Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wanted

The place for questions about shooting with Blackmagic Cameras.
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

Manu Gil

  • Posts: 242
  • Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:10 pm
  • Location: Spain (Europe)

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun Mar 03, 2013 4:36 pm

T1,5 10mm, 15mm, 22mm, 35mm, 50mm

Zoom T2,8 12mm-120mm

T1 15mm, 22mm
Offline

Whitehorsevideo

  • Posts: 39
  • Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:56 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun Mar 03, 2013 7:31 pm

Coming from the Broadcast industry I am looking for an adaptor that would support Fujinon & Canon style video zoom lenses with proportional power zooms, auto focus etc. It makes sense to just use the existing products available than try to reinvent the wheel. Hopefully someone in lens business will wake up and build a lens specifically for the EF or MFT BMDCC sensor.

Prime lenses have little application in live capture environments. Documentary, Journalism, Studio Television, Corporate events, all these applications require the flexibility of video style zoom lenses.

If we can meld the BMDCCs extraordinary dynamic range to a real shooters lens it will set a new standard for ALL motion picture production and own the market!
Offline
User avatar

Noel Sterrett

  • Posts: 521
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:12 pm
  • Location: Atlanta

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun Mar 03, 2013 7:43 pm

What is really missing for the BMC are fast (T1.5) and most important ultra wide (for the small BMC) lenses, starting at:

At least a 7.5mm, and better still 6.5mm.

Cheers.
Admit One Pictures
Resolve Studio 18 | Linux Lint 21 | Nvidia 515 | Xeon | iCore | Ryzen
Offline
User avatar

AdrianSierkowski

  • Posts: 929
  • Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:59 pm
  • Location: Los Angeles.

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun Mar 03, 2013 10:07 pm

Personally I'd like:

9.5mm
12mm
16mm
25mm
32mm
40mm
60mm
80mm
100mm
120mm
180mm
200mm

I would love for them to be as close to a T2 as possible, as in truth, I'd spend most of my time @ T4 anyway. I don't really care much whether they have geared rings on them or not, but I would LOVE to have a good like 280 degree focus rotation; similar to a cine-lens.
Could be cool too to have the option of have them coated or uncoated.
Adrian Sierkowski
Director of Photography
http://www.adriansierkowski.com
adrian@adriansierkowski.com
Offline

Manu Gil

  • Posts: 242
  • Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:10 pm
  • Location: Spain (Europe)

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun Mar 03, 2013 10:24 pm

Whitehorsevideo wrote:Coming from the Broadcast industry I am looking for an adaptor that would support Fujinon & Canon style video zoom lenses with proportional power zooms, auto focus etc. It makes sense to just use the existing products available than try to reinvent the wheel. Hopefully someone in lens business will wake up and build a lens specifically for the EF or MFT BMDCC sensor.

Prime lenses have little application in live capture environments. Documentary, Journalism, Studio Television, Corporate events, all these applications require the flexibility of video style zoom lenses.

If we can meld the BMDCCs extraordinary dynamic range to a real shooters lens it will set a new standard for ALL motion picture production and own the market!


+1
Offline

UKO

  • Posts: 1
  • Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:27 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun Mar 03, 2013 10:33 pm

I'd definitely would go for the 12 + 28mm - with T 1.5!
Offline

Gregory Bennett

  • Posts: 15
  • Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:26 am
  • Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 12:29 am

Definitely interested and excited to see what you come up with!

Especially for the wider end of things.

A good 12mm and 16mm would be very useful.

I think you'd have a real market for a great 12mm.

--
Gregory Bennett
Director of Photography
Toronto, Canada
http://www.gregorybennett.com/
--
Gregory Bennett
Director of Photography
Toronto, Canada
http://www.gregorybennett.com/
Offline

paulkosmala

  • Posts: 148
  • Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:50 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 11:06 am

Owen Davies wrote:We are currently in negotiation with a number of leading lens manufacturers regarding the design and manufacture of custom made lenses for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera.

Initially as a set of prime lenses in 12mm, 28mm and 50mm focal lengths (Approx 20, 50 and 90mm Super 35 - 28, 60 and 115mm full frame) and rated at T2 or lower, we have also set the challenge of being able to retail these lenses at an extremely attractive price.

If this project is successful we will also look to introduce a zoom lens and further prime lenses based on market demand.

Lenses will have a consistent front diameter for use with matte boxes, with geared rings for focus and aperture control. The iris control will also be non-clicked as in cine lens design. All lenses will be colour matched and calibrated to the BMCC sensor - no more cropping, no problems with infinity focus.

We hope to offer the lenses in EF and MFT mounts.

What we need in order to move forward is an indication of interest from the market. As the BMCC is only just shipping in regular numbers (even if these are still small), there is little information on actual sales/orders.

Lenses would be able to be purchased individually or as a set with a custom made hard case.

Would you be interested in these lenses if we made them? If so can you indicate your potential interest on this thread (don't worry. You're not committing to buying anything ;) )

Many thanks. We appreciate your comments.

Owen.


1.33x squeeze anamorphic lenses. +9,000 (over that actually) for the company that makes that semi-cheap (which considering the sensor size, may be possible: same idea with the price difference between 16mm glass vs 35mm glass). also - wide anamorphic lenses are rare, but considering the size of the sensor, 40mm and higher just won't do.

If these custom made lenses come to fruition - make them something no one else has. something that people want, but can't find anywhere else. a set of 9.5mm, 12mm, 16mm, 24mm, 35mm, 1.33x anamorphic lenses would be a godsend to anyone shooting anamorphic with the BMCC. considering it's 'cinema' nature: that's a large market.

That is the lens kit I want for the bmcc. +1 if you agree.
Offline
User avatar

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

  • Posts: 2407
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:53 am
  • Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 5:43 pm

Manugil wrote:
Whitehorsevideo wrote:Coming from the Broadcast industry I am looking for an adaptor that would support Fujinon & Canon style video zoom lenses with proportional power zooms, auto focus etc. It makes sense to just use the existing products available than try to reinvent the wheel. Hopefully someone in lens business will wake up and build a lens specifically for the EF or MFT BMDCC sensor.

Prime lenses have little application in live capture environments. Documentary, Journalism, Studio Television, Corporate events, all these applications require the flexibility of video style zoom lenses.

If we can meld the BMDCCs extraordinary dynamic range to a real shooters lens it will set a new standard for ALL motion picture production and own the market!


+1


I agree that a servo-zoom would be wonderful, but:

Fujinon will happily sell you a similar "Cabrio" lens for $38K or so.
http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/opt ... index.html

Even if Owen's company could somehow make something like a Cabrio for 1/2 or 1/3 the price, it would still be a relatively expensive item. Although there will be exceptions, most BMCC ($3K) buyers won't buy a >$10K lens, let alone a $38K one. Although I suppose a few rental houses might be interested in stocking a BMCC-specific version of such a lens, maybe.

Meanwhile, the following video describes an interesting approach that could apply to both the BMCC-EF & BMCC-MFT: A high-quality, used, wide-angle, servo-zoom "B4" 2/3" HD broadcast lens with a built-in 2x extender, plus a lens mount adapter & lens power cable adapter. YMMV.
http://gearjones.com/2011/09/15/abel-ci ... ur-thirds/
Offline

cajunrory

  • Posts: 26
  • Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:17 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 9:18 pm

• 8mm
• 15mm
• 21mm
• 35mm
• 50mm

All at T1.5 or faster, especially the first two.
Offline

Manu Gil

  • Posts: 242
  • Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:10 pm
  • Location: Spain (Europe)

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostTue Mar 05, 2013 1:54 pm

Very interesting Peter. Thanks.
Offline

Lens4blackmagic

  • Posts: 14
  • Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:15 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostMon Mar 11, 2013 5:10 pm

innerspark wrote:If we're speaking in 35mm equivalents..... Let's cover the basics and I'd be super interested:

-24mm
-35mm
-50mm
-85mm
-105mm
-Zoom
-80-120mm range macro.

Sign me up.


Hi innerspark:

I am working on the 10mm( 24mm as 35mm equivalents), 12mm, 14mm and 16mm now. Please wait...

Lens4blackmagic
Offline

Owen Davies

  • Posts: 44
  • Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:55 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostMon Mar 11, 2013 5:51 pm

Lens4blackmagic wrote:
innerspark wrote:If we're speaking in 35mm equivalents..... Let's cover the basics and I'd be super interested:

-24mm
-35mm
-50mm
-85mm
-105mm
-Zoom
-80-120mm range macro.

Sign me up.


Hi innerspark:

I am working on the 10mm( 24mm as 35mm equivalents), 12mm, 14mm and 16mm now. Please wait...

Lens4blackmagic


Very interesting. Can you tell us a bit more about yourselves. Who you are, whether you manufacture the lenses yourself or like us have a manufacturing partner with experience of cine lens design?

Also, do you have a price in mind?

Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition :)
Offline

Lens4blackmagic

  • Posts: 14
  • Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:15 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostTue Mar 12, 2013 12:48 am

Owen Davies wrote:
Lens4blackmagic wrote:
innerspark wrote:If we're speaking in 35mm equivalents..... Let's cover the basics and I'd be super interested:

-24mm
-35mm
-50mm
-85mm
-105mm
-Zoom
-80-120mm range macro.

Sign me up.


Hi innerspark:

I am working on the 10mm( 24mm as 35mm equivalents), 12mm, 14mm and 16mm now. Please wait...

Lens4blackmagic


Very interesting. Can you tell us a bit more about yourselves. Who you are, whether you manufacture the lenses yourself or like us have a manufacturing partner with experience of cine lens design?

Also, do you have a price in mind?

Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition :)


Hi Owen,

Please go to the Schneider's booth at coming NAB so you will know who I am.

Thanks
Offline

Lens4blackmagic

  • Posts: 14
  • Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:15 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 12:25 am

Hi Guys,

How many people will be interested in 1.33X anamorphic lens with prime lens for BMCC? Please give me some comments. It will be really appreciated.

Thanks.

Lens4blackmagic
Offline
User avatar

Christian Schmeer

  • Posts: 904
  • Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:07 pm
  • Location: London, UK

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 1:01 am

I'd only be interested in an anamorphic lens really, as there isn't really anything commercially available that's not either massively expensive, an adapter, or bad quality. For "regular" lenses, I'd prefer to stick to lenses that can be used on future cameras if the sensor size changes.
Christian Schmeer - DP / Colourist
www.christianschmeer.com
www.vimeo.com/christianschmeer
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 3:29 am

Lens4blackmagic wrote:Hi Guys,

How many people will be interested in 1.33X anamorphic lens with prime lens for BMCC? Please give me some comments. It will be really appreciated.

Thanks.

Lens4blackmagic


Interested if you develop a 1.35x anamorphic, that will translate to a 2.4:1 aspect ratio on the BMCC. You are talking about a new anamorphic so why would you suggest a 1.33x anamorphic? Think different.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline
User avatar

Christian Schmeer

  • Posts: 904
  • Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:07 pm
  • Location: London, UK

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 4:41 am

rick.lang wrote:
Lens4blackmagic wrote:Hi Guys,

How many people will be interested in 1.33X anamorphic lens with prime lens for BMCC? Please give me some comments. It will be really appreciated.

Thanks.

Lens4blackmagic


Interested if you develop a 1.35x anamorphic, that will translate to a 2.4:1 aspect ratio on the BMCC. You are talking about a new anamorphic so why would you suggest a 1.33x anamorphic? Think different.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Yes, 2.39:1 would be great :)
Christian Schmeer - DP / Colourist
www.christianschmeer.com
www.vimeo.com/christianschmeer
Offline

Matt Conboy

  • Posts: 4
  • Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:44 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 5:24 am

Yes please! I would love a set of 1.33X anamorphic lenses for the bmcc.
Offline

Soeren Mueller

  • Posts: 604
  • Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:21 pm
  • Location: Düsseldorf, Germany

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 6:35 am

Sign me up for the anamorphic too! ;)
Offline

paulkosmala

  • Posts: 148
  • Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:50 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 11:46 am

Christian Schmeer wrote:
rick.lang wrote:
Lens4blackmagic wrote:Hi Guys,

How many people will be interested in 1.33X anamorphic lens with prime lens for BMCC? Please give me some comments. It will be really appreciated.

Thanks.

Lens4blackmagic


Interested if you develop a 1.35x anamorphic, that will translate to a 2.4:1 aspect ratio on the BMCC. You are talking about a new anamorphic so why would you suggest a 1.33x anamorphic? Think different.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Yes, 2.39:1 would be great :)


2.39, or 2.35 - I really don't care about that difference.
ANAMORPHIC M4/3 cine-style lenses would be AMAZING!
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Mar 14, 2013 5:14 pm

paulkosmala wrote:
Christian Schmeer wrote:
rick.lang wrote:[quote="Lens4blackmagic"]Hi Guys,

How many people will be interested in 1.33X anamorphic lens with prime lens for BMCC? Please give me some comments. It will be really appreciated.

Thanks.

Lens4blackmagic


Interested if you develop a 1.35x anamorphic, that will translate to a 2.4:1 aspect ratio on the BMCC. You are talking about a new anamorphic so why would you suggest a 1.33x anamorphic? Think different.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Yes, 2.39:1 would be great :)


2.39, or 2.35 - I really don't care about that difference.
ANAMORPHIC M4/3 cine-style lenses would be AMAZING![/quote]

Paul, that's fine. The reason 2.35:1 seems to be prevalent in people's mind may be that it was a standard in the film industry and continued to be a very popular format for DVDs. But I think the industry replaced that format in 1978 (approximately) with a modern widescreen format that is approximately 2:39 (not exactly as it is determined by dividing a physical gate width by the gate height on a film projector. Given we are in an increasingly digital HD era now in terms of media capture, the 2.4:1 aspect ratio, (16/9)*1.35, is a convenient exact ratio to use for those emulating the modern widescreen ratio especially for those who would like to produce that ratio for their work to be shown by a digital projector on a theatre screen; it works well. So no problem if you do not care about these things but for the indie filmmaker it may a significant benefit to get the anamorphic multiplier correct without loss of resolution on the final deliverables.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline
User avatar

Christopher Kaspar

  • Posts: 18
  • Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:41 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostWed Mar 27, 2013 1:34 am

Any update on the R&D and production on these?

I'm really excited and would love to be one of the first to use them.
Offline

Will-S-H

  • Posts: 9
  • Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 1:49 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostWed Mar 27, 2013 9:04 am

I would definitely be interested. in the primes and particularly in the production of a dedicated zoom
Offline

Illya Friedman

  • Posts: 55
  • Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 5:56 am
  • Location: Hollywood, CA

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Apr 04, 2013 8:38 am

rick.lang wrote:Interested if you develop a 1.35x anamorphic, that will translate to a 2.4:1 aspect ratio on the BMCC. You are talking about a new anamorphic so why would you suggest a 1.33x anamorphic? Think different.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Hi Rick,

A 1.34x Anamorphic would result in the only correct de-squeeze aspect ratio for the "anamorphic" format on a 16:9 shaped sensor.

No matter what anyone may believe they know about the anamorphic aspect ratio, there is no such thing in practice as either 2.35 or 2.40. Both are inaccurate, in the same way that referring to 23.976 as 23.98 or 24p is inaccurate. 2.35 and 2.40 both refer to the exact same thing which is actually is 2.39.

I would direct anyone wanting to argue anything to the contrary, (or for those just wanting to educate themselves further) to read Rob Hummel's essay on aspect ratios. It is wisely included inside the ASC Manual starting in I believe the 7th edition.

Hope this helps,

I.

Illya Friedman
President
Hot Rod Cameras
http://www.hotrodcameras.com
Illya Friedman
President
Hot Rod Cameras
www.hotrodcameras.com
Offline

CptZero

  • Posts: 82
  • Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:11 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Apr 04, 2013 1:46 pm

Would really be interested that they would make a 5mm to 8mm to 10mm that has at least f2.8 or f1.8 that would be real sweet.
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu Apr 04, 2013 6:21 pm

Illya Friedman wrote:
rick.lang wrote:Interested if you develop a 1.35x anamorphic, that will translate to a 2.4:1 aspect ratio on the BMCC. You are talking about a new anamorphic so why would you suggest a 1.33x anamorphic? Think different.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Hi Rick,

A 1.34x Anamorphic would result in the only correct de-squeeze aspect ratio for the "anamorphic" format on a 16:9 shaped sensor.

No matter what anyone may believe they know about the anamorphic aspect ratio, there is no such thing in practice as either 2.35 or 2.40. Both are inaccurate, in the same way that referring to 23.976 as 23.98 or 24p is inaccurate. 2.35 and 2.40 both refer to the exact same thing which is actually is 2.39.

I would direct anyone wanting to argue anything to the contrary, (or for those just wanting to educate themselves further) to read Rob Hummel's essay on aspect ratios. It is wisely included inside the ASC Manual starting in I believe the 7th edition.

Hope this helps,

I.

Illya Friedman
President
Hot Rod Cameras
http://www.hotrodcameras.com


Ilya, thanks for the response. But if you want to split hairs, let me share my calculations.

Based on the Wikipedia entry for List of Film Formats, the modern anamorphic format is described citing page 13 of the 8th edition of the American Cinematographer Manual by Robert Hummel, ASC Press (2001).

The projection gate for 2x anamorphic viewing is 0.875"x0.690" since about 1993 results in a viewed image of 2.39130435:1 commonly referred to as 2.39:1. If the recorded native image size is using the HD 16:9 aspect ratio or 1.77777778, then the anamorphic adapter multiplier that would result in providing the same view as the projected image is 1.3451087, which I think is closer to 1.35 than 1.34.

Perhaps I am guilty of being ahead of the official standards when we are now mixing digital native recording sizes with traditional film projection. I think we are increasingly in a digital world in which 2.4:1 will be accepted eventually and that is exactly derived from a 1.35:1 anamorphic on a HD native image. But there is nothing in the current standards for digital projection that supports my conjecture. Currently for example the Christie digital projectors with 1.25x anamorphic lens projects a DCI compliant image of 2.37037037:1 based on a 2K native image, 2048x1080. So perhaps a confusing world when mixing digital and film. Less than a generation from now, I imagine we shall see the standards change once again and an exact number like 2.4:1 may be adopted for native cinema recording and anamorphic projection.

Peace,
Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline

Owen Davies

  • Posts: 44
  • Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:55 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostTue Apr 16, 2013 8:57 pm

Hi all, sorry for the lack of updates. We've been very busy continuing our research and have been working with our potential partners with regard to lens solutions. One of our potential partners decided to withdraw their interest to work on anamorphic 35mm lenses. This was a small company that just makes high end cinema lenses and could not commit to another project.

In addition, we decided that given the announcement of additional cameras from BMD, feedback from users (you guys) and other manufacturers releasing cameras based on S35mm (or thereabouts) sensors that we would abandon our orignal idea of manufacturing lenses just for the BMCC. This gives us a bigger potential market which is important given the cost of R&D and tooling for our product and ensures that you have lenses that are suitable for a wider range of cameras should you change camera, have multiple cameras or move to using other cameras such as RED, Sony, Canon etc.

We still think we have a unique place within the market because of the quality and price at which we want to offer our lenses. We will also be unique in offering lenses that have been built from scratch for the moving picture market rather than just rehoused/repurposed DSLR glass.

The decision was made essentially for two reasons:

1. The feedback we've gathered, here, and lots of other places showed that users wanted a lens set that they use on other cameras and could keep as camera technology changed rather than have specific lenses for specific cameras. They saw lenses an an investment - even at the lower end of the price scale.

2. The market. One of our partners was only able to produce a limited number of lenses per year, and we struggled to keep the price of these down. Although these would have been very good, high quality lenses, they exceeded our target price and we felt that users may be reluctant to purchase at this price and even if they did we would be severely limited by the number of lenses we could get out. Our only other real option at this time was to consider higher volume production for which the tooling costs are extremely high. We could not justify this cost for lenses that were limited by their image size and decided instead to widen the poetntial market by producing lenses that were suitable for more than one camera. These lenses will still be very high quality for their price, will still work for BMCC, BMPC and BMPCC, plus the Sonys, REDs, Arris, Canons etc. This gives us a far greater potential to sell a greater number of lenses - not for a bigger profit per say, but to keep the price down as tooling and R&D costs will amortised into the final cost of the lenses - the more we can sell, the cheaper they get.

I hope this gives you a better insight into our decision.

Thank you for your patience.
Owen.
Offline
User avatar

Christopher Kaspar

  • Posts: 18
  • Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:41 pm

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu May 09, 2013 6:53 am

Christopher Kaspar wrote:Also, I know you're looking straight at making these usable for the BMCC, but do consider their usability on other cameras as well (that may be a tall order). I have other EF mount cameras and may want to use it on that as well. If you make it too specific, when the camera phases out, the lens loses significant value. Basically, in 5 years when you guys release a new amazing camera with a larger sensor, will this lens still hold it's value in the same way my other lenses have?


I told you so ;) I guess Blackmagic came out with the larger sensor size much faster than I could have guessed but I'm glad you guys are still going for it and see the value of a more versatile "investment" lens. Thanks for the update and keep us posted.
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostThu May 09, 2013 5:45 pm

Owen Davies wrote:... we decided that given the announcement of additional cameras from BMD, feedback from users (you guys) and other manufacturers releasing cameras based on S35mm (or thereabouts) sensors...

These lenses will still be very high quality for their price, will still work for BMCC, BMPC and BMPCC, plus the Sonys, REDs, Arris, Canons etc.


Most interested in your price point but I can understand that will likely vary with the lenses and is certainly proprietary information for now.

I assume you are talking manual prime lenses only that will work with S35 sensors and of course smaller sensors. As you are aware, BMD has made this more difficult given they will have cameras for three different sensor sizes only one of which is pretty much an industry standard, the Academy cinema 35mm format being virtually identical to the sensor on the BMPC4K (which is a little smaller than most S35 sensors). Building S35 lenses would be welcome to most people I think. The difficulty will be in making a set of matched primes that will work across three (from BMD) or more sensor sizes.

Originally when you were designing lenses for the BMCC, you could pick three to six focal lengths that would cover most uses on one sensor and be able to carve out a market quickly given the high appeal for matched primes at more affordable price points. Yes the potential market was indeed smaller, but you might dominate it in a year due to your concentrated efforts and the astounding disarray of lenses from the traditional vendors that are vying for relatively mass appeal. If only you could produce something akin to the Schneider Cine-Xenar III set of primes at a fraction of the cost. Of course you couldn't match those lenses in every respect but you understand best what could be done to approach them. And it would give you a foot solidly in the door.

Going to a business plan to cover larger and smaller sensors means that even six prime lenses may be insufficient to realize your vision unless you also plan to augment the standard six lenses with integrated focal reducers tuned to the smaller sensors. And the issue of mounts is also a factor for you. Best of luck with what you can do. My free advice is to have a plan to support multiple sensor sizes in any way you feel can be economically achieved but don't hold your breath until you have a great solution for every sensor before you release your first three primes that target the largest sensor you plan to support, presumably the S35. You may need to release three primes initially to get people to be able to buy into your approach. Or risk doing it one lens at a time over a year which will likely keep you on the fringe if you don't market your overall strategy and vision better than others have done.

The SLR Magic and Rokinon/Samyang efforts are commendable but the truth is most of us will be dead before they ever release a matched set of primes or even a haphazard group of primes that have some sense of consistency.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline
User avatar

AdrianSierkowski

  • Posts: 929
  • Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:59 pm
  • Location: Los Angeles.

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostFri May 10, 2013 2:58 pm

I don't see a problem with various sensor sizes. I can use a 14mm Ultra prime as well on S16mm as I can 35mm, as I can M4/3rds. It's all about the projected image circle covering. Granted, field of view changes on formats, but a 12mm is a 12mm is a 12mm.
Adrian Sierkowski
Director of Photography
http://www.adriansierkowski.com
adrian@adriansierkowski.com
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostFri May 10, 2013 3:21 pm

AdrianSierkowski wrote:I don't see a problem with various sensor sizes. I can use a 14mm Ultra prime as well on S16mm as I can 35mm, as I can M4/3rds. It's all about the projected image circle covering. Granted, field of view changes on formats, but a 12mm is a 12mm is a 12mm.


Yes, 12mm is 12mm. My point was entirely related to angle of view being dramatically different on the three BMD sensors so that a simple set of ciné prime lenses with an image circle large enough to cover S35 (even with different mounts) won't be sufficient to use on all the sensors, hence Owen's task becomes more onerous than if he had followed his initial business plan. A single set of lenses designed for the BMPC4K could work if he also engineered focal length reducers for the BMCC and the BMPCC. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline
User avatar

AdrianSierkowski

  • Posts: 929
  • Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:59 pm
  • Location: Los Angeles.

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostFri May 10, 2013 11:40 pm

I don't see that as being true. I mean if they design, say, a 12mm let's say that covers S35mm, sure it'll have a different FoV on the S16mm camera and the BMCC, but it's still a 12. Granted, you'd probably want something in the 9.5 range or wider (8mm rectilinear) for the smaller of the two cameras, but as a whole, for the main set, if you design from the 12 up for all 3 then you're really only talking one extra lens designed for the other two. Doesn't seem that big or major of a deal. I mean, I'm not sure as I'm not a stills glass guy, but I am assuming a Sigma 8~16 covers S35 give or take, so you can certainly optically build it and I don't think very many people would have a problem with only being able to have an 8mm lens for a S16mm sized sensor (the smallest). Personally my set only goes down to 9.5mm and even then I'm rarely ever needing to go much wider than that. It starts to show the rails @ 9.5 anyway ;)
Adrian Sierkowski
Director of Photography
http://www.adriansierkowski.com
adrian@adriansierkowski.com
Offline
User avatar

Rakesh Malik

  • Posts: 3236
  • Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:01 am
  • Location: Vancouver, BC

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostFri May 10, 2013 11:49 pm

Since the one lens that would be for the S16 format camera doesn't necessarily need to cover S35, it could be a small lens, also. That would make it a good match for the Pocket without compromising its functionality on the vaporous MFT Cinema camera, but there might be a few people who'd actually want an 8mm for S35. That would probably be like a 45mm lens for 4x5. It was cool to look at the ground glass with such a wide angle rectilinear lens, but difficult to compose anything with it since it took in... everything. :)
Rakesh Malik
Cinematographer, photographer, adventurer, martial artist
http://WinterLight.studio
System:
Asus Flow X13, Octacore Zen3/32GB + XG Mobile nVidia RTX 3080/16GB
Apple M1 Mini/16GB
Offline
User avatar

AdrianSierkowski

  • Posts: 929
  • Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:59 pm
  • Location: Los Angeles.

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSat May 11, 2013 7:14 am

I had a chance to use an 8 mm on S35... the Arri 8R... it was fantastic, but my 1AC got bored.
Adrian Sierkowski
Director of Photography
http://www.adriansierkowski.com
adrian@adriansierkowski.com
Offline
User avatar

Rakesh Malik

  • Posts: 3236
  • Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:01 am
  • Location: Vancouver, BC

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSat May 11, 2013 2:28 pm

AdrianSierkowski wrote:I had a chance to use an 8 mm on S35... the Arri 8R... it was fantastic, but my 1AC got bored.


Needs more depth of field ;)
Rakesh Malik
Cinematographer, photographer, adventurer, martial artist
http://WinterLight.studio
System:
Asus Flow X13, Octacore Zen3/32GB + XG Mobile nVidia RTX 3080/16GB
Apple M1 Mini/16GB
Offline
User avatar

Joseph Hung

  • Posts: 98
  • Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:37 pm
  • Location: Brooklyn, NY

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostTue May 14, 2013 3:49 pm

I am so down with this. I was wondering if anyone was going to do this, like what lens companies, namely Voigtlander, did for the MFT system and developed lenses that are optimized for the 2x crop sensor. I own a GH2/GH3 and both Voigts, and they really make a huge difference for emulating the full frame look and shallow depth of field. Wide and fast is the way to go, and the BMCC badly needs it.
Any idea on release dates?
Offline

Owen Davies

  • Posts: 44
  • Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:55 am

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostWed May 15, 2013 7:24 pm

footagehead wrote:Any idea on release dates?


We're currently investigating materials and potential designs. Given the amount of research needed we're still several months away from a fully functioning prototype. We can easily design a lens that would look awesome. The trick is to get it designed so that production is feasible and manufacture is cost effective.

Costs are mind boggling. Based on the current designs we'd have to sell several thousand lenses to break even. We're investigating different materials so that we can somehow push the costs down without sacrificing too much quality, i.e. mixed construction with some non metal parts, composite elements, different mount options etc.

We're still very much in the investigation stage unfortunately. We don't want to push out crap just because there's a market, albeit limited. As we said in the beginning. If we can't produce lenses that we would own ourselves, there ain't much point in proceeding.

As soon as I have more news that's worth posting, I'll let you all know.

Owen.
Offline

Illya Friedman

  • Posts: 55
  • Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 5:56 am
  • Location: Hollywood, CA

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun May 26, 2013 8:41 am

rick.lang wrote:1.3451087, which I think is closer to 1.35 than 1.34.

Perhaps I am guilty of being ahead of the official standards when we are now mixing digital native recording sizes with traditional film projection. I think we are increasingly in a digital world in which 2.4:1 will be accepted eventually and that is exactly derived from a 1.35:1 anamorphic on a HD native image. But there is nothing in the current standards for digital projection that supports my conjecture.


Ha! I missed your reply. I would agree that you are way out ahead of the curve with that conjecture. Evidence is pointing towards a return to 2:1 anamorphics and active area 4:3 imagers based on the announcements at NAB this year.

In answer to your semantical inquiry, when I wrote 1.34x I was dropping decimal places beyond 1.34. As it's not customary to go out beyond hundredths. Exactly the same as what is most commonly spoken, "23.97" rather than wasting the breath on adding a "6" on the end, when no additional clarity is given.

If you want to take 1.34x out to 1.345x, please be my guest. As 1.345x is far, far, far, more accurate than rounding up an additional 5 thousandths, to 1.35x ;)

All this effort was once ruined by 4:3 pan and scan. Now, 2.39 is ruined by broadcasters and widescreen TVs set to FULL.

BTW, (both Owen and Rick) if you guys are in town next week, please stop by our booth at Cine Gear and say hello.


Illya Friedman
President
Hot Rod Cameras
Hollywood, California
http://www.hotrodcameras.com
Illya Friedman
President
Hot Rod Cameras
www.hotrodcameras.com
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Custom Lenses for the Blackmagic Camera - Feedback Wante

PostSun May 26, 2013 8:58 pm

Illya Friedman wrote:If you want to take 1.34x out to 1.345x, please be my guest. As 1.345x is far, far, far, more accurate than rounding up an additional 5 thousandths, to 1.35x ;)

BTW, (both Owen and Rick) if you guys are in town next week, please stop by our booth at Cine Gear and say hello.

Illya Friedman
President
Hot Rod Cameras
Hollywood, California
http://www.hotrodcameras.com


You certainly give your attention to detail in these posts, but I like that. It shows up in the quality of your products!

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Previous

Return to Cinematography

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Brad Hurley, Omkara and 104 guests