Cinealta and 35mm Lenses

Brandon McCormick · December 6, 2006

I'm working on my new short and I own a Cinealta HDW-F900 with a Cannon HD cinestyle zoom lens. I am really trying to take this film to the next level, and I love the look of 35mm lenses and the depth of field they provide.

My real question is, can I achieve that look "closely" with effort on the Cannon lens, or is my only real option to rent the Pro35 adapter and lenses? The main reason I'm debating this is budgeting, but I'd be willing to push some things around if it's really the ONLY way to go.

Thoughts?

Suggestions?

Frank Barrera · December 18, 2006

These are the T stop equivalents from a 2/3" chip 16X9 image to a 35MM Academy 1.85:1 image:

HD -- 35MM

1.6-- 4.1

2---- 5.1

2.2 -- 5.6

3.2 -- 8.1

4.4 -- 11.2

So lets say you like the look of a 35MM format 35MM lens at a T stop of 2.8. Well, you would need a 14MM HD lens for the same field of view shooting at a T 1.1 (which is not currently available). Okay so then you settle for the same lens but at a smaller aperature in 35MM : T4. You would have to shoot everything at a T1.6 on your video lens. But you have a zoom which is probably no faster than a 2.1. So now you're at the 5.6 dof of 35MM. You see where this is going.

Now there are the Canon and Zeiss DigiPrimes which will get you a T 1.6. So now you're back to a f4 in 35MM terms.

Or you could just go the 35MM adapter route and shoot at your f 2.8.

However, if your movie somehow was able to stay in close ups (zoomed in at the end of your HD lens) you could get away with a lot by throwing your back grounds out of focus. Of course this would be location dependent. You would always need a large enough space to position the actors far away enough from camera (about 12 feet) and far away enough from the wall behind them( again another 12 feet). This would help.

Rent the Digi Primes or rent the 35MM adaptor. Just price it out.

BTW I enjoyed your happy face movie.

good luck

f

David Mullen ASC · December 18, 2006

Yes, basically if you are OK with the look of 35mm shot in the f/4-to-5/5.6 range, use HD lenses, but if you absolutely need the look of 35mm shot at f/2.8 or wider, then you'd have to opt for the adaptor approach. Personally, I'm not sure I could put up with a P&S Technik adaptor for a whole feature... I'd live with the extra depth of field just for the convenience of using fast HD zoom lenses rather than 35mm primes.