Two top zoom lenses for the RED Komodo digital cinema camera

Although we utilize prime lenses with our digital cinema cameras, we always have one or two zoom lenses on hand for use on some projects. For our RED Komodo 6K camera, I had the pleasure of testing several zooms and identified two that we really like. They are the Canon CN-E 15.5-47mm 2.8 L SP cine zoom and the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 photo zoom. Both are fully compatible with the Komodo and produce solid results.

We shot with the CN-E 15.5-47mm 2.8 L SP using the Canon RF-EF adapter supplied by RED. This lens is heavy enough that a support rig is required. Optical quality is good, electronic data passes through to the camera with the Canon RF-EF adapter, build is solid and ergonomics are professional. With the 1.33 Komodo S35 crop factor, this lens produces a 20mm - 62mm full-frame (FF) equivalent field of view (FOV).

The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 photo zoom doesn't offer the same ergonomics, of course. There are no focus gears, hard stops or true manual focus, but it is much lighter and more compact. And, because the lens is full-frame, we are using only the center cut of a premium lens with the Komodo S35 sensor, so optical quality is exceptional. This lens also features auto-focus (AF) and and image stabilization. The AF works surprisingly well with the Komodo, although we suspect it will work even better on Canon RF Mount cameras. The Canon RF 24-70mm offers a programmable control ring on the front of the lens which we used for manual aperture adjustment. This is a nice feature as it allows for quick exposure changes without having to access the Komodo menu for that. With the 1.33 Komodo S35 crop factor, this lens produces a 32mm - 93mm FF equivalent FOV.

About: Martin Lisius is a producer, director and cinematographer for Texas-based Prairie Pictures, Inc. and is the founder of StormStock, a footage collection featuring premium weather and climate content utilized for high-end TV and movie productions worldwide.