If you've been reading up on the Sony BURANO 8K Digital Cinema Camera, you've probably heard that it's the first camera to pair IBIS (in-body image stabilization) with PL-mount lenses. This is huge news for shooters who like to go handheld, as their favorite PL glass can suddenly be taken off the tripod without the dreaded micro-jitters and small wobbles that typically happen when people rely on their bodies to support heavy rigs. Add in high-quality, full-frame, and Super35 recording modes, as well as the fact that the BURANO's PL mount can be removed to reveal a locking Sony E-mount, and suddenly the camera's reputation for being a Swiss Army Knife starts to make a lot of sense. Today, we're going to take a look at some of the best and most popular lens options, sticking to great glass that's still relatively affordable (by cinema camera standards).
Versatile Zooms
Using the E-mount on the BURANO not only ups your IBIS from three to five-axis stabilization, it also unlocks Sony's game-changing autofocus system. Combine those features with a solid zoom range and what you get is a workhorse lens that's perfect for fast-paced corporate and music video shoots. The two standbys are indisputably the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II and the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II. These two lenses can cover virtually all of your bases, going from wide to telephoto and hitting every field of view in between without sacrificing on aperture. These G-Master lenses are sharp, snappy, and durable, making them perfect for field and studio work. Sigma sells its own versions of the 24-70 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for less money, though you may notice a hair more delay on autofocus and subject tracking. If you're considering even occasionally using autofocus, these lenses need to find a home in your BURANO kit.
If you're a fan of the GP-VR100 remote control handgrip and want to get some smooth zooms, you'll likely be picking up the Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 power zoom lens. You'll be able to control the focal length of this lens from the handgrip and get those smooth zoom-ins and zoom-outs you're used to seeing on reality TV or live event coverage. It's not as sharp as the G-Masters, and the f/4 aperture isn't ideal for low light, but you get more range than any of Sony's other current full-frame power zoom offerings. Some shooters might prefer the human touch of the manual zoom on the G-Masters, but if you venture onto almost any current reality television set or a high-profile televised event, expect to see a few 28-135mms on FX9s. In addition to Sony and Sigma, third-party manufacturers like Tamron and Venus Optics make some solid autofocus zoom lenses that won't break.
Clean Cine Lenses
Let's say you do want a classic high-budget look: sharp edges, accurate colors, beautiful skin tones, and smooth highlight roll-off. In that case, prime cine lenses are going to be the way to go. On the lower priced end of the spectrum, the NiSi ATHENA PRIME T1.9 cine lenses are an extremely popular choice. The Athena lenses have caught on due to their consistent color, relative lack of chromatic aberration and focus breathing, as well as their clean, customizable look. When it's so easy to add different styles and halation in editing or with filters on set, it's extremely sensible to start from a more neutral look. At T1.9, the Athenas are relatively fast and offer a consistent size and weight for easy swapping.
Stepping up from the Athenas, the ZEISS Nano Prime T1.5 cine lenses feature the same benefits but with an even greater consistency and sharpness, plus slightly more accurate skin tones and improved highlight roll-off. They're incredibly fast, lightweight, and well-built, with beautiful bokeh from a 12-blade rounded iris. Zeiss has been a major player in the cine lens space since the market first started and these Nano Prime lenses represent the company's best effort yet at solo operator lenses. Sure, the Nano Primes might look a little off on larger cameras like a Sony Venice or Arri Alexa, but they match up perfectly to the compact form factor of the BURANO and help achieve some of the best footage you're likely to see from the camera.
Stylized Cine Lenses
Now that so many commercials and corporate videos use super clean cine lenses, many cinematographers are embracing unconventional, idiosyncratic looks. Think exaggerated flares, swirly bokeh, warm color tones, and extra halation. If you're looking to dip your toes into these waters, the DZOFilm Arles Prime T1.4 cine lenses are a great mid-point between clean and quirky. Expect a bit more character than you'd see from a Zeiss, while still maintaining accurate color and minimal chromatic aberration even when used wide open. These lenses run a little larger and heavier than the other sets we're discussing, but that works well for scripted productions that are usually shot on sticks, dollies, sliders, and gimbals. They can still work well handheld when paired with additional tools like an Easyrig or gimbal. DZOFilm has become an industry favorite for affordable cine lenses and its VESPID Primes and Catta Ace Zooms are definitely worth a peek.
If you want to go all in on style and love the warmer, vintage feel of films shot in the 70s and 80s, check out the Cooke SP3 Prime T2.4 cine lenses. They're not cheap, and they're the slowest primes we've discussed thus far, but that's because they're built to match the historic Cooke Speed Panchro lenses used on many of your favorite indie and blockbuster films. There's something about the "Cooke Look" that's hard to put into words but understood throughout the film and TV industry. The way Cookes reproduce color is incredibly pleasing to the eye and can almost make footage feel more like a perfected memory, with creamy skin tones, subtle halation, soft bokeh, a slight swirl around the edges, and a near total lack of chromatic aberration. These are the lenses you use when you want to make your locations feel lived in and your subjects dynamic and relatable. The descriptor "painterly" can be a vague one, but the SP3s definitely give the BURANO a more analog, impressionistic quality.
Specialized Lenses
So you've checked the boxes on classic looks and focal lengths and now you're wondering what lenses can really make your work stand out in a crowded market. The most important thing to remember is that you want your specialty lenses to make sense for the story you're telling and the feeling you're trying to achieve. The Venus Optics Laowa 12mm Zero-D T2.9 cine lens can get you a wide field of view that's perfect for taking in large environments and making your subject look small in the frame, while the Venus Optics Laowa Pro2be 24mm T8 cine lenses are perfect for doing the exact opposite: going super macro and blowing up your subject to appear vastly larger than they really are. For your extreme wide shots and your extreme close-ups, these specialty Laowa lenses should hit all the right marks.
Other specialty lenses include anamorphic offerings, medium format glass, vintage optics, and more, but those will have to wait for another piece. All in all, there's no wrong lens to pair with the BURANO. Even if the lens has a different mount, there's a decent change you can find an E-mount converter to make magic happen. This extreme flexibility puts the onus on you to analyze each project, imagine what look will best fit, put together some mood boards, and decide what sort of lenses will help achieve that look while fitting into your budget. We're blessed with more great lenses than ever before, and the BURANO is a fantastic camera to pair with a staggering number of them.
For more information about the Sony BURANO 8K Digital Motion Picture Camera and its capabilities, be sure to check out the detailed product page. Or drop us a line below, and we'll do our best to reply to your comments and questions.
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