Affordable Cine Lenses for FS700?

sagedrummer

sagedrummer

Active member
I have been using the kit lens (18-200MM) and various Canon glass with my FS700 but am wanting to invest about $2,000 in 2-3 lenses. I am thinking that I should go with some Prime Cine Lenses but the only thing in that price range is the Rokinon Cine Lenses and I am doubtful of their quality. I just upgraded my FS700 to the 2k/4k option and with the Odysseey 7Q on its way, I think I am going to have to use better lenses when shooting 2K and eventually 4k. If money was not an option I would pick up some Zeiss Primes but they are way out of my price range and I can rent them for big projects.
Can anyone recommend any high quality lenses in that price range that would give me some different options as far as focal lengths?
Thanks in advance.
 
sagedrummer said:
I have been using the kit lens (18-200MM) and various Canon glass with my FS700 but am wanting to invest about $2,000 in 2-3 lenses. I am thinking that I should go with some Prime Cine Lenses but the only thing in that price range is the Rokinon Cine Lenses and I am doubtful of their quality. I just upgraded my FS700 to the 2k/4k option and with the Odysseey 7Q on its way, I think I am going to have to use better lenses when shooting 2K and eventually 4k. If money was not an option I would pick up some Zeiss Primes but they are way out of my price range and I can rent them for big projects.
Can anyone recommend any high quality lenses in that price range that would give me some different options as far as focal lengths?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Mechanics are horrible for anything in that price range. Optics vary. What "look" do you want? The other issue is picking three primes is so hard. I would get 16mm, 32mm, 65mm, but that would only work comprehensively for like very few projects.

The Rokinon 35mm and 85mm are good lenses. The 24mm is quite soft (the Canon 24mm f1.4 II blows it away, whereas the other two are on par with Canon lenses easily). The 14mm has gobs of distortion. The 16mm is supposed to be quite good, better than the 24mm but then where is your 50mm? (Fwiw the Sigma 50mm f1.4 is sick.) This could be an acceptable kit. 16mm, 35mm, 85mm covers the focal length range you need (with a big gap, though) and these lenses should all be very excellent performers but with such poor mechanics that, well, why bother?

Lots of old MF lenses are nice and offer a vintage "look" but they're not "cinema" lenses. They do have hard stops and manual aperture rings and can be converted. Get a set of old f2.8 Nikkors/FD Mount lenses for next to free and you'll have a nice look but not distinctly modern. I prefer this look, though wider than 2.8 these lenses get objectionably soft.

Not sure what else there is. Strongly dislike the CP2s. So clinical. It's ok.

For the money I would definitely get zooms. The 24-70mm II Canon is great from what I have heard and the 70-200mm f2.8 II IS is ok, too. The Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 is great. These are fast enough and on par with primes, but they have terrible mechanics, so if that's what you're looking to cure look elsewhere.

Unless you're going super high end or after a specific look (S4s or super speeds) go with zooms, imo. Currently using an LOVING the 30-80mm Angenieux DP. For a budget lens I cannot recommend the Angenieux DPs highly enough. Makes me regret squandering so much on cheap glass. I found the older 24-70mm f2.8 L to be acceptable and useful, too.
 
Policar said:
Mechanics are horrible for anything in that price range. Optics vary. What "look" do you want? The other issue is picking three primes is so hard. I would get 16mm, 32mm, 65mm, but that would only work comprehensively for like very few projects.

The Rokinon 35mm and 85mm are good lenses. The 24mm is quite soft (the Canon 24mm f1.4 II blows it away, whereas the other two are on par with Canon lenses easily). The 14mm has gobs of distortion. The 16mm is supposed to be quite good, better than the 24mm but then where is your 50mm? (Fwiw the Sigma 50mm f1.4 is sick.) This could be an acceptable kit. 16mm, 35mm, 85mm covers the focal length range you need (with a big gap, though) and these lenses should all be very excellent performers but with such poor mechanics that, well, why bother?

Lots of old MF lenses are nice and offer a vintage "look" but they're not "cinema" lenses. They do have hard stops and manual aperture rings and can be converted. Get a set of old f2.8 Nikkors/FD Mount lenses for next to free and you'll have a nice look but not distinctly modern. I prefer this look, though wider than 2.8 these lenses get objectionably soft.

Not sure what else there is. Strongly dislike the CP2s. So clinical. It's ok.

For the money I would definitely get zooms. The 24-70mm II Canon is great from what I have heard and the 70-200mm f2.8 II IS is ok, too. The Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 is great. These are fast enough and on par with primes, but they have terrible mechanics, so if that's what you're looking to cure look elsewhere.

Unless you're going super high end or after a specific look (S4s or super speeds) go with zooms, imo. Currently using an LOVING the 30-80mm Angenieux DP. For a budget lens I cannot recommend the Angenieux DPs highly enough. Makes me regret squandering so much on cheap glass. I found the older 24-70mm f2.8 L to be acceptable and useful, too.
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WAW.. what a surprise ! :) I have almost the same view on lenses: I was trying Rokinon and found 35mm and 85mm as not bad for they price :) .. but I was always skeptical about Zeiss Compact Primes - they are simple photo-lenses in Cinema housing

Just look to this: $4500 Zeiss 85mm "Super Speed" lens, taken with my $300 Rokinon 85mm :

AdoramaRental_17s.jpg


http://www.sergecinema.com/temp/AdoramaRental_17.jpg

... and compare to my $300 Rokinon 85mm lens taken with $4500 Zeiss 85mm "Super Speed" lens .....:evil:

AdoramaRental_18s.jpg


http://www.sergecinema.com/temp/AdoramaRental_18.jpg

... that lenses not even close to something like Schneider CINE-XENAR III set of 18, 25, 35, 50, 75 and 95mm lenses... :D

( I hope I will have a chance to test Sony CineAlta 4K Six Lens Kit with F55 camera, but I'm not sure about this chance yet ... )

When I test some lenses in 4K recording I found Canon 70-200mm f2.8 II IS make very beautiful images and I wait when Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 will be available at B&H :)

( .. another Sigma lens I want to try is Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens as I found that in some rare and specific situation 200mm is not enough for me.... )
 
$3000 won't get you far in Cine lenses. I'm probably going to be bashed for this, but I really did not like my Samyang lenses and ended up selling them a while back. I ponied up a bit more cash (quite a bit more) and got Zeiss ZFs (Still lenses) and I like those much, much better. To me, the Samyangs felt cheap mechanically compared to Zeiss and they had this slight yellow tint to them which I did not like that reminded me Sigma lenses.

Personally, I think Cine lenses are something to rent if there's the budget for it in the project (decent ones are really expensive). For most low budget projects, it's Zeiss ZF and Canon L's for me.
 
Well i've been through quite the cycle with lenses. I have lots of odd vintage lenses, i have a set of Zeiss Contax primes, declicked and everything. But you know what i find myself reaching for 90% of the time? My Sony Zeiss ZA 16-35 and 24-70 zooms. They are very solid performers, f2.8 constant (and for most video work i'm at f4 anyway) they are close focus (very useful). The focus rings don't have hard stops but they let you know when you hit the edges.

The negatives: the lens extends on the 2470, the zooms are a bit fiddly and shortish focus throw (better than most zooms though)

If you use them with the LA-EA2 adapter then you can auto focus (i generally don't)

Also i'm thinking about getting the A mount metabones speed booster for them, so i can get full frame if i need.

I cannot see anything similar out there - the compact zooms are stupid money by comparison.

I wish there was a 70-210 ZA zoom though...

cheers
Paul
 
SergeSmArt said:
Rokinon and found 35mm and 85mm as not bad for they price :) .. but I was always skeptical about Zeiss Compact Primes - they are simple photo-lenses in Cinema housing
Click to expand...

One big difference between the Compact Primes and regular still lenses is that the CPs have a 14 blade iris vs. 9 for the Samyang and regular Zeiss lens, so the Bokeh is smoother.
 
The Schneider Xenon FF look interesting, although a bit pricier, they are still on the cheap end of cine lenses. I'd give those a try.
for budgets below that the Rokinon cine versions are solid performers, are click-less and geared.
 
2K price limit?

Rokinon 16 / 35 / 85
Zuiko 50 /180
MetaBones Ef->NEX speed Booster
Ef-> NEX adpt
Peli case

gives you;
16 t2.2
25 t1.0
35 t1.5
50 f1.4
60 t1.0
85 t1.5
135 f2.2
180 f2.8

all together are just under 2K at Adroma, when you add gears, hard mounted Ef adpt's & de-clicking for the two Zukio's it goes slightly over, but a great box full of glass
 
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about cine lenses, its seems to me that currently the Canon Cine primes are best for the price..... some deals are available from time to time.. 5 lens set = $21,540.00 at abelcine

Schneider Xenon FF - looks interesting , but as i understand they r not for sale now, and only f/2.1
 
anatusa said:
about cine lenses, its seems to me that currently the Canon Cine primes are best for the price..... some deals are available from time to time.. 5 lens set = $21,540.00 at abelcine

Schneider Xenon FF - looks interesting , but as i understand they r not for sale now, and only f/2.1
Click to expand...

It has been pointed out that the canon cine primes, like the zeiss cp.2's are merely rehoused stills glass. And while I still find it worth paying for a cine mod, If I could pay the same amout for a lens that is designed as a cine lens from the ground up - like the xenons - I'd assume that was a better deal. Assume that is - Mind you that this is still speculation, because as you say the Xenons are not out yet, so there is no telling if they actually hold up.. But their bigger brother Xenars have a very nice look and color reproduction to them, whereas the cp2's and canons are kinada maaah.
I'd gladly go with the slightly slower T2,1 speed, if they turn out to have a more pleasing look. They come in ef mount as well, so one could put them on a speedbooster - so buy 3 of them and eccectively have 6 focal lenghts, while saving up for more. Just a though - looking forward to hearing actual comparisons from real life shoots.
 
Thanks so much everyone for the helpful info. I think I will have to check out the Sigma 18-35 as I have heard a lot of people raving about it. I think I may just go with some more zooms and rent good Cine's when it is needed. Thanks again.
 
Yeah CINEMATICS re-housed lenses is total JUNK. I took one for the team on a Zeiss 50mm. Total garbage. The housing came loose and there was no good way to secure it back to the lens with those stupid allen screws. After the 2nd day of shoot, we had to take the housing off and just used the still lens itself.

If anyone is interested, I have a set of 7 Kowa Prominar's (spherical, not anamorphic) with BNCR mount that I'm going to put up for sale in January. I have a NEX to BNCR adapter. Asking $6000 for it. These lenses are from the 80's, mechanically need some work but still usable.
 
While inexpensive, the Rokinons have pretty poor performance compared to something like Zeiss primes. The Zeiss cine lenses are merely still lens optics repackaged for Cine applications. Duclos Lenses will take a Zeiss still lens and convert it for cine application at half the price of a Zeiss cp.2 cine lens. Of course, it doesn't look as cool as those Zeiss cine CP.2's, but, they work just as well.
 
You can't go wrong with the sigma 18-35. Then I'd look at the new zeiss otus 55 f1.4. Then go Zoom again 70-200 range, preferably something macro.
 
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