Premium Member Adam Frisch FSF Posted September 8, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted September 8, 2004 I need a zoom in the 25-80mm range. It must be fairly fast and also light since it's all handheld. Is there anything out there? The Angeniuex 17-80mm sounds great, but who has it in London? Also, what are the specs? Angenieux website is absolutely useless to anyone and will simply just turn you into a raving madman.. Hawk has a 17-35mm, but I fear that's a bit to short. Do they make a longer version? The VP's are too heavy. Does Panavision have anything in this range? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Max Jacoby Posted September 8, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted September 8, 2004 The short Optimo is T2.2 and a very good lens. I am on a feature where we are carrying it, but we haven't used it much. We got ours from Arri Rental. It is heavy though, over 5 kilos, so not too suited for handheld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted September 8, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted September 8, 2004 Panavision has three lightweight zooms in their catalog: 85mm-200mm (2.5 lbs) 17.5-34mm (1.5 lbs.) 27-68mm (2 lbs.) They also have a new Primo Macro zoom that is a 14.5-50mm (9.5 lbs.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob van Gelder Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 I think Elite (Russian) has one in that range, not so fast for light but lightweight for sure. It is specially made for hand held and steadicam. Rob van Gelder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscar jimenez Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 I think there's to sharp lightweitght short zooms from Optex / Canon. Ive used them from company named Keslow Camera, think they are in LA. They make very good fast charging batteries also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted September 10, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted September 10, 2004 Century-Canon 17-35mm & Century-Minolta 28-70mm: http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/film...enses/index.htm Clairmont Camera lists a JSC Optar 25-80mm zoom for rent. They also have the 28-70mm: http://www.clairmont.com/tech_tips/28-70_ser_zoom.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adam Frisch FSF Posted September 10, 2004 Author Premium Member Share Posted September 10, 2004 Thanks very much, guys. In the end I went for a short russian 25-80mm zoom that I've used before. They'll send it over from Sweden. Got an Aaton 35III 3-perf here from London. Would have been fun to try the XL on this one, but Panavisions quote was about twice as high as the Aaton so.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob van Gelder Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 So was that the Elite lens? If so I think you can also rent it at Holland Equipment in Amsterdam, they are dealer if I am not mistaken. Rob van Gelder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adam Frisch FSF Posted September 11, 2004 Author Premium Member Share Posted September 11, 2004 I think it might be, yes. Although this one was probably made before Elite came as a brand. It opens to T3.1, if I remember correctly. I used it on a very simple (and quite boring) music video about a year ago and was impressed with the overall sharpness. It had the slightest vignetting at full aperture, but almost not noticeable. And now were going with 3-perf, so that will not be an issue. You can watch the video here in crappy Real Media if you like: Music video w. Russian 25-80 zoom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattuhry Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 I own one a 23-80 it's really nice, a little soft at the long 65-80 end, breathes alot when you rack, but it's tiny ( about as big as a 9.5-57 ) and has very good resolution and contrast, it fully covers super 35. It's a great lens for any hand held run and gun stuff ( the kind of things an aaton 35 excells at ) and steadicam assuming you are okay with shooting at t3.4 The front element spins when focused so I use either a round series 9 or a traditional style mattebox. Matt Uhry DP LA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Gross Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 The Elite zoom is pretty good, nice glass. The mechanics are pretty strange though. The lens first existed as a Russian lens and then as the Optar, and at the time the mechanical build quality was fairly poor. The Elite version is much more solid and well-built. But it does have peculiar characteristics, such as crazy amounts of breathing that varys greatly depending on the focal length. And a zoom mechanism that does not magnify linearly, so that as you zoom in even on a motor control such as a Microforce the zoom rate will speed up towards the telephoto end. The glass is nice, but it has funky artifacts that again vary depending on lens length. Not bad, but it's something that you need to check out before diving in or you may be rather suprised. Elite also has a rear anamorphot element that they add to turn it into a 50-160 T4.5 or so. That anamorphot is really tiny - around the size of a thumbnail! - but its quality is surprisingly good. I'd consider this zoom good for handheld or steadicam work for video finish but would be a bit particular before using it for a film finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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