Lenses

[andy lee]

Well, ok, not then. This showed up on the doorstep here today...

Felt that was a somewhat safer bet. Not to confuse 'em with the others, I've started labelling 'em front and back.

wow! been reading alot about these lenses on Duclos web blog ..they sell them ...so whats it like , do tell all puuurleeese!!

in terms of lens graphics...these lens look the bussiness....whats the glass like??

[Cinegain]

wow! been reading alot about these lenses on Duclos web blog ..they sell them ...so what it like , do tell all puuurleeese!!

in terms of lens graphics...these lens look the bussiness....whats the glass like??

Yeah. They don't seem to get much attention over here, not sure what's up with that, but they're quite brilliant. I mean, they're not converted still lenses like the Rokinon/Samyang/Walimex VDSLRs, they're proper cinema primes. So close to no focus breathing. Incredible focus throw to nail that focus and being able to smoothly transition small changes. Gears are on the same spots for all of these Mini Primes; their physical dimensions are roughly identical. For me its brightness at T2.2 is close enough to the 'Hollywood f/2'. They're incredible at resolving detail, though more so if you squeeze the aperture just a smidge. Very little distortion. Other than that very neutral and controlled, bokeh is calmly pleasant and specular highlights are nice and evenly round. Get 'em all, swap one out for a different focal length and keep the same look throughout.

So it's not a lens you'd throw in front to get a really artistic effect, but it is if you need to replicate results and/or just need to deliver the best optical results with the stuff you can afford. I'd say there's a time and place for everything. I still adore my vintage glass too. The problem with modern lenses I often find it to be that it actually looks 'cheap'. Very sharp, very contrasty, very vivid poppy rendering, saturated. Like the folks that live in these residential park homes, lots of white tones, lots of gold/silver accents, chandeliers, usually wearing a jogging suit, women mostly have something with a tiger/leopard-print on it, chihuahua most of the times included as well. Yeah, that's a little too screamish for me. It's supposed to appear posh, but in doing so actually looking quite cheap! But this doesn't come across anywhere near cheap. It's like James Bond. Sophisticated, classy, charming and up for a challenge...

Working with the crop of 4K on the GH4 or just the BMPCC gets difficult sometimes, or should I say: challenging? So I'm glad there's a real 12mm contender now. So I'm excited to see how that will pan out. Obviously a big plus is the size of these lenses. In terms of size and weight it's about the same weight as the Olympus 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO and even comes in a bit smaller than that. But we're not talking about the power of a fun M43 lens, it's production level stuff here. So, that's pretty crazy. If you were a visionary and saw something in the Veydras and Ryan Avery, you could have gotten all 5 Mini Primes that make the current set (12, 16, 25, 35 & 50mm) for 3199 USD. Doing the math for you, that's 3199 / 5 = 640 USD/each!!!1! That's almost (but actually really not quite) some VDSLR level sh*t, but you're getting Mini Primes. Any better ways to invest your money? The timing didn't really fit in with my skill level, just being honest here, but I do well for myself and couldn't let such an oppertunity go to waste.

Haven't worked with anything high end ever, just a rookie, so can't tell you how they compare to like the Ultra Primes or something. But then again, already a bunch of folks did that... e.g.

Best source on this is probably Adam Wilt: http://www.provideocoalition.com/first-look-veydra-mini-primes-for-micro-four-thirds , http://www.dvinfo.net/article/acquisition/micro-43/quick-note-veydra-mini-primes-tested-kickstarter-ending-soon.html .

Noam Kroll: http://noamkroll.com/veydra-mft-cinema-lens-kit-review-rokinon-cine-lens-comparison/ .

Next up for Veydra is releasing a 85mm and something even wider than the current range. Of course they're working on anamorphics as showcased at NAB. They've released a lens collar to help with follow focus issues keeping it locked down tight under action and very exciting is the user swappable lens mount, now you can install Sony E-mounts on the lenses and except the widest that will vignet, they will cover APS-C/S35! Imagine that on a A7RII with image stabilization, handheld! Though, I'm not thinking about going fullframe myself. A Mini Prime is fun because it's Mini, no intention of getting fullframe covering glass just for the A7-series, so then the fullframe body doesn't make much sense either. I'd then rather get something APS-C... and with the E-mount option I'm hoping the A6000's successor might just be everything I'm hoping for. In somewhat lower light conditions stopping down to f/2.8, f/4 and then bumping the ISO to 3200 or 6400 without as much deliberation as you would on M43. If the RX100M4, RX10M2, A7SII and A7RII are some tastes of what Sony is cooking back there, then I can't wait to see what they do with an APS-C mirrorless camera!

Of course, if you're shooting APS-C Sonys, there's also the S35 only covering CineAltas. A while back I've seen a demo set (SCL-PK6/M) that went for 4850 GBP and includes the 20, 25, 35, 50, 85 and 135mm T2s to give some indication. Want more serious! That's sounds plenty serious. They've dropped way in prices. These would've set you back 20000+ USD not too long ago. The XEEN lenses shortly had some spotlight, not sure what to make of them yet. Tokina still has somewhat affordable cine zoom options. Seem a little overpriced for being based on their existing zooms for stills, although they're reworked quite drastically, so maybe I'll cut them some slack. But what I like about a Veydra Mini Prime though: it's still a manageable size/weight! I do get, that if you didn't back them with the crowdfunding to get them up and running, you're looking at a bit different prices and that might not convince you as much... but still it's crazy value.

Anyways. To stay on the Sony subject. Here's a short mention on Erik Naso's facebook about him succesfully using it on the A7S: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=897970966916637 . I think more and more people are now discovering the lurking power of the Veydra...

[andy lee]

thanks for such a detailed reply - Im sold I want some...all of them !! 85mm is a must for me as I prefer long lenses , I use them as much as I can ,

so what are the blacks like on these are they neutral then ,,, I find Zeiss C/Y lenses too contrasty for my liking.

[Cinegain]

thanks for such a detailed reply - Im sold I want some...all of them !! 85mm is a must for me as I prefer long lenses , I use them as much as I can ,

so what are the blacks like on these are they neutral then ,,, I find Zeiss C/Y lenses too contrasty for my liking.

Looks quite cinematic actually, so no harsh handling of either dark tones or brights. It's really a lens that doesn't discriminate. That's kind of where vintage lenses excel. They can be very low contrast, have crazy bokeh, flare like a spaceshuttle... you name it. Not so much with these. Just very tame and smooth. Much lower in contrast than most of my modern lenses. Sure enough not as Tokina RMC-like flat either. Maybe I can get around comparing those two in particular on friday. Have to head out anyways. The Veydra wasn't the only special guest to show up...

[andy lee]

they look superb - just read the rokkinon v veydra test - they are alot sharper than rokkinon .

As you know I do like the Tokinas as they are low contrast - so these veydras are very appealing!

the other thing that is good is the size of these lenses

I just shot days of car interiors dialog scenes for this film and I used Fujinon C mount lenses (machine vision lenses) , 25mm 35mm 50mm as they are small and dont wobble around at all , all at f2

these verdras are small enough to use for in car footage very nicely

[TomazK]

Hi Guys,

Has someone of your Experience shooting with this lenses:

Prinzflex Auto 2,8/135          15€

Prinzflex Auto 2,8/35            15€

Mejer Optik Orestegor 4/200         20€

Mejer Optik Domiplan 2,8/50         20€

Minolta MD 28-70mm (with macro mode 1:4)          23€

pentacon 50 1,8 m42            25€

helios m44-4 m42                  25€

Helios 44M 2/58 M42            25€

Minolta MD 50mm                 25€

What would be the best option, i want two lenses and think the Minolta 28-70 is interesting and the minolta MD 50. What do you think about the German lenses Major Optik? Any thoughts? What about the Helios lenses if i remember correctly i read some good thinks about them.

Particularly i'm interested in your opinion Andy Lee as i read lots of your posts and think your very knowledgeable in this regard. It's nice to see your back from your feature shot.

I don't post often but i'm a regular reader of the forum

[Mattias Burling]

pentacon 50 1,8 m42            25€
Minolta MD 50mm                 25€

These two are golden. But I only pay something more like €10.

[andy lee]

Hi Guys,

 

Has someone of your Experience shooting with this lenses:

 

Prinzflex Auto 2,8/135          15€

 

Prinzflex Auto 2,8/35            15€

 

Mejer Optik Orestegor 4/200         20€

 

Mejer Optik Domiplan 2,8/50         20€

 

Minolta MD 28-70mm (with macro mode 1:4)          23€

 

pentacon 50 1,8 m42            25€

 

helios m44-4 m42                  25€

 

Helios 44M 2/58 M42            25€

 

Minolta MD 50mm                 25€

 

What would be the best option, i want two lenses and think the Minolta 28-70 is interesting and the minolta MD 50. What do you think about the German lenses Major Optik? Any thoughts? What about the Helios lenses if i remember correctly i read some good thinks about them.

 

 

Particularly i'm interested in your opinion Andy Lee as i read lots of your posts and think your very knowledgeable in this regard. It's nice to see your back from your feature shot.

 

 

I don't post often but i'm a regular reader of the forum

if I was gonna go for an MD zoom the best one I have is the 35-70mm 3.5

 

this one

http://forum.mflenses.com/minolta-md-35-70-f3-5-t44170.html

498

these are very nice usable lenses

pentacon 50 1,8 m42            25€

 

helios m44-4 m42                  25€

 

Helios 44M 2/58 M42            25€

 

1202

[andy lee]

the MD 28-70 (if it is like this one )

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/311109412651?adgroupid=16885268106&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=kwd-124272973506&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&ff19=0&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=270621186&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80

is ok but not constant apperture , so as you zoom it goes darker

 

the MD 35-70mm is constant apperture f3.5 - nice good cheap zoom lens

its sister lens is the MD 25-35  also very good and constant apperture f3.5

get both of those together you have a very nice pair of useful lenses

 

1203

[mercer]

the MD 28-70 (if it is like this one )

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/311109412651?adgroupid=16885268106&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=kwd-124272973506&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&ff19=0&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=270621186&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80

is ok but not constant apperture , so as you zoom it goes darker

 

the MD 35-70mm is constant apperture f3.5 - nice good cheap zoom lens

its sister lens is the MD 25-35  also very good and constant apperture f3.5

get both of those together you have a very nice pair of useful lenses

 

1203

I have the MD 24-35 and the 35-70. And both are excellent lenses. They're like having a set of primes in a zoom. I js

In fact because those zooms are so good, I ended up buying the MD 28mm f2 and the 50mm f2... Which is an underrated lens in my opinion. 

[andy lee]

yes they are a very good pair of zooms to use together - or as I do on 2 cameras for a set up 

one at 70mm for a cluse up and the other 25mm for a wide

 

the minolta MD 45 mm f2 is nice too

 

1213

1236

[Bioskop.Inc]

Mejer Optik Orestegor 4/200         20€

 

Mejer Optik Domiplan 2,8/50         20€

 

helios m44-4 m42                  25€

 

Helios 44M 2/58 M42            25€

 

What do you think about the German lenses Major Optik? Any thoughts? What about the Helios lenses if i remember correctly i read some good thinks about them.

Meyer Optik lenses are v.nice indeed - they are often forgotten about, but are examples of great german lens making. Nice contrast & lovely colours, but not the fastest - just under Zeiss lenses & I think that has more to do with faster apertures on Zeiss lenses than anything (in fact I prefer them to Z lenses).

The 200mm Orestegor gets good reviews all round & the Domiplan is a surprisingly good lens (Meyer Optik didn't really do great/stunning 50mm lenses).

Other Meyer Optik lenses to look out for:

Lydith 30mm f3.5 - not the fastest, but really nice

Trioplan 100mm f2.8 - silver & creates soap bubble bokeh (very rare & super expensive - there's a crowd funding project to make them again)

Orestor 100mm f2.8 - great lens, love it

Orestor 135mm f2.8 - called the "Bokeh Monster", enough said.

 

Helios 44-2 f2 - has pre-set aperture (clickless aperture). The others are good (44-4 etc..), but this one is better IMO.

 

[TomazK]

Woow so much Feedback so fast :). Thanks all for the effort.

@Bioskop.Inc: yes i read about the Kickstarter for the Trioplan 100mm f2.8
@andy lee: The Minolta 28-70mm looks great, but whit a slight filter thread damage, i thin its minor and a filter could steel be screwed on. For 23 € i think its ok and i can offer a lower price

[Cinegain]

Uh... I don't see it. Especially while you bring it like a stated fact, rather than opinion. Care to elaborate? Whether it's M39, M42, MD, PK, FD, C-mount etc... there's great vintage stuff regardless of the mount. Of course, Leica mounts will get you Leica glass... or maybe you're now obsessed with everything Mitchell/BNCR mount because it has a purely cinematic history, that might well be (you'll be one of the very few going through the trouble of adapting 'em though). Doesn't mean other mounts should be regarded as the lesser mounts for providing lenses to shoot video with. I wouldn't say that a lens wins because it has a so-and-so mount. The mount doesn't give you any look, the optical formula is everything regardless of the mount behind it and good optics and especially value can be found everywhere, so it'd best to embrace it all and pick the best optics regardless of the mount, rather than prioritizing the mount itself. But hey, perhaps that's just me.

[Cinegain]

Exactly. And yet I love tons of lenses on different lens mounts, I won't just pick Nikon Ai-s lenses only, or the Canon FDs.. My first vintage lens was the Minolta Rokkor MD 50mm f/1.7. They send it to me with an XG-1 body. Then a 28mm f/2.8 MD as well, followed by Pentax with the Asahi (not Takumar) 50mm f/1.4 which to this day has one of my favorite looks! Then a rollercoaster ride with all the Zenit lenses in M39/M42 mount. Bunch of other stray cats wanting to get adopted. No one mount or brand in particular... to me it really is not about the mount, it's all about the glass and look.

[Nikkor]

The other day I took a camcorder, smashed it into pieces, took the lens, put a digital mount on it, now it suddenly covers fullframe, has autofocus on my nikon and it's super contrasty and sharp (because it has the nikon mount with chip added and I put a sticker on the lens with the letter G and ED). 

The next day I put wings on my back, nobody wanted to believe me, but I could fly. People are dumb, they think humans can't fly, but the only thing you need are wings and fate.

But then they put me on lithium and now the lens won't work and I can't fly anymore. Crazy people.

[Cinegain]

You mean the 12mm I mentioned getting the other day? Biggest chunk of use it will get from commercial work, just reliable and quality results time after time again. Project kind of dictates the lenses used. Being wide and resolving, first up is seeing how it handles shooting landscapes whilst travelling. It will probably end up getting married to my slider.

[Gregormannschaft]

Exactly. And yet I love tons of lenses on different lens mounts, I won't just pick Nikon Ai-s lenses only, or the Canon FDs.. My first vintage lens was the Minolta Rokkor MD 50mm f/1.7. They send it to me with an XG-1 body. Then a 28mm f/2.8 MD as well, followed by Pentax with the Asahi (not Takumar) 50mm f/1.4 which to this day has one of my favorite looks! Then a rollercoaster ride with all the Zenit lenses in M39/M42 mount. Bunch of other stray cats wanting to get adopted. No one mount or brand in particular... to me it really is not about the mount, it's all about the glass and look.

That Minolta 1.7 lens was my first vintage lens as well, it's lovely. One of the biggest temptations with the new Sony cameras is that IBIS so I can use old lenses handheld.

[Cinegain]

That Minolta 1.7 lens was my first vintage lens as well, it's lovely.

It sure is. Has a really pleasant look to it. Such a contrast to modern lenses.

One of the biggest temptations with the new Sony cameras is that IBIS so I can use old lenses handheld.

True that! One of the reasons I have an E-M1 in my arsenal... though 30p only is a bit frustrating... luckily we're getting 24/25p in a month or so ('better late than never'). Kind of disappointed with Panasonic's implementation on the GX7 and GX8. There's sensor stabilization, but not when shooting video. So, it's either E-M1 or E-M5II when you can't be bothered with fullframe. Somewhere I'm secretly hoping the A6000's successor is delayed because it's the first Sony APS-C mirrorless to continue what we've been seeing from the RX100M4, RX10M2, A7SII and A7RII, keeping my fingers crossed for 4K and sensor stabilization (pretty please, Sony?). I've found M43 to Sony E-mount adapters. Curious to see how that would turn out. Other than lenses intended to be adapted to the M43 system, I don't really have any purposely bought lenses specifically to cover fullframe, so I'd roughly have to start from scratch going with the A7-series. Sure, you can shoot everything in S35 crop, but then I'd rather have something I'm hoping the A6000's successor will be to begin with. Couldn't hurt to jump to APS-C, the crop and noise levels will make all the difference. Anyways. Being able to stabilize 3rd party lenses, vintage glass, cinema primes, or otherwise is a very powerful feature and I hope we'll get to see more of it implemented. It will be interesting to see Panasonic and Sony's next move... but I'm afraid Panasonic won't do it, scared that people will refrain from buying Panasonic lenses and going straight for Olympus ones...

[M Carter]

On a budget? The Nikon Series E 100mm 2.8 is a nice interview lens. Here it is wide open: