AF-100 setup - opinions needed before purchasing

[AdamLPhotography]

I've put together this setup:

Panasonic AF-100
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 45-175mm f/4.0-5.6 Zoom OIS Lens
Adaptimax Plus Nikon to micro 4/3 Lens Adapter
Cinevate Inc CI-RA-AS-000002 Universal Rails Block
SHAPE Lens Support
Ikan 15mm Pair of 12" Rods

I already have:

Opteka CXS-1 Video Shoulder Stabilizer Support System with CBW-1 Counterweight and CXSB-1 Shoulder Strap Belt (with an extra handle)
Manfrotto 577 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Mounting Plate (a number of these, one for tripod, other for crane, another for the Opteka support system)
Manfrotto 132XNB Heavy Duty Video Tripod
Manfrotto 501HDV Video Head
Varizoom Rock Style Zoom, Focus, Iris control
CobraCrane I w/Ext. Kit I
CCUSA HDMI-LCD7 Filmmaker Kit

What I'm looking to do is be pretty versatile. I plan on using the AF-100, Lumix 45-175mm, CobraCrane, tripod & head, LCD, Varizoom for shooting indoor combat martial arts events (I'd posted about this in another thread.) I'm hoping that the lens + AF-100 with the Varizoom gives me the control I need to zoom, focus, and control the iris from the bottom of the crane. The crane is needed to get over the head of the audience and the ropes of the ring.

The other thing I plan on doing is using the Nikon adapter plus a few different Nikon lenses I already own for short skits, how-to videos, etc. This is where the addition of the rail system and lens support to the existing Opteka come in for hand-held shots. I'll probably need to pick up a follow focus too, since I'm thinking that trying to focus using the ring on the lenses would be pretty awkward when hand-holding. I'd also use the tripod for shots where I don't have to move around. I'll probably need a matte box - even is it's one of the cheap ones that's more of a sunshade than a real matte box - just to keep lens flare down when working outside.

Anyway, before I commit to shelling out the dough for this, I'd like to get opinions. Does this sound reasonable for what I'd like to accomplish? Right now I have an HMC-150, and it does pretty well for the sports stuff, but I'd really like the best of both worlds where I can get shallow DOF and still be able to get good fight footage. I'll be trying to sell the HMC-150 to offset a bit of the cost of this setup, which is why I'd pick up the Lumix lens (Panasonic's site said this particular zoom lens can be controlled via the rear jacks on the AF-100.) Is there anything I'm overlooking, or pitfalls I should be aware of that would make what I'm trying to do impractical?

Oh, and another alternative that would avoid a move to the AF-100 would be to get a Redrock M3 and keep the HMC-150. If that sounds like a better solution I have no problems doing that either.

 

[jmarkham]

The MFT lenses don't support zoom control from the VariZoom (or any other controller) .. you'll need a secondary lens drive system (of
which Varizoom makes).

jeff

 

[Mike Harvey]

Adam, there is *ZERO* zoom control for any m4/3 lens. I forget where I read it (it was in another thread a while ago), but the 4/3 protocols don't allow for any sort of zoom control, so none of the 4/3 / m4/3 lenses have that option. There isn't even a zoom control port on the camera, just a focus/iris and a start/stop port. You can control the focus/iris aspects of the lens, but zoom control simply doesn't exist. The only way you're going to get any sort of servo zoom on an AF100 is to use a B4 mount 2/3" ENG zoom lens that is powered, and use the servo control on it. [EDIT] Or use a secondary drive system as Jeff mention. [/EDIT] But a zoom remote for one of those is significantly more expensive.

This is the biggest reason I kept my HMC150 instead of selling it to help pay for my AF100. There is simply no way to get a servo zoom at this point without using an adapted B4 2/3" lens. I honestly thing you would be better off to keep the HMC150 to mount on the crane.

 

[AdamLPhotography]

Wanted to report back in. I did end up purchasing an M3 for my HMC-150 and all the supporting gear for it, including counterbalance weights, etc. After attaching all the accessories, my setup weighed twenty five pounds!!! Needless to say the M3 is on its way back. I kept the rails, base plate, follow focus, shoulder support and a few other things.

I bought the AF100 instead. Why? Because it actually *does* have support for servo zoom control through a VariZoom. If you look on Panasonic's lens compatibility chart you'll see that there is support for controlling servo zoom via the S/S jacks on both the H-PS14042 and the H-PS45175 lenses. I ordered the H-PS45175, updated my AF100 firmware to 1.17 and updated the H-PS45175 to firmware 1.1. Plugged in my VariZoom, set camera lens detect to On, and away I went. Iris, focus AND zoom control!

So a happy ending, except for all the money I've burned through hehe. Hopefully others can get some use out of this. I'm basing this post entirely on the replies I received in this thread, but if people are unaware that they can control zoom in this manner, it's probably pretty invaluable information considering an alternative setup like a B4 2/3" lens and adapter is insanely expensive just to get servo zoom.

P.S. Anyone want to buy a very slightly used (less than 38 hours) HMC-150?