can post more details"

So my question would be, to what kind of quality are you talking for the RED Lens? You do NOT plan to duplicate Cooke and Zeiss work. But to what kind of specs do we have to count on? ARRI&ZEISS make new "Master Primes", with aspherical glass surfaces, an improved T coating, using using Dual Floating Elements to eliminate the breathing, and there are very fast lens.
I'm not lens specialist, but for 9500 box, I would like to have more specs, than "bad ass"... even if I believe you.
So could you at lease compare your futur lens to a lens that is on the market at the moment?

Thanks for all the work in communication (as well, of course, for the work on the cam) and taking time to be present on this forum.
May the force be with you,
antoine baumann
www.studioa1.org

[lordnumberzero]

I have a feeling RED will strive for quality (they better as I have zoom #16). When JJ sez he is not going to duplicate all of Cooke or Zeiss' work I imagine he means RED won't be making every single prime lens in every available focal length or match the catalogs of those very respectible companies. It's more like they are filling in gaps in the marketplace with the 300mm or the very affordable compact zoom lens. When I hear 18-85 @ T2.8 for $9500 I think not "Bad Ass", I think "Holy Fucking Shit".

Honestly, if the alternative mounts come through (eg Nikon or Contax ;-)) I expect I will also get by on some still primes for small personal projects. Try working with the Redrock M2 sometime, it aint so bad. The lenses are the least annoying part of the whole set-up.

[Anders Holck]

If you re-read the whole post Jim made. He basically said: The best lenses are the new cooke primes. Red will not make a cheaper duplicate prime set but will make 3 lenses, an all purpose zoom (18-85mm) a long tele prime lens and a longer tele prime lens (300mm)

The "work" in the quote is not the quality, but the range of lenses.

[Homersapien]

It's a matter of trust at the moment. They'll have the specs locked down in December and if you have preordered and don't like those specs then you can get your deposit back. Otherwise you'll have to wait at the back of a long queue to buy your camera/lense. It is a shame we don't have more info but that's because it is such early days. The whole project is based around rewarding those with a little faith that Red will provide. But at the end of the day you'll still be able to buy them in a year to a year and a half time anyway so if you don't mind waiting a bit longer to have one then that's the option to choose. I don't think that quality or lack of will be much of a problem though. There seems to be too much experience in the Red camp to fob us all off with something mediocre.

[tonacidigital]

"So could you at lease compare your futur lens to a lens that is on the market at the moment?"

How can you expect him to compare it when everything is still in development?

The RED team is very vocal about their progress. Other than saying he is making a lens of good quality, Jim probably can't make any further comments when the lens is still in development.

I'd say keep checking this forum for the latest lens updates.

For now, using Jim's track record and the quality from RED ONE thus far.. it would be safe to assume that the lenses will also be of quality that you desire at a price that no other comparable lens can compete with.

[laboprod]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replys.

I really misunderstood the meaning of Jim's thread. Thanks lordnumberzero and Anders for the "translation" (english is not my mother tongue, and I can see that I still have a lot to learn).

I think you are right, Homersapien, I will reserve the RED lens, and see what the specs will be, then I will decide if I buy it or not.

I think I was impatient...

Thanks to calm me down.

Best Regards,
antoine.

[Homersapien]

They are fair questions Antoine, and ones we'd all love to know the answers too, and I'm sure the Red team would love to be able to answer them also! At the end of the day this forum is a trickle of great news and a whole lot of speculation. That's what makes it so much fun though!