Tag: lens

Canon EF, Lenses, News, PL, Sigma, Sony E

Sigma Steps Into The Spotlight With New Cine Zooms and Primes

by Matthew Duclos13 Comments on Sigma Steps Into The Spotlight With New Cine Zooms and Primes
Sigma Steps Into The Spotlight With New Cine Zooms and Primes

This one has been a long time coming and I couldn’t be happier to be breaking this news to all that have waited so patiently. For the past couple of years I would receive an email or phone call about twice a month asking if we had plans to convert the Sigma 18-35mm and/or 50-100mm to a cine lens. I would consistently, politely decline citing high cost or some other hurdle that made such a project unattractive to my organization which was generally met with the oh so annoying “Well, this other company in China does it for real cheap”. Good for them… But alas, we can finally admit to the real reason why Duclos Lenses has avoided such a project. Sigma has taken it upon themselves to carry out what so many have asked for over the past couple of years; Manufacture a high quality, fast, lightweight range of zooms and primes direct from their factory in Aizu, Japan. Let’s take a look into the future of Sigma Cine. Continue reading “Sigma Steps Into The Spotlight With New Cine Zooms and Primes” →

Cooke, Lenses, News

Cooke Brings Back The Panchro Primes

by Matthew DuclosLeave a Comment on Cooke Brings Back The Panchro Primes
Cooke Brings Back The Panchro Primes

Vintage lenses have been a major trend in the motion picture industry and Cooke is in a prime position to take advantage of their unrivaled heritage. They’ve just announced they’ll be reviving the classic Cooke Speed Panchro line of prime lenses that were first made in the 20’s and ran all the way through the 60’s. Let’s take a look at what information is currently available from Cooke. Continue reading “Cooke Brings Back The Panchro Primes” →

Canon, News

Canon’s New 18-80mm T4.4 Compact Servo Zoom

by Matthew Duclos4 Comments on Canon’s New 18-80mm T4.4 Compact Servo Zoom
Canon’s New 18-80mm T4.4 Compact Servo Zoom

Yet another bombshell has landed in the NAB 2016 battleground. This time, it’s Canon who has struck with a brand new product in a whole new segment, perhaps only tapped otherwise by Sony – The 18-80mm T4.4 Compact Servo Zoom Lens which features a truly hybrid stills/motion design approach with some interesting cross-breed features.  Continue reading “Canon’s New 18-80mm T4.4 Compact Servo Zoom” →

News

IB/E Previews New APO Macro Primes

by Matthew DuclosLeave a Comment on IB/E Previews New APO Macro Primes

IBE 100mm

IB/E Optics, a German opto-mechanical design and manufacturing house, gave us a sneak peak at their new apochromatic macro telephoto prime lenses which will be available sometime early next year. The new prime lenses possess some rather interesting features. Not only are they true 1:1 macros, they’re original designs with 35mm Full Frame (Vista Vision) coverage, interchangeable mounts (PL, Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony E), internal focus (constant volume, non-telescoping), and Cooke’s /i data technology. Continue reading “IB/E Previews New APO Macro Primes” →

Leica, News, Uncategorized

Duclos Lenses Adds Leica, CW Sonderoptic To Authorized Service Schedule

by Matthew DuclosLeave a Comment on Duclos Lenses Adds Leica, CW Sonderoptic To Authorized Service Schedule

cwdlLeica, CW Sonderoptic have approved Duclos Lenses for complete factory authorized service of the Summilux-C and Summicron-C cinema prime lenses. To celebrate the cooperative milestone, Duclos Lenses will be offering a free diagnostic check for any Leica cinema lens through the month of July. Bring your lenses in today for a free check up. For additional information, call or email – (818) 773-0600, service@ducloslenses.com Continue reading “Duclos Lenses Adds Leica, CW Sonderoptic To Authorized Service Schedule” →

Tutorial

Canon Video Explains 4K Lenses

by Matthew Duclos4 Comments on Canon Video Explains 4K Lenses

Canon 4KCanon produced a short video that does a really good job of explaining what constitutes a 4K lens and reminds us of how much technology goes into the glass coming out of Canon. It really does drive home the need for high resolution lenses for todays demanding sensors. Check it out below and let me know what you think. What’s more important to you, sharpness or character? Continue reading “Canon Video Explains 4K Lenses” →

News, Tutorial

P+S Technik Conveys Challenges of Rehousing Vintage Lenses

by Matthew Duclos3 Comments on P+S Technik Conveys Challenges of Rehousing Vintage Lenses

In a recent newsletter, P+S Technik Managaing Director, Alfred Piffl, felt it prudent to bestow a bit of knowledge upon cinematographers keen on having some vintage lenses re-housed – something that I feel is necessary coming from one of the largest lens re-housing operations. There’s no doubt about it; vintage lenses have made a huge resurgence in the motion picture world. It’s not a fad that I have a solid explanation for. Perhaps it’s the fault of modern cameras being so crisp and sharp, a rather clinical look in a world of romance and beauty. Or maybe it’s just the hipster trend to use an old lens that would otherwise be off limits. Regardless of the reason, vintage lenses are being refurbished and re-housed in large numbers. But users expectations must be brought back down to earth and kept reasonable. Continue reading “P+S Technik Conveys Challenges of Rehousing Vintage Lenses” →

News

Camera Department: Continuing Education Series – Encore Presentation

by Matthew Duclos2 Comments on Camera Department: Continuing Education Series – Encore Presentation

CameraDept_Logo_HalfSize

A few weeks ago I was asked by friend and colleague, Seth Emmons of Leica – CW Sonderoptic, to speak at the first Camera Department: Continuing Education Series. The event was offer exclusively to Local 600 members for three days with a different group each day. We covered topics ranging from how to properly clean glass – what chemicals to use and what not to use – to simple infinity focus checking. It was great fun and a pleasure meeting some of our industries working professionals. The event was a sponsored by CW Sonderoptic as well as Camadeus Film Technologies who had some goodies on display from brands such as Leica, C-Motion, and Gecko-Cam. Back by popular demand, the Camera Department: Continuing Education Series is opening up the next event to everyone this time for a very reasonable fee. Continue reading “Camera Department: Continuing Education Series – Encore Presentation” →

Lens Guts

The Dos and Don’ts of Submerging Lenses

by Matthew Duclos3 Comments on The Dos and Don’ts of Submerging Lenses
The Dos and Don’ts of Submerging Lenses

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It happens more often than you’d think. A call comes in from a customer informing me that a lens was dropped in water. My immediate response consists of two questions. One, fresh or salt water? And two, dunked or submerged? The answers to these two question drastically effect the prospect of repair. A lens submerged in salt water is almost certain death for a lens (if not properly cared for) whereas fresh water usually has a good chance of being repaired to perfect working order. I’m pretty sure the worst water damage I’ve seen was a Zeiss lens that went for a dive in the Salton Sea. The customer was just as smart as they were quick and took our advice, rinsing repeatedly with fresh water and delivering in a sealed Tupperware of fresh water. The lens was fully repaired and restored to perfect working condition shortly thereafter. The folks over at ZGC put up a great blog post that shows the horrifying results of a lens submerged in salt water if not treated with appropriate measures and punctuality. They also go into more detail on what to do if you find yourself with a salted lens. Give the post a read and take notes!

It happens in real time; so quickly you can only watch as that lens, which costs many thousands of dollars, plummets to the floor. An expletive escapes as you attempt to stop the lens mid-fall but, alas, you just aren’t fast enough to overcome Newton’s Law. There’s that horrible feeling in your gut as you watch the lens hit, and maybe bounce a time or two, because you know you are the responsible party: How are you going to explain what happened?
OK, look on the bright side. Maybe it’ll only be a few parts that need to be replaced. It’ll put the lens out of service for a while, but the lens will most likely go on to live another day.
Now let’s take a look at the “Dark Side”. Instead of the lens landing on the floor it lands in the drink. No, not that drink. (You know, the one you’ll probably have to calm yourself after “The Drop”). The drink I’m referring to is that body of water that covers the majority of the planet: sea water. Unlike a fresh water pond or river, sea water has an element that just doesn’t mix well with lenses. Sodium Chloride (NaCl), otherwise known in its common term as SALT. NaCl, aluminum and brass don’t go well together.

To read the full article, head over to ZGC’s blog here.

News, Uncategorized

Rokinon Finally Adding a Much Needed 50mm (UPDATED)

by Matthew Duclos3 Comments on Rokinon Finally Adding a Much Needed 50mm (UPDATED)
Rokinon Finally Adding a Much Needed 50mm (UPDATED)

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Rokinon (Samyang, whatever brand you prefer) has been quick to jump into the world of motion picture lenses, using the optics and core mechanical design of their popular all-manual still photography lenses. The Rokinon lenses aren’t what most would consider professional, mostly because of their plastic housings, but the price, availability, and quality more than make up for their cheap feel. I’ve seen some very, very nice cinematic work shot with the Rokinon cine primes regardless of their “status” compared to the likes of higher-end cinema lenses. Currently, Rokinon offers an 8mm, 14mm, 16mm, 24mm, 35mm, and an 85mm. This would be a pretty decent set of cinema primes if it only had the 50mm.

Rumors have been floating around for over a year that a 50mm would be available and it loos like the wait is finally over. Rokinon recently posted a photo to their Facebook page indicating the imminent announcement of a new focal length in their cine prime line-up. Additionally, a lot of the rumors floating around are claiming that the lens will feature a fast aperture of f/1.2. While I don’t know if this is true or not, a 50mm focal length in the Rokinon cine primes series will be a welcome addition at f/1.4 or faster.

Keep an eye on the blog for an update once officially announced. You can bet Duclos Lenses will offer a Pro Set with all the great focal lengths including a new 50mm, at a substantial discount!

UPDATE:

Well there you have it. Rokinon officially announced the new 50mm with specs and a September ship date. The lens will offer a respectable aperture of T1.5 just like the rest of the fast primes. I know a lot of folks were hoping for a faster aperture but I think that matching the rest of the set is plenty fair. Naturally it will cover 35mm Full Frame and feature all the other accouterments as the rest of the Cine Prime line. The other great bit of news is the price: at $549, this is by far the most affordable 50mm Cine Prime currently available. Head on over to Duclos Lenses to pre-order the new 50mm Rokinon today!

News

P3 Update Looks Into Lenses

by Matthew Duclos1 Comment on P3 Update Looks Into Lenses
P3 Update Looks Into Lenses

 

Duclos Lenses - Your Source for Professional Cinema Lenses

If you haven’t already, you should grab a copy of P3 Update. After you do that, check out a neat article by James Thompson, that explores what choosing a lens means these days and why shooters make the decisions they do. With feedback from industry professionals such as Richard Crudo, ASC, Steven Poster, ASC, and Jon Nelson, it’s a nice article that I feel taps into the direction that the motion picture lens industry is going in that you need to find what works best for you and the only way to do that is experience.

Take anyone of these lenses from any manufacturer, off any shelf in any rental house in the world, and I guarantee it will deliver an amazing image,” says Cinematographer Richard Crudo, ASC (“Justified”). “But, what does that tell us? Is it the right feel? Is it the right texture? Is it the right thing for what you are trying to do? And, that you only know when you have a script in hand and a director to talk about it with.” That chat with a director will also cover the subject of resolution. “We’re already at 4K resolution, which is more than the human eye can handle,” explains Crudo. “The only thing that really changes is apparent contrast at that point. [Manufacturers] should be worrying more and putting all their R&D into bit depth and color space [and] black level. That is where we really need to work, capturing highlights [and] the high-end of the spectrum.

Check out the complete article over at P3 Update.

Tutorial

Zeiss Discusses the Irradiance and Apertures of Lenses

by Matthew DuclosLeave a Comment on Zeiss Discusses the Irradiance and Apertures of Lenses
Zeiss Discusses the Irradiance and Apertures of Lenses

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Zeiss recently released a technical article written by Dr. Vladan Blahnik. The article explores the history of Zeiss lenses and what drove them to design and manufacture more accurate, high speed lenses including the now famous f/0.7 50mm prime used by Stanley Kurbick to shoot Barry Lyndon. The article continues on to discuss the physics of a lens aperture and it’s relation to optics with a wealth of formulas and illustrations. If you’re a huge lens nut and have a spare 15 or 20 minutes, give this tech article a read and appreciate the knowledge and pursuit for optical performance that is Carl Zeiss.

Read the complete article here.

News

Fujinon Steps Up With 12x Zoom 25-300mm

by Matthew DuclosLeave a Comment on Fujinon Steps Up With 12x Zoom 25-300mm
Fujinon Steps Up With 12x Zoom 25-300mm

25-300mmRight on the heels of Canon’s newst announcement of their 17-120mm Cine-Servo zoom, Fujinon drops a bombshell with their newest addition to the Cabrio line of lenses: a 25-300mm. Fujinon’s press release doesn’t specify a T-stop, but a photo clearly shows an aperture ring with a T3.5 maximum marking. Not bad for a 12x zoom range. Fujinon says the lens will begin shipping in June but the servo unit won’t be available until Q3.

Updated Specs
MSRP $44,000
Camera Format PL Mount
Focal length 25 – 300 mm
Zoom Range 12 ×
Maximum Photometric
Aperture T-No.		 1 : 3.5 (25-273mm)
1 : 3.85 (300mm)
Iris Blades 9
Focus Rotation (degrees) 280
Zoom Rotation (degrees) 120
M.O.D. from image plane 1.2 m / 3′ 11″
Object dimensions at M.O.D.
9 Aspect ratio*		 25 mm   937 × 527 mm
300 mm   77 × 43 mm
Angular field of view
16 : 9 Aspect ratio*		 25 mm   57°32′ × 34°19′
300 mm   5°14′ × 2°57′
Macro Available as standard
Filter thread N/A
Diameter × Length 136 × 401 mm
Weight 8.9 kg
Features • Detachable Digital Drive Unit – Optional
• Flange Focal Distance Adjustment
Fujinon’s Words

FUJIFILM’S NEW CABRIO OFFERS ZOOM RATIO OF 12X TO COVER 25MM WIDE ANGLE TO 300MM AT TELEPHOTO

Wayne, N.J., April 2, 2014 – The Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM North America Corporation willannounce the latest addition to its popular series of cine zooms – the Premier PL 25-300mm Cabrio[ZK12x25] at the annual NAB 2014 convention, held in Las Vegas, starting on April 7th.. The company will exhibit in NAB Booth #C7025.

Equipped with a 35mm PL mount, the PL 25-300mm boasts a high zoom ratio covering the focal length of 25mm to 300mm. Like all Cabrio zooms, the PL 25-300mm supports an optional detachable drive unit for electric zooming, focusing and iris. Mounting the unit enables remote control of zoom, focus,and iris adjustment.  It can be used as a self-contained ENG-style or cine style lens. When used without the drive, industry-standard cine motors can be fitted.

Designed using the latest proprietary optical simulation software, the PL 25-300mm offers exceptional optical performance in the center of the image and in the corners of the frame. The digital servo’s 16-bit encoding assures operators that all lens data output—including the position of the zoom, iris, and focus—is extremely accurate. The zoom supports Lens Data System (LDS) and /i Technology metadata formats, and can be controlled using cinema industry standard wireless controllers as well as existing FUJINON wired and wireless units.

FUJINON’s PL 25-300mm lens is the latest development in the company’s popular Cabrio series, which includes the recently introduced Premier PL 19-90mm, the PL 85-300mm, and the recently introduced PL 14-35mm lenses.

The PL 25-300mm zoom will be available in June of this year, the optimal digital servo drive approximately Q3

A presentation running on two monitors within the Optical Devices Division’s NAB booth will feature several of the industry’s top cinematographers, including Claudio Miranda, testifying to the unsurpassed versatility and image quality of the FUJINON cine-style lenses. This year also marks FUJIFILM’s 80th anniversary, and 40 years for the Optical Devices Division, formerly known as FUJINON, in the U.S.

Random, Tutorial

Cinema Lens Buying Guide

by Matthew Duclos29 Comments on Cinema Lens Buying Guide

Here at Duclos Lenses we’ve devised this somewhat satirical guide for buying new cinema lens. Take a gander and see what lens you come up with. Post your results in the comments and five winners will be chosen at random at the end of the week to receive some cool lens geek swag including shirts, hats, cleaning kits, etc.

This guide is all in good fun, but if you really do want some professional advice, contact Duclos Lenses.

Click here or on the image below for a full res version. Enjoy!

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