DRAMA K ITS
SPECIALIST OPINION
WHY ARE FILMMAKERS PAIRING VINTAGE LENSES WITH MODERN CAMERAS; AND HOW DO THEY FIND THE RIGHT SET?
JAKE RATCLI FFE TECHN ICAL CONSULTANT
up to evoke the same character as vintage glass, as well as alterations to existing lenses. A good example of this is Sigma’s new Classic primes. They use the regular Cine Prime design, but have had the coatings changed to add aberrations, lower contrast and introduce more flaring. One issue people run into with vintage lenses is their mechanics. It’s quite rare to see lenses that were made over 40 years ago in fantastic shape. There are usually issues somewhere in their mechanics and they are incredibly hard and expensive to get serviced, which is why several lens rehousing companies have popped up. This gives people the option to have their favourite vintage lens rehoused into a much nicer housing with mechanics that will survive and thrive on a modern set. Buying vintage lenses can be a difficult process. The lenses tend to be a serious investment, with added risk if buying privately. At CVP we evaluate, service, buy and sell used lenses often. So, if you are looking to invest, please don’t hesitate to contact us to see what rare lenses we may have in!
Over the past few years, there has been a massive boom in the use of vintage lenses within the filmmaking community. With modern sensors and modern lenses getting better and cleaner, filmmakers are looking for new ways to make their work stand out; and finding unique lenses is a great way to do that. Some vintage lenses are clean and sharp, like the Zeiss Contax series, but when people are looking for vintage lenses, I think they envision the image and character of some of the more popular and well-known lenses. This could be the unique ‘onion-ring’ bokeh on the Canon K35s, the classic soft tones of the Zeiss Super Speeds or the buttery focus fall-off of the Cooke Speed Panchros. These three lens sets are some of the most popular on the vintage lens market and their prices have risen dramatically over the past years because of it. With the increasing price and rarity of vintage glass, manufacturers have created vintage-inspired lenses in modern housings that people can obtain without having to hunt. This includes lenses designed from the ground
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MARCH 2020 | DEF I N I T ION 61
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