Kine lenses

Anybody had any dealings with this guy?
http://www.kinelenses.com/index.html
Good lenses? - overpriced? - any views in general?

£5,900 for a kit which has several of the lesser lenses in it is massively overpriced imho (even with the declicking and focus gear). I have the following:

18/4, 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 85/1.4, 135/2.8

and they cost around £13-1400 off ebay. Most of the lenses only need a cheap step up ring to get the constant front size. You can buy relatively cheap gears too. Clickless apertures are only useful if you think you're going to be changing it during a shot. In short they're selling at a 3x markup. I also can't see why they're not including the 35/1.4 or 50/1.4 in their kit.

18/4, 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 85/1.4, 135/2.8

Sorry slightly off topic. James, How do you like your 18/4? Is that a fisheye?

Thanks ahead of time.
-Trevor

The 18/4 is a nice lens - I really needed it because I didn't have anything on the wide end before. It distorts a little, but is not a fisheye. At f4 is is a bit slow, but I use it with a speedbooster which helps things. I haven't had it long enough though to give you a good review of the lens itself. One thing to watch out for though is that there is no filter thread in the lens itself - you need an adapter which is quite rare to find on ebay etc.

You lost me at "canon Ef mount is the best way to future proof your lenses"

Hi All,


Thanks for the interest in the business. With the surge of s35mm content for broadcast over the last two years these lenses are designed for professional cameramen and production companies that require a set of great lenses and camera compatible. From ENG based camera to s35mm can be a pretty hairy move.

A set of 5 CP.2 lenses could be purchased for £13.5K or for example a set of Kine 5 lenses for just under £4k. This set also rents out for £150 a day, that's a three percent return daily. This can be as part of your own kit or to a fellow cameraman, production company or rental house.

I work as a freelance Documentary Cameraman and do believe these are good value. £1500 for the set that JamesEdge mentioned is a very good price or the lenses wont be in good condition. These lenses have been around for a long time, if they were used as intended, professionally, they wont be up to scratch. An 85 or 18 for less than 500/600 is a good price these days. Of course you can buy these lenses yourself and make your own set, I encourage it, what better way to know your glass than research it. If however you've just got a 15 day shoot on the F5 and are more used to shooting on the pmw-800 then these lenses are of great value. In essence the consideration of value is not a universal trait. What is value for one is not for another.

"Clickless aperture is only good if you think your going to change it during a shot"

I would say clickless aperture to be essential for any cameraman, we deal with moving images. I've worked on a lot of studio shows and even in controlled lighting situations the stop is often racked.

I also can't see why they're not including the 35/1.4 or 50/1.4 in their kit.

To include the 35mm T1.4 would drive the cost up too much, it sells in the second hand market for around £1500 itself. On this note the sets we do are only guide sets. We recently delivered to FixaFilm, a rental house in Poland, this set included the 35mm 1.4 and the 21mm.

I hope this answers some of the questions raised, if anyone has any points or question feel free to keep the conversation going or e-mail me direct billy@kinelenses.com


All the Best
Billy

I can not to buy a "set" of CP primes, the converted still lenses from Kine and Duclos are very nice. But, with the addition of Metabones NikonG to MFT adapters, one can get the Ziess ZF lenses, add the adapter and you have a "clickless" video style lens, add focus gear, and you are set.

This is what I am doing, and having the gear ring added by Duclos, and getting their "step-up ring". This makes it affordable to build up a prime set, one lens at a time. You can also do the same with other quality lenses in other mounts, that Metabones has a spped adapter for, but nikon seems the best supported now with three different adapters, plus the "straight" adapter, one lens, 2-3 different focal length equiv. angles of view.

Hi Denny,

Seems like a good set up and way to build up a set yourself. I shot with the mtf nikon adapter for the F3 which had the aperture control. I would suggest trying out a couple of friction grease to get a smoother operation. The metabones might not be the same but the one I was using was very slack and unless locked in position would change whilst operating. Just a thought.

Also not a big issue but one I have a problem with is the Zf focus throws the unconventional way. If you shoot 50/50 ENG s35mm it can be a real struggle to get your head around focusing the wrong way. I had a horrible day shooting with the Zf's and was constantly pulling and pushing in the wrong direction. If of course you shoot 100% on Zf it is no issues. Or, if your mind is more adjustable than mine then equally it should be no concern.

Billy