First Opinions, Critics and Doubts...

From Abel Cinetech


Sony F3 Mount Lenses

Finally, Sony will be releasing zoom lenses that will work on the camera’s F3 mount. Sony is working with a well known zoom lens manufacturer to make these servo drive lenses that cover the F3’s Super-35mm size sensor. This will be the first time we’ve seen a motorized lens like this. Here is an outline of the lenses coming in the future from Sony:

F3 Mount 18-270, F3.5-6.3 – Manual Focus and Zoom Only, Due Fall 2011, Price TBD


F3 Mount 18-270, F3.5-6.3 – Automatic Control, Due 2012, Price TBD

F3 Mount 17-50, F2.8 – Automatic Control, Due 2012, Price TBD
 
Mikungfu said:
All I'm saying is that in this day and age, there is nothing keeping cameras from having both choices, allowing different ways of working. Your example of sports is just one of many good examples where focusing manually is as pertinent and useful, as showing that you can. Imagine shooting football at ground level in manual focus... Very artistic but definitely a herculian effort in style, and totally overkill.
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Yes, but: Why do you want a camera then that allows you to shoot with rather small DOF in the first place? Don't you see an intrinsic contradiction to have on the one hand a big sensor camera that allows you to set the focus very sharply and exactly on a point of your choice - and having an automatic at the same time that most probably sets the focus to a point you do not want to set it.... or it sets to this point and changes to another and back because no automatic (apart from face recognition under certain circumstances) can make this decision for you.

Don't you see the danger that actually next to any automatic focus is more likely to ruin a shot for you than to really help you? How shall an automatic know that you want - to take your example - to set the focus to a football approaching you and not to the player, who kicked it? Or worse: What is if the automatic goes back and forth?

There is a reason pro's often work with focus pullers and it's not only because they have the money for it. To pull the focus is part of the story telling. So the film maker decides that - not an algorithm, not an automatic. And as this camera is very much a film makers & a story tellers tool I am sorry to say that most probably you will have to get acquainted with and equipped for that. Or you may have the wrong camera.
 
Veering off the zoom lens/autofocus issue for a minute.... The biggest AF 100 bummer for me is the power switch, otherwise i'm pretty happy . The power switch makes it so dang hard to turn on and off , especially while wearing gloves.
 
Bucknfl said:
From Abel Cinetech


Sony F3 Mount Lenses

Finally, Sony will be releasing zoom lenses that will work on the camera’s F3 mount. Sony is working with a well known zoom lens manufacturer to make these servo drive lenses that cover the F3’s Super-35mm size sensor. This will be the first time we’ve seen a motorized lens like this. Here is an outline of the lenses coming in the future from Sony:

F3 Mount 18-270, F3.5-6.3 – Manual Focus and Zoom Only, Due Fall 2011, Price TBD


F3 Mount 18-270, F3.5-6.3 – Automatic Control, Due 2012, Price TBD

F3 Mount 17-50, F2.8 – Automatic Control, Due 2012, Price TBD
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Waiting for pricing… and the 2012 delivery date.

I'm sure that Sony will do an excellent job of delivering quality for price point - BUT - another *%$&(*& proprietary mount! Why can't the manufacturers just put a neutral (say PL) mount on this new breed of cine-video cams?

I know the answer; it was rhetorical, but really?
 
Mark Smith said:
Veering off the zoom lens/autofocus issue for a minute.... The biggest AF 100 bummer for me is the power switch, otherwise i'm pretty happy . The power switch makes it so dang hard to turn on and off , especially while wearing gloves.
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You're at a party and you notice more than a few of the more creative looking types has a single long fingernail. Flashback to the '70's? Nope. AF100 freaks.
 
Mark Smith said:
Veering off the zoom lens/autofocus issue for a minute.... The biggest AF 100 bummer for me is the power switch, otherwise i'm pretty happy . The power switch makes it so dang hard to turn on and off , especially while wearing gloves.
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Hi,

I know that it is a bit of a pain but think about it if it wasn't a pain. You're in the middle of recording and your fingers inadvertently hits the on/off switch, and not only is the clip ruined, but you may have to figure out whether you can repair the clip or do you just pull the card and then sort it out later or??? It is by intention that it is hard to turn off.

Be happy about it.

Best,

Jan
 
olof said:
Full size video cameras that I have owned with interchangeable lenses have never had auto focus. It was only with the introduction of smaller mid size cams with built in lenses that "pro" (really prosumer, I hate these labels, but they kind of apply) cameras started to include auto focus.

I personally never use auto focus on any video camera, I like to know exactly what the camera is doing. I never use auto iris either. I believe this is the best most professional way to work. I have done so since the 70's. Now on still cameras I do use auto focus a lot, but there it really works because you only shoot 1 shot.

I have seen many shots ruined because something moved, even a bird flying through a shot and the cam changes focus. The same with auto iris, something light or dark enters the scene and the iris hunts, very ugly.

I think the best policy is to learn how to focus and control the iris by hand, not rely on the camera to do it for you. This is only my opinion, but quite a few pros will agree with this as well.

I am not saying you are not a pro if you use auto something. But if you like being in control and if you want to improve your shooting, work on mastering these skills, it soon becomes second nature. I know some very pro shooters that like to use auto focus on long shots in sports and I don't want to start a debate here with them. I am just expressing my opinion.
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:thumbsup:
 
Jan_Crittenden said:
Hi,

I know that it is a bit of a pain but think about it if it wasn't a pain. You're in the middle of recording and your fingers inadvertently hits the on/off switch, and not only is the clip ruined, but you may have to figure out whether you can repair the clip or do you just pull the card and then sort it out later or??? It is by intention that it is hard to turn off.

Be happy about it.

Best,

Jan
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Rumours are that the AF200 will have mindLINK®© control: Think and will turn on/off, focus, zoom, iris control etc.

Estimated street price of the body will be U.S. $3,990.00 Pre-orders in Nov 2012 - complaints about delayed delivery in Jan 2013.
 
Bucknfl said:
From Abel Cinetech


Sony F3 Mount Lenses

Finally, Sony will be releasing zoom lenses that will work on the camera’s F3 mount. Sony is working with a well known zoom lens manufacturer to make these servo drive lenses that cover the F3’s Super-35mm size sensor. This will be the first time we’ve seen a motorized lens like this. Here is an outline of the lenses coming in the future from Sony:

F3 Mount 18-270, F3.5-6.3 – Manual Focus and Zoom Only, Due Fall 2011, Price TBD


F3 Mount 18-270, F3.5-6.3 – Automatic Control, Due 2012, Price TBD

F3 Mount 17-50, F2.8 – Automatic Control, Due 2012, Price TBD
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WHY would any body release ZOOMS having NO constant T-Stop.
I think Japanese are loosing the plot here.
 
heavyG said:
Most likely to reach a price point.
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Then find another job where one can make money. Totally Unusable...full stop. Spent $25,000 on 2 HD lenses 3 years ago. Glass is so important.
How is Your RED zooms anyway?
 
avro said:
Then find another job where one can make money. Totally Unusable...full stop. Spent $25,000 on 2 HD lenses 3 years ago. Glass is so important.
How is Your RED zooms anyway?
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I agree with you completely… Others won't, and they seem to undercut me on job bids every week.

The DigiOptics (nee RED) zooms are sitting here in the studio patiently waiting for the 2 AF100's to arrive… So I haven't used them on anything yet, but they feel nice.
 
heavyG said:
I agree with you completely… Others won't, and they seem to undercut me on job bids every week.

The DigiOptics (nee RED) zooms are sitting here in the studio patiently waiting for the 2 AF100's to arrive… So I haven't used them on anything yet, but they feel nice.
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Lucky B.......
Bought 2 good zooms for less then 1/2 price NEW!!!!!!!!!!
Thats the way to go.
 
If your $25000 lens is ENG-style B4 mount for a 2/3" chip and has a doubler in it then you can totally use it with the AF100. Others are doing it right now and guys are building boxes to power their zooms too.
 
paulmeyer said:
If your $25000 lens is ENG-style B4 mount for a 2/3" chip and has a doubler in it then you can totally use it with the AF100. Others are doing it right now and guys are building boxes to power their zooms too.
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......not a good idea to use doubler,picture is softer....just buy PL lenses.
 
avro said:
......not a good idea to use doubler,picture is softer....just buy PL lenses.
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Yeah - what's the problem with that? I've seen AF footage with a doubler and B4 lens, and guess what? It looked gorgeous! Not for every job, but it odes provide a look that I'd be happy to use on some projects.
Sometimes the picture is soooo sharp it hurts my eyes and looks like, well it looks like video.
 
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