I am debating selling my Zeiss ZF prime kit to procure a cine zoom to get all the goodies that come with a true cine lens, and all the focal lengths I'm missing (32mm, 75mm etc.) If you had to only have one lens in the 4-6K range, what would it be? I shoot at 4/5.6 usually.
Cine Zoom
- Thread starter DanKov
- Start date
Alpha Beta Omega
Veteran
I find something like 17-55 and a 100 macro lens to cover most of what I do unless you need superspeed. Then only primes will do. I would also like to get hold of a T2.8-ish 17-55 PL zoom in that price range.
David W. Jones
Veteran
My thoughts... A single true PL mount cine zoom lens which will cover say 20mm-100mm is what I would term, a production zoom. They are very big and heavy, and require a lens support along with rails and an extended sliding base plate setup to balance. So add 15 pounds to your base camera weight. Which may mean a new tripod/head. The front lens diameters on these lenses are also very large, say around 144mm, so the appropriate size mate box and filter set must be used. Something else to consider, if you really need smooth zooms, then you will need a zoom controller, and of course a follow focus is a must have. Your price range is your limiting factor here. I just sold what I would suggest, a Cooke 20-100mm which is likely the only quality zoom to cover that focal range and still fit your price range. But be aware, that the accessories needed to use a cine zoom like that will likely exceed the price of the zoom.
Good Luck!
Dave
Good Luck!
Dave
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
You won't find a very good Cinema Zoom in that price range.
The Fujinon Cabrio 19-90 is $38,000
The Angie 24-290 is $60,000
The Angie DP's are $22,000/lens at least (can't remember their price)
The Arri Alura's are about the same maybe more like $30,000
Even the affordable and discontinued Red Zoom 18-85mm was like $10,000
Even used lenses are expensive. The vintage Cooke 18-100 or 20-100 cinema zooms are about $8,000-$12,000. The 25-250 mII Cooke is like 8k. The Cooke 25-250 MKI could be found for maybe 5,000 or so. An Angie 25-250 is about the same.
The price range on these lenses are very high for the most part. If I had to pick just one, I would not go with anything short of a Cooke 18-100. It would be the cheapest/best zoom you could buy. Many others would say the Red zoom is a better deal. I'd say it would depend. The cooke is more beautiful in my opinion but the Red would be cleaner with more contrast.