GEAR
MIRRORLESS LENSES
7. SUPER-WIDE CINE LENS
ZEISS CREAM It might not be the flagship lens, but the Loxia is a great optic with nice control of flare (bottom)
Irix seems to have cornered the market in super-wide cinema lenses that are actually relatively affordable. First came the 11mmT4.3 super-wide, which is a bit too wide for anything but occasional use. However, the 15mmT2.6 Cine lens is more useful, as it gives a very wide field of view on full-frame cameras, and a roughly 20mm equivalent on Super 35 cameras. The wide maximum aperture lets you create relatively shallow depth-of-field, especially at close distances. And it’s not a fisheye, so straight lines at the edges of the frame don’t bow out and look like GoPro footage. The £1195/$1195 Irix doesn’t look or feel like a budget option. It has great build quality and is compact for such a wide lens. Available in a choice of metric or imperial markings, the weatherproof optic comes in Sony E, Canon EF, MFT and PL mounts. It has a magnetically attached, petal-shaped lens hood and 86mm front filter thread, but the front of the lens is the standard 95mm size for easy fitment of a matte box, and the bottom of the lens has threaded holes for a lens support. The aperture ring is smooth, with just the right amount of damping, while the focus ring is also just right and has a 180° throw. Both have standard 0.8 pitch gears. irixlens.com
Many filmmakers would give their right arm for a set of Zeiss CP.3 cinema primes, but are held back by the price and bulk they can add to a compact mirrorless. However, the German optical giant has a smaller and more affordable option in the all-manual Loxia range. The 50mm f/2 costs £719/$849 and is a fraction of the size of cinema lenses, with even fewer elements and no aspherical lenses. Yet it performs incredibly well, with sharpness, colours and contrast right across the frame that is amazing. There is some vignetting at wider apertures, but it’s not too bad, and purple fringing is controlled very well, although it can be provoked in extreme situations. The bokeh is relatively pleasing, too, thanks to the 11-bladed iris. In terms of build quality, the Zeiss is made of metal and feels like a quality bit of kit. There’s no sloppiness in the mount and the metal lens hood, which can be stored reversed on the lens, mounts into place with a pleasing click of the latch. Weighing 320g/0.71lb for such a compact lens, you know you’ve got something solid on your hands, rather than a cheap, plastic-bodied optic. It doesn’t have any weather sealing, though. The manual focus ring has a 180° throw and the aperture ring can be de-clicked. zeiss.com 8. PINT-SIZE POWERHOUSE
“Weighing 320g for such a compact lens, you know you’ve got something solid”
IRIX TRICKS A super-wide cine lens is a great addition to your kit, as it is ideal for use in tight locations, or emphasising converging vertical lines
46
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook