Blog: Why I Bought a C300 PL Camera

[maarek]

The only cinelens I've used was the Red Zoom 18-50mm and it was actually pretty poor. I was amazed at how bad it was mechanically and zooming was no better than using a still lens. Maybe more expensive cineglasses are better then? When I first used it I was like "Is this is it?". And now back to my trusty still-lenses

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

The only cinelens I've used was the Red Zoom 18-50mm and it was actually pretty poor. I was amazed at how bad it was mechanically and zooming was no better than using a still lens. Maybe more expensive cineglasses are better then? When I first used it I was like "Is this is it?". And now back to my trusty still-lenses

The Red Zoom 18-50mm is notorious in terms of mechanics. It was so bad, Red replaced it with the improved 17-50mm. You likely tried the worst modern cine zoom lens made. Although most cine lenses, even the worst, are of decent quality due to high standards, I can't think of one PL mount cine zoom made in the last couple years that is of worse quality. I'd say give them another chance. The 17-50 is nothing to throw in the trash, but compared to the quality of typical cine zooms, it wasn't that great... but it was much less expensive!

 

[Dino]

The only cinelens I've used was the Red Zoom 18-50mm and it was actually pretty poor. I was amazed at how bad it was mechanically and zooming was no better than using a still lens. Maybe more expensive cineglasses are better then? When I first used it I was like "Is this is it?". And now back to my trusty still-lenses

As Ryan noted, the RED 18-50mm is NOT the Cine lens to evaluate Cine lenses with. Please do yourself a favor and check out any Zeiss lens; Super Speed, CP.2, Ultra Prime, Master Prime, Light Weight Zoom, Cooke Panchro, Arri Alura, Angenieux Optimo, Fujinon Premiere, Schneider, whatever. Modern, auto focus, still lenses just won't feel the same again.

 

[maarek]

As Ryan noted, the RED 18-50mm is NOT the Cine lens to evaluate Cine lenses with. Please do yourself a favor and check out any Zeiss lens; Super Speed, CP.2, Ultra Prime, Master Prime, Light Weight Zoom, Cooke Panchro, Arri Alura, Angenieux Optimo, Fujinon Premiere, Schneider, whatever. Modern, auto focus, still lenses just won't feel the same again.

Thanks for that piece of advice. Next time we will try out something different!