I had a chance to put this upgrade to the test at a wedding. Overall it performed exceptionally well but there are a few things to keep in mind when using it.
I tested the lens with a Sigma 18-35mm 1.8, Canon 70-200 2.8, and a Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro (non L).
I used the Sigma for the entire bridal prep and left it wide open for the most part. This is my favorite lens for this upgrade because it has the smoothest and most natural looking rack focus. The AF was very reliable for things like the bride putting on the dress and I was even able to use it for a sliding rack focus shot up close. Be aware the AF on this lens only works at 1.8.
I used the 70-200 for the ceremony and most of the reception. This lens worked almost too well with the AF upgrade because the lens focuses extremely fast. This has a much faster, but "snappier" AF than the Sigma 18-35. This is both good and bad because while it allows you to AF faster, it also means that anything that moves into/near the center frame will be focused on. I found myself using the lock AF feature almost every shot, especially during the ceremony where a shoulder would get near the center of the frame during an over the shoulder shot. Also, the AF tracked very well during the bride's entrance down the isle.
I also used this lens outside during the photo session and it tracked very well in bright sunlight. I was using both the c100's built in ND filters and a graduated ND filter for the sky. so I'm not sure how well the AF would have worked with a blown out sky. The lens was able to perform sliding shots and maintain focus easily.
The Canon 100mm macro was the least useful due to the trouble it has focusing with such a shallow DOF. The lens auto focused fine when using slow panning movements during a shot of the rings, but struggled when tracking a rolling ring moving towards the camera.
The upgrade worked fine in low light of up to 10000-12000 ISO but we were also lighting the reception with a Dedolight 150w that was about 13' up in the air. The AF worked just as well under these conditions using both the 18-35mm and the 70-200mm. I did not test the AF shooting into completely unlit areas with no light unfortunately.
Overall the upgrade is definitely worth the money from a wedding videographer's standpoint, and really takes a lot of stress away during the bridal prep and ceremony where every second counts. I will post some examples from the wedding in a couple of days for anyone curious as to how it worked.
I tested the lens with a Sigma 18-35mm 1.8, Canon 70-200 2.8, and a Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro (non L).
I used the Sigma for the entire bridal prep and left it wide open for the most part. This is my favorite lens for this upgrade because it has the smoothest and most natural looking rack focus. The AF was very reliable for things like the bride putting on the dress and I was even able to use it for a sliding rack focus shot up close. Be aware the AF on this lens only works at 1.8.
I used the 70-200 for the ceremony and most of the reception. This lens worked almost too well with the AF upgrade because the lens focuses extremely fast. This has a much faster, but "snappier" AF than the Sigma 18-35. This is both good and bad because while it allows you to AF faster, it also means that anything that moves into/near the center frame will be focused on. I found myself using the lock AF feature almost every shot, especially during the ceremony where a shoulder would get near the center of the frame during an over the shoulder shot. Also, the AF tracked very well during the bride's entrance down the isle.
I also used this lens outside during the photo session and it tracked very well in bright sunlight. I was using both the c100's built in ND filters and a graduated ND filter for the sky. so I'm not sure how well the AF would have worked with a blown out sky. The lens was able to perform sliding shots and maintain focus easily.
The Canon 100mm macro was the least useful due to the trouble it has focusing with such a shallow DOF. The lens auto focused fine when using slow panning movements during a shot of the rings, but struggled when tracking a rolling ring moving towards the camera.
The upgrade worked fine in low light of up to 10000-12000 ISO but we were also lighting the reception with a Dedolight 150w that was about 13' up in the air. The AF worked just as well under these conditions using both the 18-35mm and the 70-200mm. I did not test the AF shooting into completely unlit areas with no light unfortunately.
Overall the upgrade is definitely worth the money from a wedding videographer's standpoint, and really takes a lot of stress away during the bridal prep and ceremony where every second counts. I will post some examples from the wedding in a couple of days for anyone curious as to how it worked.
