How about 35mm movie lenses?

[zhang]

Hello guys,

The RD-1 is still a bit too rich for me at the moment, but now I have a couple of 35mm movie lenses available.

Here is an image of a very sharp 20mm F2 movie lens that is suitalbe for a RD-1 type of camera. Sine optics are built to a higher standard so I think they will perform well on a digital rangefinder.

Has anyone tried a wideangle movie lens yet?
Due to great DOF, a rangefinder is not necesary, and you have a 35mm equivalent fast lens for low light jobs.

Cheers,

Soviet

 

[FrankS]

Neat camera!

Are those movie lenses built with 39mm LTM? How about the back-focus distance?

 

[peter_n]

RFF member ddmaria is interested in putting movie lenses on M-type bodies. See the link below:

Who can do lens conversions?

 

[ddimaria]

zhang, I would love to see results from that 20/2 on the RD-1, If you ger your hands on one let us know. I have been considering having a 18/1.8 converted to LTm to try out on an RD-1. Are there LTM cine lenses that you know of? Are they more readily available in China???

 

[zhang]

Neat camera!

Are those movie lenses built with 39mm LTM? How about the back-focus distance?

These movie lenses have standard Arri mount. I put it in a LTM adaptor tube and the back-focus distance is correct with some paper washers. 🙂

It is a Chinese copy of Zeiss 35/2 35mm movie lens. The point is that I got it very cheap, about $50, and it will perform like a $3000 Zeiss lens.

 

[zhang]

zhang, I would love to see results from that 20/2 on the RD-1, If you ger your hands on one let us know. I have been considering having a 18/1.8 converted to LTm to try out on an RD-1. Are there LTM cine lenses that you know of? Are they more readily available in China???

These sine lenses are rare, but in case you have a very wide angle one, it could be used on a RD-1. I used a M42-39 adaptor ring and put this Arri standard mount movie lens in it. There are cheap Russian M39 adaptor rings that could be converted easily for this purpose. I even have a Chinese 35/1.2 Zeiss copy. 😀 What would a Leitz 35/1.2 cost?

There might be more Russian wide angle sine lenses if you look around. A 18/1.8 could be converted to a very usefull 27/1.8 for a RD-1. I think a 35mm movie lens could cover the full frame of a RD-1.

Cheers, and have fun!

Zhang

 

[bobofish]

That's super cool.
Now you're going to be giving a whole lot of RFF members a whole lot of Cine-GAS, Zhang!

 

[Will]

Hi Zhang,

>>I used a M42-39 adaptor ring and put this Arri standard mount movie lens in it.

Please tell us more!

Would love a C-mount (lens) to LTM (Body) adapter....

Cheers





Will

 

[RML]

Indeed. Please tell us more. And since I have no idea about cine lenses, their threads, how to recognise these lenses and how to stick them onto my R-D1... if you have shots that will clarify things, I'd be much obliged!

 

[Will]

I think SBK had C mount lens adapter on for Macro purposes, but those are SLR stuff..

Kern 150mm f/3.3 (?) can cover 35mm format, and there was one converted into M42 in Hong Kong. I think they chopped the lens barrel....

Cheers




Will

 

[fgianni]

I too would not mind to know more details

 

[zhang]

I think SBK had C mount lens adapter on for Macro purposes, but those are SLR stuff..

Kern 150mm f/3.3 (?) can cover 35mm format, and there was one converted into M42 in Hong Kong. I think they chopped the lens barrel....

Cheers




Will

It is not the C mount sine lenses , but Arri standard mount lenses. Both my 20/2 and 35/1.3 have a correct back-focus distance for Leica LTM cameras with some thin washers and they should be fine for M cameras with a LTM-M mount adaptor. These are Chinese copies of Zeiss sine lenses, so that I believe the originals should be the same.
The arri standard mount lens has a diameter of 41mm for its rear section so that it can be put into a M42 lens tube. It sounds and looks feasible, but I do not have a RD-1 to try it out. 🙁

Zhang

 

[zhang]

Hi guys,

Did I make it clear in my last message? I'd like to add that only super wide angle lenses are useful because these are not rangefinder coupled, and you have to scale focus with the very accurate cine lens distance scales and make use of the great DOF of the lens.

There is a 18mm ring of the Russian M39 adaptor ring set that I believe is for M39 SLR lens on a Zorki or Fed. If you have one of these, you only need to cut the front thread to the right size for the Arri mount. I can take a pic or two if needed.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[fgianni]

but I do not have a RD-1 to try it out. 🙁
Zhang

If you have a LTM camera, you can try on that one, you will probably see a circular image on a full frame 35mm film, but you should be able to check the focus anyway.

 

[zhang]

That's super cool.
Now you're going to be giving a whole lot of RFF members a whole lot of Cine-GAS, Zhang!

Ha, I guess those Russian super wideangle cine lenses will be in short supply very soon, plus those M39 adaptor rings. :bang:

 

[Will]

It is not the C mount sine lenses , but Arri standard mount lenses. Both my 20/2 and 35/1.3 have a correct back-focus distance for Leica LTM cameras with some thin washers and they should be fine for M cameras with a LTM-M mount adaptor. These are Chinese copies of Zeiss sine lenses, so that I believe the originals should be the same.
The arri standard mount lens has a diameter of 41mm for its rear section so that it can be put into a M42 lens tube. It sounds and looks feasible, but I do not have a RD-1 to try it out. 🙁

Zhang

Hi Zhang,

Arri Standard Mount, is the register distance same as the Arri Bayonet Mount?

If we want something similar, what should we do???

Where can I get movie lens, let's say in Hong Kong or Guangzhou??

Cheers





Will

 

[JJW]

Hold on guys!

Hold on guys!

I am a cinematographer and I think this whole business of adapting cine lenses is a bit over the top.

In reality there are very few cine lenses made other than the currenlty produced Zeiss Ultra and Master Primes and the Cooke S4s that are really worth using for still photography.

The truth is that although cine lenses are made better mechanically to withstand constant use they are NOT sharper and better performers optically. In fact most of the lenses I have seen (and own) are noticeably less sharp and have much less contrast than even inexpensive optics like the Voigtlander LTM and Canon RF lenses. Because a 35mm cine image can be projected on a 15 meter screen and is watched by an audience sitting 15 to 20 meters away from that screen in a dark room, there is the illusion of sharpness even for a lens that doesn't resolve 60+ lp/mm.

The finest vintage cine lenses in my opinion are made by Zeiss and they in fact use the very same optical formulas as the famous lenses used on the old 35mm Contax Rangefinder still cameras. I own a 50mm f/1.5 Zeiss Sonnar and a 180mm Sonnar in Arriflex standard mount. They are both very good, but the exact same lenses most of you guys have heard of.

 

[Will]

I think SBK had C mount lens adapter on for Macro purposes, but those are SLR stuff..

Sorry, SRB not SBK...

http://www.srbfilm.co.uk

Cheers




Will

 

[zhang]

If you have a LTM camera, you can try on that one, you will probably see a circular image on a full frame 35mm film, but you should be able to check the focus anyway.

These 35mm cine lenses(half 35mm frame) have enough coverage for the RD-1 sensor even fully open. If stopped down, it can cover even more field. Once you set the lens correctly at infinate distance, it can be focused with very accurately marked distance scales.

The 1st image is a Russian LTM Leningrad camera with this 20/2 lens.

Zhang

 

[zhang]

Hi Zhang,

Arri Standard Mount, is the register distance same as the Arri Bayonet Mount?

If we want something similar, what should we do???

Where can I get movie lens, let's say in Hong Kong or Guangzhou??

Cheers





Will

Hi Will,

I never used a movie camera, so that I am not sure if they have the same registration distance. I heard some Arri B mount lenses were converted from S mount lenses. Chinese 35mm sine lenses are rare. But sometimes I saw many Russian cine lenses on fleabay at good prices.

It just occured to me that these lenses could also be used on a DLSR for macro shots. I will try them on my DLSR and see how they perform.

Zhang