Here’s a concise run‑through of what Luc Forsyth covers in “Testing $50 000 of Cinema Lenses to See What’s Worth It” (13 min):
What’s in the Box
Luc unboxes four different prime‑lens kits whose combined list price sits around $50 000. These range from boutique, high‑end cine primes down to more budget‑minded sets that still promise “cinema” quality.Test Setup
Chart & Real‑World Scenes: He shoots a standard resolution chart, then moves to practical footage (a wooded landscape at golden hour and a dim interior still life) to show both technical performance and character.
Same Camera & Settings: Every lens is mounted on the same camera body, shot at identical apertures, focal lengths, and ISO, so you’re comparing apples to apples.
Image Quality
Sharpness & Contrast: The premium set delivers the tiniest edge in corner sharpness and micro‑contrast, but only when pixel‑peeping. The mid‑tier primes hold up remarkably well, with almost indistinguishable detail in typical viewing.
Chromatic Aberration & Flare: Higher‑end optics control purple fringing and lens flare more aggressively; the cheaper lenses show more color fringing at high‑contrast edges and bloom when pointed into bright light, which can be a look in itself.
Bokeh & Focus Behavior
Out‑of‑Focus Rendering: All lenses give creamy background blur, but the smoothest “butter” bokeh comes from the pricier sets. Budget lenses produce a bit more onion‑ringing or mechanical artifacts.
Focus Breathing: The professional primes stay rock‑steady when racking focus, whereas the cheaper options exhibit noticeable focal‑length shift as you pull focus.
Build, Ergonomics & Practicality
He riffs on weight, barrel diameter, gearing placement, and how easily they integrate into run‑and‑gun rigs. The top‑tier lenses feel rock‑solid, the mid‑range are lightweight workhorses, and the budget set—while lighter—sometimes feels plasticky.
Value Verdict
Feature‑Film & Commercial Work: If your budget allows, the high‑end primes pay off in pixel‑perfect shoots and demanding VFX work.
Indie & Documentary Filmmaking: Mid‑tier cine primes (and even some well‑chosen budget lenses) deliver “good enough” to “excellent” imagery for a fraction of the cost—and most viewers wouldn’t spot the difference on a theater screen or online.
Bottom line: unless you’re shooting big‑budget cinema where every nuance counts, the sweet spot for price vs. performance lies in the mid‑range lens sets. Budget cine glass can be a great secondary kit or run‑and‑gun option—but for your primary lenses, Luc suggests you weigh the few percent of extra image quality against the many thousands of dollars saved.
