Very exciting.
Zeiss has released their much anticipated SLR Cinematography lenses recently (I may be late on this news but I just heard about it). This is a fantastic advancement for the world of DSLR video. Traditional still camera lenses are built for still photographs, and while they work okay for shooting video through a DSLR, that isn’t what they are meant to do. The visual quality on a prime cinema lens is incomparable, and still camera lenses make even the most simple of video functions (like follow focus) a chore.
Zeiss modified the lenses that they designed for REDONE’s PL mount, and redesigned it for Canon’s EF mount, and will soon be releasing a version for Nikon’s F mount. The best part – the mount’s will be interchangeable. This means you won’t need a new set of lenses if you switch camera systems. So when your project involves switching from Canon to Nikon, or if you go out and buy yourself a REDONE (or an EPIC or SCARLET in the future) all you have to do is get the new mount for the back of the lens, as opposed to needing an entirely new kit.
The focal length’s available are 18, 21, 25, 28, 35, 50, and 85mm, offering full frame coverage (24x36mm) and have an aperture consisting of 14 blades (good still lenses have 9 blades) – which will give very nice smooth bokeh. Each lens costs $3,900, or you can buy the set of 7 for $24,000 (equates to ‘Buy 6 Get One Free).
Zeiss, thumbs up for this. And although I am still predominantly a still photographer, and won’t be buying any of these for a very long time, I eagerly look forward to the day when I have $24,000 to spend on these.
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I can’t wait to try these lenses. I plan on renting them to shoot my F3 on in the fall, mainly because the lenses we have at the film school aren’t very good (which is strange, and kind of annoying). By the way, the RED isn’t the only camera with a PL mount. The PL mount is really popular and is on tons of cameras, such as everything made by ARRI, Sony, etc.
That’s awesome. Let me know when that is, I’d love to come by and see them in action. And thanks for the info on the PL mount, I’m still learning a lot about film and video, and it’s all so fascinating.
I will be showing somePL mount T1.2 lenses to the folks in the film dept Friday morning Jan 7 I sent Reid contact info for me… I had them on a Lumix the other day- all I can say is WOW!