CP2 Compact Primes on SI2K
 

Last night, there was a pickup shoot of an action scene involving two cameras. For the second camera a 50mm and 85mm were regarded as desirable but not in the kit of Super16mm lenses we had with us.

Fortunately, one of the crew had brought his own 50mm and 85mm CP2 compact primes for 35mm cameras "just in case they might be needed". As fortune would have it, I have a Canon IMS mount for the SI2K.

I had my doubts as to how they would perform wide-open. We were lit for T2 on the T1.3 lenses. The director wanted it to be lit for T1.3. There are practical limits to creative licence. My idea of "gritty" does not include horizontal noise bands across the image. So I became sneaky and deceitful and turned the HMI light up very slowly. No one noticed and images were saved.

As for how the CP2 lenses would cope wide-open? - O me of little faith -. Those lenses may be T2 at their widest but their performance at T2 is very, very honest and clean.

When considering that the SI2K is a Super16mm format sensor versus the 35mm format sensor the CP2 lenses are designed for, they were as sharp and clean as any other lenses I have used on the SI2K so far in such circumstances. I now would like to see how they do in better daylight conditions.

As I am on NDA I cannot provide frame grabs. I do recommend the 50mm and 85mm CP2 lenses.