BUYERS’ GUIDE
NIKON Z nikon.co.uk
SIRUI ANAMORPHIC mtfservices.com
PANASONIC LUMIX panasonic.com
Anamorphic lenses offer the super- widescreen Cinemascope format, oval bokeh and blue horizontal flares loved by sci-fi filmmakers – but can be cripplingly expensive. Sirui provides more affordable anamorphics. For just £3247/$3999, you can buy the Sirui Mars set of 24, 35, 50 and 75mm lenses in a case, to fit Micro Four Thirds cameras. With a 1.33x ratio, these lenses take advantage of the 16x9 crop to produce a classic 2.4:1 ratio. Sirui also offers 1.33x lenses in 24, 35, 50 and 75mm for L, E, RF, Micro Four Thirds or FZ-mount – but these cameras must be used in Super 35 mode. For full-frame, Sirui now has two models – Venus 50mm T2.9 and 75mm T2.9 1.6x versions. These will cost £1217/$1499 each.
When it comes to pro sports lenses for the latest mirrorless units, the only choices tend to be a manufacturer’s own. This is certainly the case for Nikon. Its Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S has a built-in 1.4x teleconverter, and the Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S is made lighter thanks to a Phase Fresnel lens element. The £13,499/$13,997 400mm optic is the first Z lens to adopt Nikon’s new focusing system, and has a Meso Amorphous Coat for anti-reflection performance. Vibration Reduction gives a 5.5-stop advantage. A brand-new 800mm Nikon Z costs £6299/$6497 and weighs 2.39kg/5.25lb. This model has built-in optical VR, and Synchro VR allows up to 5.5 stops of compensation when paired with the Z 9 mirrorless camera.
Panasonic has a growing range of affordable AF lenses for L-Mount, including a large-aperture, wide-angle prime lens, the Lumix S 35mm f/1.8. It’s the fourth in the family of f/1.8 primes including 85, 50 and 24mm versions – and costs £580/$698. The 35mm optic has 11 elements in nine groups, including three aspherical lenses and three ED (extra-low dispersion) lenses. In manual focus, a non-linear setting changes focus by a variable amount, according to the rotation speed of the focus ring. Panasonic says the design suppresses focus breathing, and micro- step aperture control results in smooth exposure change – ideal for video.
Pros: Stunning image quality Cons: No other options available
Pros: Good value AF for L-Mount Cons: Limited range of focal lengths
Pros: Accessible anamorphics Cons: Full-frame range not extensive
SAMYANG AF samyanglens.com
Linear STM (Stepping Motor) is quiet and gives accurate control. The AF 50mm f/1.4 FE II uses a large, nine-bladed aperture. Focus breathing is minimised for video. Samyang also has a second-generation 35mm f/1.4 autofocus prime for E-mount that has a focus hold button. This lens is designed to minimise vibration and noise, with near-silent focus tracking.
Samyang’s first autofocus lens was a 50mm f/1.4 for full-frame Sony back in 2016. But the improved Mark II is even more advanced. The £599/$679 50mm is said to be the smallest and lightest large- aperture standard 50mm Sony lens – at just 88.9mm long and weighing 420g. It uses 11 lens elements in eight groups, including two aspherical and one ED. A
Pros: Customisable control
Cons: Fly-by-wire manual focusing
SAMYANG VDSLR MK2 samyanglens.com
Four Thirds – a good range. Small and light, they are ideal for gimbal or handheld shooting. There’s a large 130° focus throw, de-clicked aperture ring, with gearing on focus and iris rings, ready for a rig. Quality is surprisingly good, as is build, for such a ‘budget’ group of cine lenses. Buy individually, or go for a set of the 14, 24, 35, 50 and 85mm lenses, priced at £2599/$2346.
Samyang now has five lens ranges. Its most affordable cine options come from the VDSLR MK2 range, available in 14mm T3.1, 24mm T1.5, 35mm T1.5, 50mm T1.5, 85mm T1.5 and 135mm T2.2, built with improved weather sealing and nine aperture blades. These full-frame lenses are made to fit Canon EF, Sony E, Nikon F, Canon M, Fujifilm X and Micro
Pros: Lots of mount options
Cons: Not the most advanced optical construction
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