Crop factor with this setup? PYXIS + ARRI lens

Hi cinematographers and camera operators,

I'd love to pair the Pyxis PL mount with the ARRI Signature Zoom 24-75mm T2.8 but I understand I'll need the ARRI PL-to-LPL Lens Adapter.

Will there be a crop factor with this setup?

The zoom image circle covers the Pyxis open gate. However the lens requires an LPL camera mount as the flange focal distance of LPL is only 44mm. The Pyxis PL mount camera has a FFD of 52mm.

The ARRI PL to LPL Adapter allows you to mount a PL lens on an LPL camera mount as it adds 8mm to the effective FFD when PL is mounted on the LPL camera.

To do what you want you would need an optical adapter and you would need to know exactly how the rear lens element behaves when running through the zoom range as it might extend too far and damage the optical adapter. I didn’t find any description of the rear element extension.

Metabones does not have an optical adapter that mates an LPL lens to a PL mount camera. But you might look elsewhere. This would be a complex adapter if you find it.

Okay thanks Rick.

I see that's not the right adapter I mentioned (PL-to-LPL). What I would need is an LPL-to-PL but I don't think that exists.

I'll continue hunting for a manual zoom lens in this range that fits the Pyxis.

Open to suggestions.

As I’ve posted elsewhere, I’m considering two zooms for the Pyxis but neither supports Pyxis open gate:
Tokina 25-75mm PL zoom or the amazing DZOFilm Tango 18-90mm PL zoom. Both are a constant aperture of T2.9 so very close to the ARRI 24-70mm T2.8.

The Tokina ATX Cinema 25-75mm is a rare so-called Super35 zoom lens in that it has an image circle of 36mm. If and when I purchase the Pyxis, this zoom will allow me to shoot and record with the 6K 6:5 resolution of 4832x4042. That resolution has a diagonal of 37.38mm which would likely have some vignetting when recorded. However in post I can crop the top and bottom so the effective resolution is 4832x3656 which has a diagonal of 35.99mm! That crop will have an approximate image aspect ratio of 4:3 instead of the original 6:5 aspect ratio. Now I have a SLR Magic 1.33x-65 Anamorphot which will expand the image in post to a 16:9 aspect ratio when I want a standard format. Isn’t that perfect? If you want to stay with a spherical image instead of a mild anamorphic, you just crop the image to 4832x2718 for a 2.39:1 widescreen frame. So the Pyxis is a good choice to work with the budget Tokina 25-75mm. And truthfully there are times when a spherical lens 4:3 aspect ratio is ideal like matching with my old 16mm film. It’s currently on sale $3K at B&H Photo (regular $5K):

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1640891-REG

The DZOFilm Tango 18-90mm zoom is more expensive than the Tokina, but the lens is still a budget version of the Fujinon Cabrio 19-90mm at a fraction of the cost. Of course if you’re looking at the ARRI 24-75, The Cabrio is half the price of the ARRI and a popular zoom with a more useful range for Super35 (not Pyxis open gate). Both the Tango and the Cabrio have a diagonal of 31.5mm.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/895225-REG

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1784930-REG

The Tango 18-90mm is a respectable zoom with a 5x range that allows you to shoot 4832x4032 but crop in post to 4832x2184 with a 2.21 aspect ratio (with exactly a 31.5mm diagonal) if you want to match your future IMAX format aspirations. (Unfortunately it won’t match the IMAX look that needs the Cine 17K 65 camera.) The crop to 4832x2184 is the largest standard ratio you’ll get with the Tango. However with the Tango, all the Pyxis 4K resolutions are available:
4096x3072 4:3 that can be used for anamorphics;
4096x2160 that gives you 4K DCI 17:9 (1.896:1) aspect ratio.
4096x2304 16:9 aspect ratio.

I’m torn between these 2 choices but hopefully when I can afford them, l’ll know what to do.

The other zoom I considered is the Fujinon Cabrio XK20-120mm T3.5 PL with ($15K) or without ($10K) the ENG-style rocker control. I don’t know if the Fujinon rocker controls integrate with the Pyxis so need to consider if that’s feasible. It also supports 31.5mm diagonal; not quite as fast but it’s a 6x zoom.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1251350-REG

All of these recommendations from me reflect that I can’t afford to buy a useful full-frame zoom and I always need a zoom for my work.

Thanks Rick that's some really helpful stuff there.

You’re welcome. Let us know what you decide to do.

Youre going to want the L mount version of the pyxis if you want to use an LPL mount lens. The flange distance of LPL is shorter than PL, which means you can’t adapt LPL to PL (you can the other way around, like on the alexa 35), or you can use a LPL to L-mount adapter since it’s a mirrorless short flange mount.

Good point but I thought the OP had the Pyxis PL mount version. Let’s see. L-Mount is a good option as there are adapters to support several other lens mounts including PL and EF. From my personal perspective, I’m planning on PL mount for its locking mount and so I won’t need an adapter. Maybe I should rethink that though as it’s always possible, there will be a new highly desirable zoom announced that doesn’t use PL mount, like the ARRI LPL zoom mentioned by the OP.

I wouldn't discount the PL mount version over the L-mount. I know the L-mount is more flexible and can be adapted to many different mounts, but you can't run a minimal setup with heavier cinema lenses on an L-mount that doesn't have a positive lock. Sure, you can add a PL adapter, but where it connects to the camera is still an L-mount. Lightweight photography lenses, sure, but any decent cine glass will always need some sort of support for the lens.

There is something cool about using a nice parafocal PL mount zoom on the pyxis without a cage or even a monitor. Just turn the pyxis on the side and shoot using Opengate, then rotate/crop in post. I've even seen people put a handle on the side of the Pyxis so that when it is rotated on the side, it feels very 16mm Bolex.

If I was planning on renting Arri LPL lenses, I wouldn't even attempt the Pyxis. I'd just buy or rent a Ura Cine 12k body and put a native LPL mount on it.

… There is something cool about using a nice parafocal PL mount zoom on the pyxis without a cage or even a monitor. Just turn the pyxis on the side and shoot using Opengate, then rotate/crop in post. I've even seen people put a handle on the side of the Pyxis so that when it is rotated on the side, it feels very 16mm Bolex...

Thanks for the reminder, Corey. You’re right from my perspective.