We're told that Canon will finally be releasing PL mount versions of all of their cinema prime lenses. Currently, only 6 CN-E zoom lenses are available in PL mount.
Canon's Cine Prime Lineup:
- CN-E 14mm T3.1 L F
- CN-E 20mm T1.5 L F
- CN-E 24mm T1.5 L F
- CN-E 35mm T1.5 L F
- CN-E 50mm T1.3 L F
- CN-E 85mm T1.3 L F
- CN-E 135mm T2.2 L F
The logical time to announce these PL mount CN-E prime lenses would be at NAB in April 2019, but there's also a chance we see them announced later in the year ahead of IBC in September.
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@BeenThere -- your comment on a LPL converted R lens I think is interesting. Art Adams posted on CML the other night that Arri wants LPL to be "the standard" for full frame cinema glass, and is offering the API and licensing "for a song". Not an expert in lens specs..but LPL is actually more like a "wide EF mount"...at 68mm wide, with the same flange distance as EF...it seems like it would be possible to adapt EF to LPL, but I'm not sure RF to LPL would work.
One would think that they would maintain “FF” image circle coverage. Altered Carbon, which was shot on the Alexa 65, used a few CN-E primes. Presumably PL converted.
Full frame is another story. Now that it's becoming more popular on the camera side and there aren't a lot of (reasonable) FF lenses on the market. Canon is in a unique position. I've always said that Canon has a leg up in the FF market, and its surprising that they don't exploit it. The fact that they were about the last to market with a full frame sensor camera is typical Canon, made more obvious by the fact that they had the foresight on the lens side to make these lenses FF when they didn't have a camera for it. (unless you count the 1DC or their still cameras).
Like I said, I own a set of these lenses, and I use them on a lot of projects. They are sharp, and have a clean, neutral look. Like you said, compared to a lot of the glass out there they are lightweight and therefore popular on smaller productions, and in situation where small is needed. I don't really hear high end DP's talking about them in the same breath as Cooke and Zeiss though.
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Those are good points. All I'm saying is they were used on one of Netflix's biggest budget shows last year, Altered Carbon...and I'm sure they're being used on other high budget films. And the fact that Duclos (a high-end lens shop) has offered a PL mod for them that's been popular, maybe there are some high-end DP's using them. We've definitely come across some who love them, and rent them often from us.