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BUYERS’ GUIDE
4. ZEISS
zeiss.co.uk
Zeiss was the first big-name manufacturer to take on board full-frame DSLR cameras and really notice the huge inroads they had made into filmmaking. High-quality sensors on smaller cameras needed a new type of glass that was more compact and affordable – thus the CP.2 range was born, going on to become a huge success. This was superseded by the improved CP.3 range, then the CP.3 XD series, which added lens data technology to speed up and simplify post-production – thanks to real-time data on distortion and shading. It’s based on the Cooke /i system used on lots of high-end productions, so for single-camera shoots it’s a bit of overkill. The standard range is good enough, with the exact same optical quality, for crisp and clean images Zeiss is famed for. The CP.3 range offers higher contrast, rich blacks and more saturated colours, without any nasty glares or flares thanks to advanced coatings, painted lens rims and light traps in the barrel.
The CP.3 range is available in 15, 18, 21, 25, 28, 35, 50, 85, 100 and 135mm. All offer a maximum aperture of T2.1, apart from the widest three, which are T.2.9. Each has a 95mm front diameter and is the same size – except for the slightly longer 100mm and 135mm telephoto lenses. CP.3s have user-interchangeable lens mounts and are available in PL, Canon EF, Nikon F, Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount. They come in standard or XD extended data versions. All of these are sold individually in the UK, with a 50mm lens in EF mount costing £3594/$4390. In the US, a five-lens EF mount set of 15, 25, 35, 50 and 85mm optics is $20,812.
5. CANON
canon.co.uk
Photo powerhouse Canon has a full range of EF mount cine primes. Its CN-E lenses – varying from 14mm to 135mm in focal length – provide 4K quality for Super 35 and full-frame sensors. The vintage-look Sumire lens set for full-frame cameras only comes in PL mount, and therefore doesn’t fit standard Canon cameras. These take the characteristically warm tone of the CN-E range and give it an even more retro feel. The CN-E line includes the 14mm T3.1, 20, 24 and 35mm T.15, 50 and 85mm T1.3, and 135mm T2.2. The lenses are consistent across Canon’s EF range, offering the same gear position, front diameter, total length and rotation angle. Phosphorescent front barrel indicators provide visibility in low-light conditions, while the focus ring displays numbers on both the left and right side of the lens. This will allow the operator to check the distance indicator from either side. Lens information is displayed in the viewfinder, and there is an 11-bladed iris, which aids bokeh. The lens communicates data relating to ambient light, chromatic aberration and other image information to the camera. Such an output can lead to faster workflows in post. A kit of all seven CN-E primes is $28,460, but is not on sale in the UK, where a 50mm lens is £3252/$3950. The Sumire range only comes in PL mount and is designed to produce an understated, cinematic and expressive look, offering delicate and subtle rendering of the subject. A set of all seven lenses costs £46,800, but is not listed in the US, where a three-lens kit of the 24, 35 and 50mm lenses costs £19,800/$22,230.
RANGEFINDER From cine zooms to fast primes, and even vintage-look Sumires, Canon has a huge variety of glass
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