FS7: FS7 Lenses

Lenilenapi said:
tamron 24-70. very good glass and all important it is the only 24-70 with IS. unfortunately it focuses in reverse direction.
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+1 on that. I LOVE this lense, and since the crop mode, I'm able to use it for 80-90% of my run n gun doc shooting. Sharp as hell, with a strong IS, and pretty sturdy to boot. It was dropped once when a producer picked up my open backpack (grrrrrr), and an internal plastic piece was dislodged, but I was able to surgery on location that night with only a small screwdriver. Have tested extensively with focus charts at all focal lengths and it's still tack-sharp. NICE TO KNOW. :-)

I got over the reverse-focus thing fairly quickly, especially as I use a FF for almost all my handheld shooting.

Definitely recommend it. :-)

jason
 
Chadfish said:
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Yeah, that's crazy! I saw that video before I bought mine. If I do that with my copy, it will completely lose focus. Not even by a little, but so much it needs a large adjustment. I'm sending mine back and going to try another one. Ugh. I wonder how many lenses it'll take...
 
Chadfish said:
Maybe you need to attach the USB dock and adjust the backfocus?
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Would the USB Dock help? I just did a test trying to focus on a piece of paper 8 feet ahead. When zoomed in at 105mm, the focus ring is set to 8 feet and in focus. BUT, when at 24mm, the focus ring needs to be at 4 feet to be in focus! The focus ring doesn't move at all while zooming, and I am consistently getting the same results. So does the USB dock provide for a way to adjust this?
 
David Kudell said:
Would the USB Dock help? I just did a test trying to focus on a piece of paper 8 feet ahead. When zoomed in at 105mm, the focus ring is set to 8 feet and in focus. BUT, when at 24mm, the focus ring needs to be at 4 feet to be in focus! The focus ring doesn't move at all while zooming, and I am consistently getting the same results. So does the USB dock provide for a way to adjust this?
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I don't know enough about the subject because I've never had to deal with it, but I believe this USB dock is designed to help to adjust the back focus in Sigma lenses. I can't say if adjusting back focus would fix the par-focal issue you have, but at least it's a possibility to research further.

http://www.sigma-global.com/download/en/usb_dock_tutorial/
 
Chadfish said:
I don't know enough about the subject because I've never had to deal with it, but I believe this USB dock is designed to help to adjust the back focus in Sigma lenses. I can't say if adjusting back focus would fix the par-focal issue you have, but at least it's a possibility to research further.

http://www.sigma-global.com/download/en/usb_dock_tutorial/
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Thanks, after reading and watching some videos, it looks like the adjustment is only for autofocus, and it doesn't actually affect the physical mechanism of the lens in any way that is the cause of my issue. I'm going to get another copy and compare.
 
Chadfish said:
You asked for it...

I strongly encourage you to just bite the bullet and get the SpeedBooster Ultra. It makes everything a bit wider to the point the lenses are at the most usable focal lengths. You usually need wider shots when shooting people or indoors. That Ultra gives you a much needed extra stop of light too as you know. Don't cheap out on something that is the bottlneck of every image that flows through your camera. You will eventually replace your camera and keep all your glass. If you can't afford it, wait and save. I say get the Ultra for Canon mount because not only are Canon lenses all available, but many other companies do canon mounts. You want lighter stuff with IS? Try the canon 16-35 f4 with IS. Try the canon 24-105 f/4 with IS, or the sharper Sigma version. But the sigma is a half pound heavier.
Cheers.
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Yeah, Chad - I did ask for it...

All your arguments are valid - except that for the tripod shooting outdoors in good light, I already have quite a good lens, actually - the kit 28-135 one. What I need right away is something lightweight, wide and fast enough for hand-held and/or indoors shooting mainly... And yes, I'm on a budget at the moment - so while I appreciate the advantages of say Canon 16-35 F4 with Speed Booster, I guess I'll have to wait and save for it. Here in Poland, the Sigma 17-50 F2.8 with Commlite is 3-4x less expensive and I could buy it NOW. F2.8 would be fine for the time being, and 17mm becoming 25.5mm at the wide end is much wider than the 42mm of the kit lens (in stills 35mm terms). It's even wider than what I'm used to - the 31-ish mm of the EX1's lens, so I guess it would suffice for the time I need to save for a good Full Frame lens with Speed Booster. What do you think?

Piotr

PS. Just some more questions:

1. Is the name "Metabones Speed Booster Ultra" enough when sourcing it, or have there been any hardware changes recently? My supplier is unable to assure me he's offering the model which - on Metabones site - is current:

http://www.metabones.com/products/details/MB_SPEF-E-BT2 , whose name under the Products section is Canon EF Lens to Sony E Mount T Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x (what does the "T" stand for)?

2. When matching the SpeedBooster with well over 600g Canon 16-35 F4.0L, will the combo require support on this flexy e-mount of the FS7?
 
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Does the Tokina have Image Stabilization? All the lenses I offered have IS, which is what you want. IMO the lenses you mention, and I mention, aren't wide enough without the .71 crop of the Ultra. That's why I think it's important. If IS isn't absolutely necessary, then look at the Samyang 14mm Prime. Great wide lens for a great price.
 
Chad, I confused the name of the cheap 17-50 F2.8 lens I consider buying first before I go with the more expensive one and Speed Booster - it's the Sigma not Tokina, and yes it does have IS. And as I mentioned, it will give me 25.5mm at wide end with simple Commlite, which is not bad compared to the 42mm of my kit lens. Of course 16mm of the 16-35 F4.0L would be even better, but this Canon with Speed Booster are not only 3.5x more expensive but also heavier... That said, I haven't made my final decision now - the reason being that if I start with the Sigma / Commlite, I will eventually buy the 16-35 Canon on Speed Booster as well so the total spending will be higher, anyway :). While if I stretch my finances now and buy the latter right now, I hope I will never look back at the Sigma/Commlite...

How about my other questions I put in the PS of my previous post? Cheers
Piotr
 
I don't know if your supplier's Speedbooster Ultra is the latest model. I don't know what T stands for. As for the weight causing strain on the E mount - no, it will be fine. I only use lens support with my huge Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS. I don't need it for my 2 pound Sigma 24-105,

Keep in mind if you buy the Sigma 17-50 F2.8, that it is an APS-C lens, so you won't be able to use it with the Ultra because of vignetting. That's why I'm buying all Full Frame Lenses. You can use those on APS-C size, but not the other way around.
 
Chadfish said:
Keep in mind if you buy the Sigma 17-50 F2.8, that it is an APS-C lens, so you won't be able to use it with the Ultra because of vignetting. That's why I'm buying all Full Frame Lenses. You can use those on APS-C size, but not the other way around.
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Oh yes - I'm aware of that; if I decide on the cheaper Sigma 17-50 it will be with the (also cheap) Commlite adapter. BTW, this combo is nowhere confirmed to fully work together 100% well, which is another reason I'll probably go with the Canon 16-35 and Speed Booster, after all :) - on the Metabones own web page compatibility chart, this lens is mentioned as fully compatible (well - apart from slow to unusable AF, but that's the problem with all other lenses and Speed Booster on cameras with contrast-detection autofocus system; so on the A7s II which is phase-detection equipped it would work fine - but not on the FS7).

Piotr

PS I have another question for those who know: some FF lenses show vignetting on FF sensors, but not on smaller ones - so in theory they shouldn't suffer from it on the FS7. However, how do they behave in this regard when Speed Booster is used? Will they vignette as if they were on a FF sensor?
 
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moldcad said:
PS I have another question for those who know: some FF lenses show vignetting on FF sensors, but not on smaller ones - so in theory they shouldn't suffer from it on the FS7. However, how do they behave in this regard when Speed Booster is used? Will they vignette as if they were on a FF sensor?
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Yes, they will give a very similar appearance (although probably with a *slightly* reduced vignetting due to the FS-7 sensor being *slightly* smaller than true S-35 proportions (AFAIK). Most decent FF lenses don't vignette much though, with the possible exception of some of the silly-wides (sub, say 16mm).

Ultimately you get what you pay for with lenses, and a lens with completely equal light-transmission from corner-to-corner is likely to cost a few bob... ;-) The Canon 16-35 performs fairly well in this regard (or at least my copy does).

-jason
 
I believe the speed booster doesn't add any more vignetting than already exists on lenses. Many lenses, even expensive ones have some vignetting wide open, then it goes away as you stop down a little.
 
OK - I've made a decision, and will be buying the Canon EF 16-35 F4.0L with Speed Booster!

Just out of curiosity: when browsing Metabones site, I found this: www.metabones.com/products/details/MB_SPFD-E-BM2
This is a Canon FD to E-mount adapter, but for FD lenses. Now, I have a couple of nice vintage FD lenses (17mm F3.5, super-sharp 50mm F1.4, and parfocal 35-105mm F3.5 zoom). But being very old, they are all-manual, with aperture ring etc. and no electrical connectors. However, in the adapter description on that page, it reads:

"True electronic integration of aperture diaphragm - let camera automatically choose aperture in P or S exposure modes, or dial in yourself on the camera body in A or M modes.
EXIF data such as lens identification, focal length and aperture."

My question is: are there FD mount Canon lenses with aperture controlled electronically from the camera (which the above would suggest), and my mechanical stills lenses will not fit - or is the above excerpt from Metabones site just a general description of their Speed Booster line capabilities? On the said adapter photos, I can't see any electrical connections which would suggest my vintage FD lenses would be compatible - with all manual controls, but 1 stop faster and 0.7x wider. Which would be nice!

Can anyone confirm? TIA

Piotr
 
I went through three copies of the Sigma 24-105mm, and non of them were remotely par focal. My Canon 24-105mm is par focal, but is shows the partial loss off light at the far end. I also own the Sigma 17-50mm OSS, and it is par focal and the OSS works.

Andrew
 
I don't believe the Canon 24-105 is parfocal. I've done some googling and people say it isn't. Also apparently even the Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM isn't parfocal. What what I find people say that parfocality is dependent on things like temperature, and thus cannot be relied upon except in lenses that have adjustable backfocus distance in the field so they can be calibrated for the conditions of the day.
 
Very few stills zooms are truly parfocal. If you get one that is there's as much a chance it is down to luck as anything else.
 
With video, focus tends to be a constant thing anyway. We don't have to zoom in to get focus when we have a 400x / 800x punch in focus assist. Anyway, my Sigma 24-105 is parfocal when I use it so far.
 
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