Which DZO lenses suit the Sony FX6, FX3 and RED Komodo? Coverage, Super 35 modes, PL and EF adapters, and our picks from the DZO glass we hire in London.
The Sony FX6, Sony FX3 and RED Komodo 6K are three of the most-hired cameras on our shelf, and DZO glass is one of the most popular ways to give them a proper cinema look without a cinema-lens budget. But the three cameras have different sensors and different mounts, so the right DZO lens isn't the same for each. Here's how we'd match them, using only the DZO lenses we actually hire from our counter in Stoke Newington, N16.
Coverage. The FX6 and FX3 have full-frame sensors. The Komodo has a Super 35 sensor (27.03 x 14.26mm). A Super 35 lens on a full-frame sensor will vignette unless you switch the camera to its Super 35 crop mode. A full-frame lens works on any of them.
Mount. The Sony bodies are E-mount; the Komodo is RF. Our DZO sets come in PL or EF (the Arcana and X-Tract are PL only), so you'll need an adapter, and we stock the ones you need:
The FX6 is a documentary and interview workhorse, so think about how often you'll change lenses. Our picks:
The FX3 lives on gimbals, car rigs and handheld builds, so weight matters as much as the look.
The FX3 has no internal ND. The Catta Ace and Arcana both take 77mm filters, so a Tiffen 77mm variable ND screws straight on.
The Komodo has a Super 35 sensor, so DZO's Super 35 lenses are a natural fit with no crop mode needed:
Full-frame DZO lenses work on the Komodo too. You just get a tighter field of view, so a 35mm Arles frames more like a 50mm would on full frame.
Every set is on our DZO lens hire page, and our guide to which DZO lens to hire compares the lines in more detail. Add the adapter to your order and tell us your camera, and we'll check everything fits before you collect from Unit H1, 2 Leswin Place, London N16 7NJ (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm). First hire? Please register a production account first.
Yes. Both are E-mount, so add our PL to E-mount adapter or a Metabones EF to E adapter, depending on which mount you hire the lenses in.
The Arles, Arles Lustre and Catta Ace (46.5mm image circle) and the Arcana (43.3mm). The Super 35 Pictor, Tango and Pavo need the FX6's Super 35 mode.
The Komodo has an RF mount. Our Komodo kit includes an EF to RF adapter, and we stock a PL to RF adapter for PL lenses.
The Super 35 lines are a natural fit: Pictor zooms for value, Pavo 2x for anamorphic and Tango for long-lens work. Full-frame DZO lenses work too, with a tighter field of view.
The Arcana 1.5x. It covers full frame and weighs about 700g per lens, so it balances far more easily than heavier anamorphics.
The FX6 has built-in variable ND. The FX3 doesn't, so add a Tiffen variable ND: the Catta Ace and Arcana take 77mm filters.