Rokinon cine lenses arriving!

Thanks for the info- I have a set of Nikon extension tubes that I use everyonce in a while but it's nice having a full range of focus with out changing lenses/tubes.
 
very cool extension rig, does that allow for tilt shift as well??

Whats the name of that rig - I remember seeing things like this back in my stills days but haven't seen them in at least 10 years because I stopped looking at photo gear
 
FilmDude said:
very cool extension rig, does that allow for tilt shift as well??

Whats the name of that rig - I remember seeing things like this back in my stills days but haven't seen them in at least 10 years because I stopped looking at photo gear
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It's a Nikkor PB4 bellows with a 135 or 105 Nikkor bellow lens , can't remember which I was using. Bellows has shift and swing on front lens board. I've had it for a few years they show up on ebay quite a bit.
cheers
Morton
 
My Rikonon 8mm fisheye cine lens arrived. A quick review of what I consider a specialty lens:

The body is plastic, but the build is much more rugged than the cheap plastic Nikon or Canon lenses. I wouldn't want to drop it on concrete, but much sturdier than other cheap lenses. Also, the lens mount itself is metal (again, unlike the cheap Nikon lenses) and I view that as a big improvement.

The focus ring is sturdy with a nice gear built in. The ring is dampened, firm but smooth.

The iris ring is also smooth, though less dampened, and also has a gear. The T markings are crisp and clear (unlike the Sony plastic primes.)

The optics are better on the 8mm cine than I thought they'd be.

It will be interesting when I get a 35mm T1.5 cine to compare it to my 35mm Nikon F1.4. Where I am particularly interested is in CA and wide open focus comparisons.
 
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Interesting - I sent back an 8mm because of the optics, but I may have only tested it wide open where its not supposed to be very good.

I compared the Rokinon 35mm f1.4 to the Zeiss 1,4 and f2 as well as the Nikon though didn't check the Nikon that carefully.

Nikon sharpness sucks at f1.4 and the Rokinon may be a hair better but it wasn't nearly as good as the Zeiss . However longitudinal CA green/magenta fringing were bad on the rokinon wide open and also terrible on the Zeiss f1.4. I sent both back and kept the Zeiss f2 which had less CA than either at f2.
 
That's one thing I'm wondering is how much unit to unit variation will come into play. Even with Nikon and Canon's pro lines of lenses there are some less good examples out there. I went through three examples of the Nikon 35mm F1.4 lenses until I found one I liked at F1.4. Of course the fact that they were all used and older examples probably didn't help.

I had no expectation of the 8mm providing good optics. After all a fisheye is a deliberate distortion. I view it as a specialty lens for producing dream like movement and helicopter type shots. Therefore it wasn't difficult for me to be pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't expect a fisheye to be tack sharp anywhere, but this isn't horribly out of focus anywhere either. I'd say the optics are 3.5 out of 5 on my copy of this lens.

I'm even wondering if there's enough time to reshoot a crane shot from my movie where the 'seeker droid' is flying over the car wreck (damn I'd have to get the same car, the wreckage, the crane and everything. Damn it) because that shot would look so good with this lens.

I certainly wouldn't want to shoot a talking head with it.
 
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Duke M. said:
That's one thing I'm wondering is how much unit to unit variation will come into play..... I went through three examples of the Nikon 35mm F1.4 lenses until I found one I liked at F1.4.
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Interesting. I didn't know it was possible. How sharp is yours at 1.4? We're talking the old AI or AIS type right?
 
Yes, an AI-S. Some of those old coatings have deteriorated on certain lenses too.

I'm ordering the Rokinon 35mm T1.5 today. When it arrives I'll do a side by side comparison. It wouldn't surprise me if the Rokinon wins, but the Nikon should be pretty close.
 
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Quick test Epic + Rokinon 35mm T1.5 Cine Lens for Nikon F (@ T1.5 1.5 for test purposes) with AllStar mount.


barrel movement is very smooth (unexpected))
2AM + Times Squares NYC + 60fps + 800ISO + No Color Correction + YouTube 1080p 23.97 + All Available Light

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSFH0...ature=youtu.be

All I can say after this (Bokeh Test - 60fps), I will pick up whole set of Rokinon instead of returning this. This was just quick an dirty test (without planing) and win win for me.
- Witness marks are only one side.
- Focus throw of about 140 degrees, end to end.
- Focus backwards like Nikon lenses.

To make this true Cine, you will have to reverse focus direction. The cost for such a conversion would be similar to the cost of a brand new professional motion picture lens. I use edelktone Focus ONE PRO, It has reverse gear on the unit and can easily be put on use to work with any lenses with reversed focus direction.

292347_10151343477353084_270275857_n.jpg

 
Please let us know if the focusing ring has a hard stop on both ends? Or it turns endlessly? It was not clear in some promo articles...
 
Hello everyone,

Does anybody knows if the Rokinon cine lenses are/will be available anywhere in europe ? (under any name it may appear here)

Thanks,
Stephane.
 
I think someone posted already that its a hard plastic...

I like to know when the 24 & 85 are out and then of course like to have a 50 soon also... if they turn out to be some nice inexpensive glass... until you can afford the costly stuff....
 
FilmDude said:
The build of this lens looks like its metal instead of plastic, can you confirm that its metal?
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Its hard plastic confirmed.

GaryinCalifornia said:
I like to know when the 24 & 85 are out and then of course like to have a 50 soon also... if they turn out to be some nice inexpensive glass... until you can afford the costly stuff....
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24mm cine version is due in september.
no plan for 50mm and 85mm yet. follow them on FB for more;
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rokinon/177519142294012?ref=ts

S.Blanchardon said:
Hello everyone,

Does anybody knows if the Rokinon cine lenses are/will be available anywhere in europe ? (under any name it may appear here)

Thanks,
Stephane.
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Its called Wallimex
 
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I can confirm as to the 8mm cine. My 35mm cine doesn't arrive until Friday.

The external body is predominately plastic. The mount is metal. I read an article that said it was plastic over an aluminum frame. I can't confirm that for sure, but it seems probable.

When you turn the rings it feels like you are turning metal against metal. It doesn't have the type of drag you'd expect from plastic. In fact, one small section that shows through appears to be metal.

There are definite stops at both ends, but you can't depend on the stop for infinity focus. It turns a 1/4" or so past infinity, so if you want to focus at infinity you still need to watch your focus. That could probably be adjusted out (read and article that it can be adjusted out) but it seems like more trouble than its worth.

The arrival order I've seen so far is 35mm cine in August (now available). 85mm cine in September. No word on the 50mm other than they're "working on it."

Bokeh is nice and round out to about F4. A stop further and you'll get some stop sign shapes due to an 8 blade arrangement.
 
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