Compact, full-range, cinema zooms covering full frame sensors at an affordable price are rare. Could it be that the lens gods heard all our prayers? Let’s dive into our review of the Laowa Ranger 28-75mm and 75-180mm! As a documentary filmmaker shooting mostly on full-frame cameras, I am facing a constant battle: What is the best zoom to use to stay decently small with my kit, and still be able to cover the full zoom range that I need? Usually, the answer has been photo zooms: They are small and affordable. Some of the downsides are: hard to focus manually, no smooth zoom operation, and impossible to use with a follow focus – and often inconsistent in the look they deliver across the range of several lenses because that’s not a priority for photo lenses, as opposed to motion picture lenses. The emergence of affordable cinema zooms In the last few years, we have seen the emergence of more affordable cinema zoom lenses, but it’s been a much slower development than with affordable primes, simply because they are harder to make. Laowa Ranger zoom lenses. Image credit: CineD It’s important to point out, that many of these more affordable cinema zooms are made for Super35mm and not full-frame sensors. The reason for it is simple: It’s difficult to make a full-frame cinema zoom and keep the size, weight, and price down simultaneously. The obvious: Laowa Ranger specs In comes Laowa with their Ranger series and somehow they seem to have...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 12 January, 2024