Review: Why You Can’t Ignore the DZO Vespid Cinema Lenses

We now live and work in an industry where the gap between ultra high-end and budget friendly camera equipment continues to close. Today we’re going to take a look at one of the most popular set of budget friendly prime lenses on the market…the DZO FILM Vespid Cine Lens.

Overview & Basic Specs

The Vespid cinema lenses are a full set of primes that cover a 46.5mm image circle…that’s beyond full frame sensor coverage. These lenses do in fact cover Vista Vision…and although they’re made for a large format sensor, the optical performance is unaffected when shooting on a smaller sensor.

Available in multiple sets up to 10 lenses, the DZO Vespid lineup finally provides us with a budget conscious option that is capable of hanging with the big name cinema lenses. The set DZO sent me to test consisted of the 25, 35, 50, 75, 100 and 125mm lenses in PL mount.

Fleshing out the rest of the Vespid lineup is a 16, 21, 40 and 90mm Macro, making the Vespids an amazing option for anyone wanting either a full range of focal lengths, or the ability to mix and match lenses that suit their shooting style.

The Vespids aren’t the fastest cinema primes out there, with a T-Stop of 2.1 across the set…with the 16mm being the exception at T2.8. I think that this is a compromise that you have to make when spending your money on a budget-friendly set of lenses.

Character - What do these lenses look like?

The glass you put in front of your camera is one of the most important stylistic choices you can make long before you hit the record button…and in the case of the DZO Vespid Cinema Lens set, you’re going to get what I consider to be a more neutral look across the set.

This makes the lenses a versatile option for different projects, whether commercials, interviews, documentaries or narrative projects.

Bokeh shape and character is a personal preference of the DP and while some projects are more suitable to a more consistently rendered bokeh than others, I find myself leaning towards a more in inconsistent and even retro look for my projects. The bokeh that the Vespid lenses render are inconsistent, but still pleasing.

When shooting wide open, the bokeh starts to cats-eye towards the outer edges of the frame. I feel that it adds character and interest to shot but some people might consider this a flaw. Luckily, the cutting is eliminated once you stop down to around T3.2.

For more examples of the Bokeh on the DZOFILM Vespid lenses, check out my YouTube video.

Flaring is a wildcard with the Vespids. Depending on the focal length, you can expect unpredictable flaring that can obliterate contrast across most of the frame when light hits the lens. I’d almost consider the flaring to provide a soft, dreamy and almost vintage like character to the shots but for those who want controlled flaring, the Vespids may not be for you.

The flaring on the Vespid Cinema Lenses can be inconsistent at times but still pleasing.

Across the set, the Vespids share a softer look than most contemporary cinema lenses, but not necessarily in a bad way. The softer look can be a good way to knock some of the digital edge off of a mirrorless camera sensor but still pair nicely with a more filmic look from a cinema camera like the RED Komodo.

Sharpness on these lenses tends to fall off towards the edges of the frame, which is just another small compromise you have to deal with if you’re looking for an ultra sharp lens.

The Vespid lenses sharpness falls off on the outer edges but feel like a middle-ground of “soft” and “sharp”.

So when it comes to the look of the footage you can expect to achieve when using the Vespid cinema lenses, I feel that they’re a very suitable and versatile set of primes that you can use on a range of different types of work.

The neutral look is in my opinion a great starting point, and as with any contemporary lens, if you want to dirty these lenses up and knock a bit of the sharpness off, you can of course experiment with diffusion filters.

This all depends on the look you’re trying to achieve for your project, which is ultimately your job as a filmmaker, and even moreso as a DP or a Director.

Experience - Whats It Like Shooting On These Lenses?

If we were to split filmmaking into three categories, pre-production, production, and post-production….1/3 of our job pertains to USING the gear, and I think it’s important that at least on this channel…that we talk about what it’s like actually using the product…let’s call it “the product experience.”

Based on the work I do…the way a lens is operated makes a big difference in my shooting experience.

In the case of pulling focus on the Vespids, I found that the manual 270 degree focus throw and smaller sized barrel made it very easy to pull focus on my own by hand. I’ve said it before on the channel, I find that solo op work…a cinema lens with a 270 degree focus throw is the sweet spot.

The same can be said for the iris ring. I don’t often do iris pulls during shots…but the throw is smooth and consistent across the entire set.

When it comes to shooting, often handheld or on a shoulder rig, it can be nice to use a set of primes that are small and lightweight. The Vespids are certainly a winner in that category. The overall size and weight of the Vespids make for a good option if you want to keep things lightweight and compact.

The DZOFILM Vespids are very well-built lenses with an all-metal construction.

When I had these lenses in my studio, I was excited to shoot on them each and every time. Their lightweight and compact design was a welcome change from the heavier high-end cinema lenses I’ve been using over the past few years, and while the Vespids may not match those lenses when it comes to optical performance, the Vespids made up for it in other departments.

Final Conclusion - Who Are These Lenses For?

For the indie filmmaker, hobbyist or small production company, the DZOFILM Vespid cinema lenses can be a great stepping stone to higher end lenses, but they don’t stop there. With the Vespid primes, DZO has created something well worth considering for long term use.

If you’re looking for a value-based set of large format cinema lenses, the Vespids might be the right choice for you.

Based on their value, versatility, size and weight, the Vespids outperform every other budget lens I’ve had the opportunity to shoot on. Even with their compromises, the Vespids value can’t be ignored. If you’d like to purchase the DZOFILM Vespid Cinema Lenses, you can click my affiliate link.