FS7: The Prime Hunt Is on...

David W. Jones said:
I have to agree, my old Zeiss Contax lenses make very pretty pictures.
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I do like the look, but it isn't a look what would work for many of my jobs such as live shots, sports news, reality tv, feature packages for tv shows, or bts on films. Great for commercials and music videos, but not for clients who want a "live" look that is high contrast, punchy, and with deep blacks. That HD look that is almost 3-D looking.

It is unfair to characterize the Zeiss Contax as a specialty look? Milky, flat, and flarey. I wouldn't want my only primes to be Zeiss Contax. For me they would be a specially prime set that I pickup after building a more modern set of primes.

My advice would be to not overthink this and go with the Rokinons or, if budget allows, Canon EF L primes. The Roki's give you a manual iris ring. The Canons are the higher-end glass that the price suggests. Start with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L and build from there. The Canon EF glass will function quite happily on a C300, Fs7, 5D, or A7s. And EF glass generally holds value should you decide to move up the prime lens ladder.
 
Some comments.

I find cine lenses very hard to solo operate because the throw is too long.

I 'get' cine lenses but would only use them on projects where I had a puller and all the kit.

I also agree with Ben - 80s-90s glass is perfect for a modern look - maybe not uncoated 60-70s but certainly nikon/canonFD/contax and zeiss.. theybe been used for 6k stills photography for years.

Also CanonCN which are super sharp are not the friend of the FS7 as they can induce purple fringes on hard edges - I feel more mellow glass works better.

In summary I could not think of anything better for the solo op/small crew/fs7 than Contax!

I feel there is a lot of web bunkum that makes people kit up with EF or Rok glass.. its just marketing of short life plastic rubbish.

S
 
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Agreed it is very hard to run and gun with a cine lens without a focus puller but for more controlled environments I don't mind pulling focus myself with my little shoot 35 FF.

Still need to invest in the DJI wireless though.

Interesting about the CNs.
 
Ben Scott said:
Interesting about the CNs.
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That is just a feel. Any purchaser should run their own tests.

My recent short was a mix of nikons and CNs - I noticed some purple edge issues (on bearded actor) with the CN85 (?) and my 50-300 nikkor but not with my older more battered cheapo nikons.

s
 
DJI wireless? Im basically suspicious of anything that is not a Preston or Heden

remote focus is not simple to do

Test before you buy!

Personally I think own/op stills glass and rent proper remote focus/cine glass/puller package for the right jobs... its not like the e-mount can even hold proper glass and focus torque without a proper mount.

S
 
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I personally love my set of ZFs, rock solid and make beautiful pictures for both video and stills.

Ben, what Contax zoom (mid-telephoto) lens would you recommend if I wanted a decent match with the Zeiss ZF? (or is this just crazy thinking?)
 
morgan_moore said:
DJI wireless? Im basically suspicious of anything that is not a Preston or Heden

remote focus is not simple to do

Test before you buy!

Personally I think own/op stills glass and rent proper remote focus/cine glass/puller package for the right jobs... its not like the e-mount can even hold proper glass and focus torque without a proper mount.

S
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It has amazing reviews from redusers and is about £1300.

It's quickly become THE owner/operator wireless FF. I believe there's finger wheel for solo run n gun operation too.
 
epicdream said:
I personally love my set of ZFs, rock solid and make beautiful pictures for both video and stills.

Ben, what Contax zoom (mid-telephoto) lens would you recommend if I wanted a decent match with the Zeiss ZF? (or is this just crazy thinking?)
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Without question the best bargain in the Contax lineup is the 28-85mm. It's f3.3-f4 but you really don't notice any exposure shift at all. It's as sharp as most primes wide open and on a speedbooster you have 21-56mm f2.5. With Zeiss optics and coatings. It's a push pull zoom so no good for follow focus but that's not a big deal for me when in zoom lens mode. You can often pick them up for under £350, which is outrageous.

The 35-70 f3.4 is even sharper and more sought after and usually goes for more, but the focal length doesn't work for me so never bought one.

The 35-135mm is a great focal length and although it isn't as sharp as the other two is it absolutely useable and it is still plenty sharp enough compared to non Zeiss glass. Keep thinking this might be quite handy to have at some point for the expanded focal length range.

You can also pair it with the 80-200 f4 which is often under £200, and is super small and lightweight.

Those two lenses stay in my camera bag and cover a lot of ground, and then I pick out particular primes depending on the gig.
 
Ben Scott said:
Without question the best bargain in the Contax lineup is the 28-85mm. It's f3.3-f4 but you really don't notice any exposure shift at all. It's as sharp as most primes wide open and on a speedbooster you have 21-56mm f2.5. .
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thanks for this explanation. What mount do Contax lenses have and what speedbooster would I need? Thanks!
 
Canon EF 50mm 1.2 = $1,450
Nikon Ais manual focus 50mm 1.2 = $650 (new) $300-$400 used
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/36976-GREY/Nikon_1435_NIKKOR_Normal_50mm_f_1_2.html

Smooth manual focus with solid stops, will adapt to anything, iris ring, will last FOREVER, you can still buy the manual ones new or used at a good discount.

I think I've gone blue in the face advocating for Nikon lenses over the years but people seem so hung up on "they focus the wrong way". Unless your shooting PL a lot (in which you'd prob have a AC focusing) or you also use a ENG camera, a lot. The excuse doesn't carry much weight. I get it when everyone had 5D or C300 but those days are gone and we're mostly talking Sony cameras here. I actually still own a Contax/Zeiss 50mm that I used as a interview lens 5 years ago on a Panny AF100, fantastic lens.

Hey if budget allows go ZF or one of Zeiss's other new full frame offerings. But to still consider EF lenses with all of the head aches that go with them seems a step backwards.
 
Clermond said:
thanks for this explanation. What mount do Contax lenses have and what speedbooster would I need? Thanks!
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They have the Contax Yashica C/Y mount. I have adapted all of mine to EF mount so I can use them on all sorts of cameras. Because they have no electronics I use an inexpensive Camdiox 'dumb' focal reducer instead of the Metabones speedbooster. If you want to keep the lenses in their native mount Metabones make a CY - E Mount Speedbooster.

I had a set of the Nikon AIs before swapping them out for a Contax set. lovely lenses. Short focus rotations but well made and great images.
 
My concern with the contax 50mm and especially the old nikkors is that they are not good wide open and often when i go to primes its for stop. With all the desire for low DOF sometimes on interviews in a small room I want to go down to 1.4. That's why I'm interested in Milvus, esp the 50mm.
 
The Contax 50mm f1.7 (which is according to the Lens Doctor actually around f1.5) - while far cheaper and not having quite the heavy robust build quality - is much much sharper than the f1.4 (which is essentially the same as the ZE/ZF version except for coating), absolutely razor sharp.

I offloaded my Contax 50 f1.4s a few years ago and the 1.7 is my go to for 50mm these days.
 
Interesting.. I use a nikkor 50 1.8 too.. not 1.4 either (although I own 1.4 and 1.2 versions! #saddo) - it seems sharp enough.

Mainly I think the super fast lenses are a little over rated.

S
 
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When I used to have a Nikon AiS set I had a couple of the plastic case Series E versions which seemed to be sharper than their posh counterparts as well....
 
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