Most of you probably don't know who DZOfilm is. To be honest, I didn't know about it either. In order to get here, I was searching for something that would fit my theme, and DZOfilm was the one that caught my attention.
It was PictorZoom, and if it hadn't been for that theme, I probably would have encountered it much later. So what is the theme? In recent years, the price of the camera itself has been getting lower (though of course it is still expensive...) with the introduction of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, RED KOMODO, Canon C70, Sony FX6, etc., but the lens, which is just as important as the camera itself, has remained expensive. However, the price of lenses, which are as important a factor as the camera itself, has remained high.
In particular, cinema lenses, even the cheapest prime lenses were at high price, making it very difficult for individuals to purchase them. Although the word "inevitable" may be a bit of a misnomer, I think most of us are trying to make do with lenses for still photography. However, there are various uses and preferences for video, some of which can be done with an integrated video camera, while others are for YouYubers, commercials, and movies. For the first part of the above, I think a still lens would be sufficient, and there are many ways to do this in film as well. Steel lenses are light, have AF and image stabilization, and the quality of the lens is high.
Why choose a cinema lens?
However, I think that cinema lenses are the lenses that you can't ignore when you want to be more particular about your work. The advantages of cinema lenses include the lens construction, the angle of rotation of the aperture, and the ease of fine tuning the aperture with the dial system, but more than anything, the appearance is what motivates me. "But above all, the appearance of the lens is what motivates me. That's it? When I first met with the DP (Director of Photography), I asked him, "What kind of lens can I use? This is a surprisingly important point.
Of course, the quality of the picture (although the creator's preference clearly comes out), but being able to use a cinema lens is one of the most motivating factors in a small production. Of course, it is obvious that the actors are more excited when the camera is set up in a cinema configuration than when they are shot with a still camera and still lens, even if they don't know the manufacturer or specifications.
In the first place, video production is a crystallization of sensibility, and when things are being done mechanically, this will show in the images, and when motivation is high, the images will turn out good. In this sense, "appearance" is a surprisingly important factor, and it is also the first button to turn on motivation.
Why did you choose the DZOfilm PictorZoom?
I think the process to get to this point is the same as the process that everyone else is doing. Nowadays, it is possible to view actual images on YouTube and other websites, so you can check them out first and then dig deeper to find a lens with the taste of images you like. Since my theme this time was "cheap and good lenses," I started by searching for cinema lenses. Rather than starting from the top of the price range, I searched for the best lenses from the bottom of the price range. DZO Pictor Zoom is obviously the one.
Since there is no point in searching if you don't get many examples of what you are looking for, I removed myself from the search process since I already had the Japanese situation in mind to some extent, and started by checking what was being sold by top sellers overseas and picking up lenses that fit the price range. I checked not only B&H but also Adorama to see if the lens was actually STOCK and if there were any reviews. From there, I went to YouTube and searched for all the lenses I could find and watched videos of them in action to make my decision.
The point of my selection was clear: I wanted a "film" style of image creation, and if it looked like a video, I would remove it from consideration. And since the film I'm working on now is also a documentary film, it's physically hard to move the full Prime set. Nowadays, with the new Corona, we have to switch our production style to the new normal.
Budgets are getting smaller and smaller, and in order to keep up, we need to find a direction that can be completed with a single operation, and if we consider moving around, we need to use zoom lenses regularly. Of course, I know that a prime lens is brighter and better in terms of image quality, but I had to exclude it from my choices because the amount of luggage would expand endlessly.
Considering that I had to pack two cameras, at least three lenses, two monitors, a gimbal, a microphone, a recording device, a tripod, and a battery into one bag, I was forced to choose a zoom lens. But when I buy more primes, I know I'll have to focus on one prime. For example, I would like to have a 24mm or 35mm T1.5.
The first theme, "cheap and good lenses" perspective
The Rokinon Xeen T1.5, the Irix Cine Lens, and others were the final choices, but I had a feeling that the Irix could lean toward film, but if I didn't shoot with it properly, it might swing toward video. The Rokinon Xeen was so good in terms of image quality that I almost decided to go for it, but the price of a monocular would be more, since I would need at least three lenses: a wide angle, standard and telephoto.
When I thought about the price range, zoom lenses, which are often considered expensive, came into the picture. I thought about the Tokina Cinema ATX, but at the time I was considering it, only the 11-20mm was available, so I decided to pass on it this time. In fact, I bought it later. Actually, I bought it later... I will introduce it when I have a chance.
From there, I started to look up specs, sample images, reviews, etc. on the DZOfilm Pictor Zoom, but as a young manufacturer, there was not much information available. To be honest, I wasn't confident enough to make a decision based on the manufacturer's sample images. Furthermore, since I was assuming that the camera itself would be a RED KOMODO, I couldn't find any samples of this combination, and I started to feel like I was taking a chance.
In the first place, DZOfilm itself is a Chinese manufacturer that I had never heard of, so I was asking myself if it was safe. At that time, I found a test video by Armando Ferreira, who is famous for his evaluation of equipment, and I was convinced to a certain extent by the clear and unpleasant images.
The black and white problem
At the time I decided to buy it, only the white one was in stock, but it was over $1000 more expensive than the standard one. Since my Komodo is a limited edition Stormtrooper version (with a white chassis), the white one would definitely be a better match. However, since my theme is "cheaper", I would like to choose the black one first, but it is not in stock. As I was staring at the schedule of the site where I wanted to use this lens, I thought that I would have no choice but to go with white, but then I received an e-mail about black stock, so I quickly clicked on it.
As for the black-and-white issue, I borrowed a white lens from the editorial department this time and actually tried it on, and I'm sure it looks great. However, even if the lens is black, the monitor, battery, handle, etc. that are attached to the camera are black, and they look just fine, so if you want to go for the "dude" look, go with white. Black is good enough for me (laughs). (laughs) Also, the zoom lens has a long housing, so the black one is probably better for the problem of reflection on glass.
What is your choice of mount?
Another point to consider when choosing the PictorZoom is that you can change the mount yourself. Normally, if you buy a camera with a PL mount, you will be limited to PL mount equipment. In other words, if you decide to go with a PL mount, you will have to settle for a PL-spec camera. The number of camera bodies that can be used with the lens side is limited, but the only camera bodies with PL mount are full-fledged cinema cameras, and their prices are in the not-so-cute range.
I always wish that the industry would unify the mounts. The issue of mounts is a serious one because cameras are always evolving and we want to be able to choose freely to some extent. Therefore, the ability to change the mount by oneself is very much appreciated, and I think it is a very high point.
Pictor comes with both PL and EF mounts, and the camera is initially delivered with the PL mount installed. Of course, if I wanted to use it for cinema, I would have chosen the PL mount, but since the KOMODO mount is RF, a PL mount adapter for RF would not solve the strength problem, so I chose to replace it with the EF mount, which is more versatile. So I decided to switch to the EF mount, which is more versatile. This allows me to use Canon's drop-in filter mount adapter, which is a great help in environments where I need to use ND. In any case, having fewer things to carry is an important factor in a one-operation environment.
However, to replace the mount, you need to calculate the exact flange back, which requires a device such as the DENZ Flange Depth Controller. Buying a controller for this purpose is not an easy task for an individual, so I decided to cut corners and use the SIM thickness as it was delivered. If you are a reader and want accuracy, it is best to ask a vendor to replace it.
