FS7: The Prime Hunt Is on...

Bern Caughey said:
..... a GL Optics rehousing might be a interesting option.....
Click to expand...
Yes, a rehousing! If you look at a photo of the 18-35 as it comes from Sigma, the focus ring distance between infinity and 2 meters is less than a quarter inch! The lens designers must have had auto-focus in mind. GL Optics modified the lens for manual use on cinema cameras. Also, note that GL Optics made the lens parfocal, and added gear rings for focus, zoom, and iris. BTW, Cinema Glass offers the GL Optics version in PL, Canon, or Nikon mount. B&H offers the GL Optics version in PL mount. Yeah, $3500 would be a lot for a still lens, but it's very reasonable for a cinema lens.
 
Last edited:
nyvz said:
Contax Zeiss are nice, I used to have a set, but watch out for ones with buzzsaw bokeh/apertures and they arent very fast by today's FF35 prime lens standards...
Click to expand...

28mm f2
35mm f1.4
50 f1.4-1.7
60macro f2.8
85.1.4
100f2
135mm f2 or f2.8
180mm f2.8

Pretty standard fat set as far as I can see...

I personally love the ninja star bokeh reminiscent of Cookes but if you want to avoid it get the MM models a oppsoed to the AE ones. Signified by a green end number on the aperture dial.
 
Ben Scott said:
28mm f2
35mm f1.4
50 f1.4-1.7
60macro f2.8
85.1.4
100f2
135mm f2 or f2.8
180mm f2.8

Pretty standard fat set as far as I can see...

I personally love the ninja star bokeh reminiscent of Cookes but if you want to avoid it get the MM models a oppsoed to the AE ones. Signified by a green end number on the aperture dial.
Click to expand...

Hey, Ben! How's that 135mm f2.8? I'm tempted to add that to my 28/2, 50/1.4, and 85/1.4 set.
 
David W. Jones said:
The 135mm f2.8 is a great lens. I probably use the 100mm f2.0 more often though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm debating between the 100/2 and the 135/2.8. I've got the 85, and I'm leaning towards the 135 just to get a bit more "separation" from the 85 vs. the 100. I can always grab a 100 later, if I feel like I'm missing that focal length.
 
Ben Scott said:
Meh, never used it. never needed it.
Click to expand...

Try and be a little pragmatic :)

I see IS as useful, but in reality all the lenses that have it suck so badly for focus moves that I only would use it one shot in 50.. a handheld lock-off where I have no time for sticks. When you are doing these shots it is usually because the shoot has run out of time and you are scrabbling to get some 'coverage' in 5 mins. Not a place we want to be.. but many of us are often!

Also IS has a downside both operating on whip pans, and the like, but also Im convinced that it breaks a lot and also can actually add vibration in extreme situations. For example car mounting I found my canon IS lens to be more shaky than an old prime (partly due to size)

Also in building a set size can matter. Things like the 18-35 stigma are pretty big and fill the bag in a way that my 18 prime does not.

So it is all about balance. I feel the OP sees legitimate upsides in the modern glass, but maybe not some of the downsides.

S
 
Never! :)

Joking aside though, I see a use for it on a 500-600mm. Certainly for up to 200mm I've never wanted it, and the couple of instances where someone else has forced me to use it, doing some tracking car shots out the back of another car on someone ele's Canon 70-200l I think it's obvious in the footage.
 
Yep in handheld car shots you can see IS reset (if you hit the limit) after a bump so you get a double bump and the second bump does not match the talent bouncing in their seat which legitimised the first bump.

Certainly long telephotos it can take out wind jitter.

I actually need to learn when to use my 18-250, for tele photo lock offs and 18mm handheld vox pops it is an OK tool

I even use the 'joke' 18-55 nex sony lens on occasion (steadicam) AF and low mass are cool.

S
 
Why do you need IS for a locked off shot?

I haven't really tested the 5-axis in body stabilisation the A7sII yet. That might be a bit less janky.
 
If you are doing handheld 'sh_tty gvs' in a hurry it helps. Of course one should never do handheld 'sh_tty gvs' one should do beautiful lock-offs on sticks.. but then there is the real world.. and even the crazy world where the location bans sticks as beng a 'hazard' (Paddington Station for example!)

S
 
Last edited:
*cough cough* monopod *cough cough*

Then your only issue is looking like you have a retractable sword stuck in your coat at a large London train station!
 
Once you go over the 85mm threshold you should be stabilizing your shot in some way besides handholding. Yes image stabilistaion will allow you to hold a static shot quite well add any movement to the equation and its hit or miss. The biggest problem is the client: everything you "seem" to pull of becomes the new normal "ohh great we don't need sticks!" Every exception you introduce in their minds becomes an expectation from there on. In the end you are only making it more difficult for yourself to get quality work done. "Where did the sound guy go?" He's gone because you said you can handle sound yourself, remember?
 
Maybe I am going crazy but in doing this job for 20 years I have never once had a client dictate to me what lens i should be using and whether I should be using a tripod or not (unless there are health and safety or legal restrictions). Tell me what you want to achieve and I, as the expert in this setup, will tell you the client how to go about getting it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top