Anyone with an F23 in Los Angeles?

Actually digiprimes are probably somewhere between ultras and masters - they are technically 2.5x sharper than a Master Prime, because they need to resolve a similar resolution but cover it in a much smaller area
 
So, new wrinkle. I've been asking about Digiprimes on the phone today, was just offered following:
Fujinon HAe10x10 10-100mm 10x Cine Zoom Lens

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...Dskv3CTnL683RZgTJYNpI5Ajp1934fgs9AaAutZ8P8HAQ
Fujinon HAe5x6 6-30mm 5x Cine Zoom Lens

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/840440-REG/Fujinon_HAE5X6_HAe5x6_6_30mm_5x_Cine.html

Is anyone familiar? The price offered is under $20k for both. They're about $120k new. Thoughts? Not many google results out there on them...
 
I'd definitely keep looking for the Digiprimes, they've got to be out there, since no one's using them anymore. From memory they shot The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on the Viper, and that film looked tremendous.
 
Those fuji lenses are stunning, but I wouldn't be paying much at all for them. No-one is going to use them except you. Hideously sad, but true.
 
JMtheDP said:
Those fuji lenses are stunning, but I wouldn't be paying much at all for them. No-one is going to use them except you. Hideously sad, but true.
Click to expand...

Yea, after googling and what not I came to the same conclusion. I made the seller an offer, but I don't really expect him to take it. I also don't expect he can move them quickly for his asking price.
 
James do you have your camera yet?

What do you think about the F35 conversion kit for the F23? My worry is constantly taking the camera apart to switch would be a bad habit and raises the risk of cables getting damaged. I do like the idea of a multiformat camera. The price of the F35 camera head is dropping so fast that it's probably just worth it to get a 2nd F35 and keep the F23 pristine.
 
Interesting thread.... going to now create a saved search for digiprime/digizoom set of lenses in my country, as I reckon if I see one for sale at absolute rock bottom prices I too might be tempted by it to then match with an F23 or similar.
 
yachacha said:
James do you have your camera yet?

What do you think about the F35 conversion kit for the F23? My worry is constantly taking the camera apart to switch would be a bad habit and raises the risk of cables getting damaged. I do like the idea of a multiformat camera. The price of the F35 camera head is dropping so fast that it's probably just worth it to get a 2nd F35 and keep the F23 pristine.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't do the conversion. The F23 has it's own applications. However... if I saw a conversion kit at a rock bottom price (say, $500) - I might buy it and put it on the shelf. That way, if either my F23 or F35 got damaged in the optical block, I could repair. In that instance the F23 might end up becoming an F35, but better that then just dead. So yeah, I'd keep one for parts. But not to multiformat the camera.
 
The Zeiss will be better in every measurable and probably subjective way... including having a much nicer back focus adjustment ring.
 
JMtheDP said:
The Zeiss will be better in every measurable and probably subjective way... including having a much nicer back focus adjustment ring.
Click to expand...

Okay... But if that's the case, why does the retail price on the Fuji's seem to be significantly higher? B&H has them for sale still, with individual lenses between 23k and 30k. The set in the eBay listing would appear to have sold new for over $220k... about $100k more than the DigiPrime set.

What's the basis?
 
I had Canon EJ prime (24mm ) and don't understand fuzz with this primes, especially in 2015.. For primes/narrative you go with s35 sensor camera.. 2/3 is for concerts, docu and sport, where you use Zoom lenses..

Why bother?
 
leteeci said:
I had Canon EJ prime (24mm ) and don't understand fuzz with this primes, especially in 2015.. For primes/narrative you go with s35 sensor camera.. 2/3 is for concerts, docu and sport, where you use Zoom lenses..

Why bother?
Click to expand...
Well, several factors.

1. Specialty greenscreen work. Even for integration with S35 content, shooting your greenscreen on 2/3 confers advantages. Having elements out of focus results in poor keys. The deeper depth of field of 2/3 cameras makes it easier to ensure that the entire object being keyed is in focus. Additionally, high end 2/3 prism cameras are better for keying than Bayer sensors for reasons related to how the photosites work.

2. Price. Since everyone is shooting S35, the supply/demand ratio on cinema grade 2/3 glass is amazingly in the buyers favor. Being able to buy a set 2/3 glass with the quality of Zeiss Master Primes for the same price as a cine-modded ZF2 set is incredible.

3. This is subjective - but - the "film look" was special because it was difficult and expensive to achieve. When we used ground glass adapters and added film grain to our HVX200 footage we were trying to emulate what we couldn't afford to pay for outright. When done right, it made it look like we spent far more than we did, and were, by that token, more professional. Today, everyone can shoot S35 at any pricepoint. It's not special anymore. It's common. And when something is common, it doesn't attract attention for being special or different. Right now, the different thing to do would be to do deep depth of field well.

But - if you don't agree - that's just fine by me - because that's the attitude that has made this affordable for me!
 
leteeci said:
I had Canon EJ prime (24mm ) and don't understand fuzz with this primes, especially in 2015.. For primes/narrative you go with s35 sensor camera.. 2/3 is for concerts, docu and sport, where you use Zoom lenses..

Why bother?
Click to expand...

Well, at the time these lenses were developed and marketed originally, there weren't really single sensor s35 digital cine cams like there are now. If you were doing film-type digital shooting back then, it was mostly on Digibeta, HDCam and VariCam cameras. But I've never shot with a prime on a 2/3" sensor, so I don't really know "how good" they really are and if you gain that much over high quality HD (ENG) zooms.
 
Viddovation said:
3. This is subjective - but - the "film look" was special because it was difficult and expensive to achieve. When we used ground glass adapters and added film grain to our HVX200 footage we were trying to emulate what we couldn't afford to pay for outright. When done right, it made it look like we spent far more than we did, and were, by that token, more professional. Today, everyone can shoot S35 at any pricepoint. It's not special anymore. It's common. And when something is common, it doesn't attract attention for being special or different. Right now, the different thing to do would be to do deep depth of field well.


But - if you don't agree - that's just fine by me - because that's the attitude that has made this affordable for me!
Click to expand...


Very interesting stance here, about finding your niche by going against the flow. This could become an even more handy strategy as time progresses and access to high quality tools expands even further.
 
It's also possible that as the 2/3" Varicam starts to gain more traction (which it will, once people accept that S35mm sensors aren't appropriate for every kind of production), that these lenses will start to become valuable again - so if anyone's considering going the F23 route, I'd jump in soon for lenses.
 
Grug said:
(which it will, once people accept that S35mm sensors aren't appropriate for every kind of production),
Click to expand...

Sadly I doubt it, just look at the fuss people are making over the new cinema cameras coming out with a larger the S35 sensor :-/
 
I disagree. I think it's pretty clear that we're in a bit of a honeymoon period at the moment with widely-available large sensor cameras. Once the hype around large sensors settles down a bit, and 2/3" cameras catch up in terms of dynamic range and 4k recording, I think the speed and versatility of 2/3" cameras (and more significantly 2/3" zoom lenses), will see a lot of productions shift back to the more practical smaller format for high-speed factual productions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top