DigiOptical 18-50 Zoom initial look with pictures

Man, that sounds like a great way of spending 4K. Even if mechanically it has it's own perks (you can always take it to a lens engineer), a future-proof PL, geared cine style lense can be a great way of entering the Digital cinema realm. If you imagine that for about 2K more you can get a lot of the basic cine-style acessories, the only thing you'll have to worry for a long time is changing camera bodies (and maybe adding a zeiss CP with each change, if you are making enough money).

Honestly I've been saying a lot, that the only camera equipment I'd consider "investing" on, these days, are PL lenses. While we can't know for sure witch camera will be the top performer for the buck (New sony, Epic Lite, AF100, new canons next year), we all know we can own PL lenses forever. Putting up an AF100 system working with PL lenses is seeming to be the top choice, especially since you don't have to pay the price of an automobile to start doing it.

How come I wasn't aware of this manufacturer... Dang, I need to get back spending more of my time on these forums!
 
JPM Photography said:
Interesting to note. I actually am realizing a bit of this now. I just shot a music video using the T2i and we used a 12-24 for some of the wider shots and I realized (after reviewing the footage) that I wasn't a big fan of the super wide stuff... I thought it may have just been that specific shoot.
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Everybody seems to think lens choice is the filmmakers tool to get everything he wants into or out of the frame. We choose lenses because of the proportion between background and foreground, and we MOVE THE CAMERA to get everything in place on any shot. In that regard, DOF is a byproduct of lens choice. Sure you can cheat not being able to move further (or closer) to the subject by changing lenses, but there are consequences (as seen tying to get a narrative shot with a 7mm lens)...
 
taubkin said:
Honestly I've been saying a lot, that the only camera equipment I'd consider "investing" on, these days, are PL lenses.
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If the AF100's fit the gap in our production needs like I think they might - I'm looking at buying a set of PL primes; not sure which ones yet. CP.2's, or maybe the new Schneiders, I'm even going to rent a set of Uniqoptics and run them through a test shoot to see how they perform; then decide.
5 years ago renting PL lenses was really the only option (or maybe buying a very well used set), now we have so many workable options.
 
The second lens of the set arrived yesterday - the 50 - 150. I would say that the build quality of this lens is better than the 18-50; all the controls just feel 'firmer'? This one has a 9 blade iris.

We'll see what they are like optically next week, hopefully.

Here are some pictures - but you can no longer buy this lens from B&H; if it is the same as the RED 50-150, you can still buy it from RED.com - for twice++ the price I paid.

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Razz16mm said:
18-50 RED has been replaced with the new 17-50, a much better lens, especially mechanically.
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It has been replaced and it is a better lens - but the 18-50 is still for sale through RED and costs less (Commensurate with mechanical quality)
 
If the demand for PL mount lenses continues to go up the prices should go down (eventually.) I don't think we have Red to thank for that. Red just caused the few cheaper PL mount lenses to disappear. I think we'll have the AF100, F3, NXCam, etc to thank for that when it happens by a much higher demand.

@heavyG, they look great. (drool, drool)
 
In the end the market for PL mount cinema lenses is incredibly small when compared to Nikon / Cannon mount consumer glass. So the prices may drop, but not a huge amount I would imagine.

Could be completely wrong mind you...
 
Duke M. said:
If the demand for PL mount lenses continues to go up the prices should go down (eventually.)
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Didn't you get this economics backward?

If I understand your point of view, if demand for PL lenses increases (coming from people who would like to won PL lenses personally), manufacturers will see there is a broad market for acessible PL lenses, and, hence make them. Hasn't RED practically created this market by selling thousands of cameras with PL mounts on them to not extremely rich individuals? I believe so, so far.

Then there is the demand for cine style lenses on DLSRs, or on mounts other than PL. Zeiss was pretty clever in developing the Compact primes, with switchable mounts. But they would never make the CPs if they couldn't be sold with a PL mount, just because of the price point they are selling, that is not very compatible with the DSLR market.

RED has brought a lot of changes to the cine market, just as the 5Ds have to the prosumer. So far, the two price points made them two different, separate, markets, that are now blending together with the new hybrid cameras coming out.
 
heavyG,
congrats on your lens set! i am soon purchasing the 18-50 as well (red version).

from the looks of your photos, the ciecio7 adapter support plate barely clears the lens. does it seem like an issue to you? i ask because i have the same adapter coming in the mail right now.
 
george su said:
heavyG,
congrats on your lens set! i am soon purchasing the 18-50 as well (red version).

from the looks of your photos, the ciecio7 adapter support plate barely clears the lens. does it seem like an issue to you? i ask because i have the same adapter coming in the mail right now.
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The ciecio7 adapter is actually bolted to a plate of aluminum in the pictures that extends much farther than any baseplate that I'll have the camera attached to. Just looks wonky in the pictures.
 
I would appreciate seeing some frame grabs (comparative STILLS) from both those lenses at maybe 10 mm increments- from wide thru tele.

Iam trying to get my head visually around 4/3 format , angle of view and the respective lenses.
 
Shooter said:
I would appreciate seeing some frame grabs (comparative STILLS) from both those lenses at maybe 10 mm increments- from wide thru tele.

Iam trying to get my head visually around 4/3 format , angle of view and the respective lenses.
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Once the cameras are in hand - I'll see what I can do.
 
HeavyG ,congratulations on your new lens set,we all are waiting for the test result of the lenses,Thanks
Jo
 
heavyG

I used the Red branded version of the 18-50. Mechanically yeah a bit shoddy. Like doing a shot straight up almost @ 50mm, the glass weight made the lens fall to around 44mm - that was a well used lens though.

Images were very pleasing though attached is from AF100 and the 18-50
 

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Noel Evans said:
heavyG

I used the Red branded version of the 18-50. Mechanically yeah a bit shoddy. Like doing a shot straight up almost @ 50mm, the glass weight made the lens fall to around 44mm - that was a well used lens though.
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Yeah that doesn't surprise me… Though anyone who has sent theirs to a lens-tech for service (read re-build) has been pretty happy with the lens long term. I'll start off slow in the studio in January, then see how they hold up on the streets of Hong Kong in February.
 
You are a bad influence, HeavyG.

My 2nd-hand RPZ just arrived via UPS.

I am just sitting here looking at it until the AF-100 arrives.
 
Any feedback about these 2 DigiOptical PL zoom? How do they perform compared to a RED PRO 18-85mm T2.9 ZOOM?
About when compare to L prime Canon DSLR lens (or zoom) when budget is considered...
What about autofocus possibility with Red and EF lens of the EPIC or Scarlet?

Your feedback will be appreciate to help me deciding the best way to investigate my money...

thanks

vincent*
 
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