Cooke SPII/III lenses on a RED?

Hal Smith · October 1, 2009

I've heard that the 18mm and the 25mm porthole (or whatever it's called) on the RED ONE. But I'm sure the 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, and 75mm would all look brilliant on that camera.

Per Mitch Gross on cml about RED "frame" size:

"The sensor is about the same width as Academy aperture but is significantly shorter than the near Full aperture in the "standard" anamorphic 2.40 spec. .........."

Cooke says Speed Panchro Series II & III lenses will cover the silent frame so they should cover the RED sensor since it's academy wide and less than full (silent) height. But if they don't "cover" the RED it's probably more about the RED requiring telecentric lenses like other video cameras. IE: The lens covers the entire sensor but there's what amounts to a sensitivity fall off in the corners due to the light leaving the SPII/III's at something other than a perpendicular angle.

Obviously I'm guessing about telecentric, etc. Has anyone here actually tested SPII/III's on a RED?

thomas-english · October 1, 2009

Yes, I used them last week. Although I did not use the 25mm I did use all the other lenses up to the 75mm and I thought the results were fantastic.

I will put the link up for the job as soon as it is published.

Thomas

Stephen Williams · October 1, 2009

Obviously I'm guessing about telecentric, etc. Has anyone here actually tested SPII/III's on a RED?

Hi Hal,

It's the same with Zeiss Standards, however stopped down to T4 and they are clean, probably the same with the Cookes. The Cookes porthole on the Video assist of a 435, it's the angle the light hits the sensor.

Stephen

Hal Smith · October 1, 2009

Thank you Thomas and Stephen. Good news!

I'll look for your link Thomas.

Gus Sacks · October 2, 2009

Hal, I shot a feature with them and they look great. Not even the 18 had any issues.

Hal Smith · October 2, 2009

Hal, I shot a feature with them and they look great. Not even the 18 had any issues.

More good news. Did you shoot at F4 and smaller apertures with the wide angle ones?

Stephen Williams · October 3, 2009

More good news. Did you shoot at F4 and smaller apertures with the wide angle ones?

Hi Hal,

Unless looking at a flat white / grey background it's probably quite difficult to see, unless you are really looking!

Stephen

Gus Sacks · October 3, 2009

More good news. Did you shoot at F4 and smaller apertures with the wide angle ones?

Typically no, for aesthetic purposes I was usually throwing in some ND or a Pola. But nope, didn't see anything.

Chris Keth · October 3, 2009

I've shot with them on a red (in 4k 2:1 mode) down to 2.8. At that stop, the 18mm does porthole slightly. It's soft-edged and only noticeable, as Stephen says, on a flat field of color like a wall or a bald blue sky. For the music video I was shooting I liked the effect outdoors, and it was one reason I chose those lenses.