CP.2 Rentals - Straight EF mount? Or F-mount with EF adapters?

[Grug]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking into building a rental component into my business at the moment, and am wondering which lens-mount options people find most appealing with Zeiss CP.2s?

I currently just have PL-mounts on the lenses, but want to add EF mounts as an option for Red/Canon C300/DSLR shooters. So I'm wondering whether people feel that straight EF mounts make a more appealing option than F-mounts with EF adapters (which could easily go on and off the lenses, and are quite inexpensive).

Going the F-mount route gives me three lens mount options for only a little more than than having straight PL and EF mounts available. And I know that a lot of shooters, both with Reds and the HD large-sensor cameras (Sony F3s, FS100s, AF100 etc.) have F-mount adapters on their cameras to access the nicer Nikon glass.

But it raises two big questions to my mind:

1) Do people with F-mount adapters and SLR glass on their cameras ever actually rent lenses?

2) If you wanted to rent EF-mount CP.2s, would you be concerned by the presence of adapters seated on the rear of the lenses?

Any thoughts or opinions would be much appreciated.

 

[RyanT]

I've used some Nikon to canon adapters that I really didn't like. There was the slightest bit of play in them and it got to the point where I couldn't rack focus without the lens moving in the mount. We also tried a wireless follow focus with it and it was really no good with all the play in the adapter.

Maybe other people have different experiences, but mine were all bad.

 

[Kevin Vega]

You know the CP.2 have interchangeable lens mounts, so you'd really only need one set and switch them out each time before you ship them.

 

[Grug]

I've used some Nikon to canon adapters that I really didn't like. There was the slightest bit of play in them and it got to the point where I couldn't rack focus without the lens moving in the mount. We also tried a wireless follow focus with it and it was really no good with all the play in the adapter.

Maybe other people have different experiences, but mine were all bad.

Yeah, that's certainly part of my concern. Having EF adapters on the F-mounts won't do me any favours if potential rental clients are scared away by the fear of loose/limiting mounting.

You know the CP.2 have interchangeable lens mounts, so you'd really only need one set and switch them out each time before you ship them.

Yep, that's not quite the question Kevin. I'm looking at getting a second set of lens mounts, the question is whether they'd rent out more often with dedicated EF mounts (in addition to the PL mounts they already have), or with Nikon mounts (with the option to mount to EF using simple adapters)?

I'm trying to get a sense of which option might yield a higher number of rentals.

 

[Kevin Vega]

Yeah, that's certainly part of my concern. Having EF adapters on the F-mounts won't do me any favours if potential rental clients are scared away by the fear of loose/limiting mounting.



Yep, that's not quite the question Kevin. I'm looking at getting a second set of lens mounts, the question is whether they'd rent out more often with dedicated EF mounts (in addition to the PL mounts they already have), or with Nikon mounts (with the option to mount to EF using simple adapters)?

I'm trying to get a sense of which option might yield a higher number of rentals.

And I'm saying, why not both? EF and F.

 

[David W. Jones]

You know the CP.2 have interchangeable lens mounts, so you'd really only need one set and switch them out each time before you ship them.

You need a different set of shims for each mount and then each lens should be projected to verify proper setup. I know I would be very pissed if I rented a set of lenses only to find focus was off or they were soft once I got to location.

 

[Kevin Vega]

You need a different set of shims for each mount and then each lens should be projected to verify proper setup. I know I would be very pissed if I rented a set of lenses only to find focus was off or they were soft once I got to location.

And IMO if you want to be a legitimate rental house you should have the tools to do that anyway.

 

[David W. Jones]

And IMO if you want to be a legitimate rental house you should have the tools to do that anyway.

Very true!

 

[Grug]

And I'm saying, why not both? EF and F.

Mainly because I don't have $5,000 free to invest in lens mounts.

You need a different set of shims for each mount and then each lens should be projected to verify proper setup. I know I would be very pissed if I rented a set of lenses only to find focus was off or they were soft once I got to location.

The shim kits come with the mount kits. The plan is to have the lenses properly collimated with the new mounts, and then simply record the specific shims required for each lens for both mount options - it's then a pretty simple business to switch between them.

 

[David W. Jones]

The shim kits come with the mount kits. The plan is to have the lenses properly collimated with the new mounts, and then simply record the specific shims required for each lens for both mount options - it's then a pretty simple business to switch between them.

In theory it sounds simple. Having worked with lenses for over 30 years it's rarely that easy.
Something as simple as over tightening a T6 screw can throw your focal flange depth off.

http://www.zeiss.com/C12575690045D103/EmbedTitelIntern/MountChangeInstructionsCP.2/$File/MountChangeInstructionsCP2_EN.pdf

 

[David W. Jones]

I also wouldn't poll a forum on which mounts. I would ask your clients!

Good Luck!

Dave

 

[Grug]

Thanks for your thoughts David. It's a question that would be better put to my clients, but since I haven't started rental component to my business yet, I don't have any rental clients to ask.

I know what would serve my own needs best (having more mount options because I use quite a variety of cameras), what I don't know is which options appeal most to other shooters.