Is there any lense with motorized zoom?

[True North]

Yes, Opteka and VidPro as well as Vivitar and a few other companies out there import a lot of strikingly similar products from OEMs in china. However they are not necessarily identical, as each company orders them built to their own specs options and modifications. For example, I once compared a simple merlin-clone stabilizer from different companies that all looked the same and were clearly being sourced from the same Chinese OEM. I found one of them had bubble levels to help balance as well as a smoother gimbal (I'm guessing that one was built to a higher quality standard) and the other one was kind of cheap in build quality.

I don't know how the VidPro version of rig above compares to the Opteka in the flesh, but I do know that the VidPro version added a spare battery, counter weight and flapped lens hood / shade (the picture above is the rig before I assembled all the pieces of it). You can see the whole kit on B&H's listing:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=943737&Q=&is=REG&A=details

The other versions of this rig that I've seen don't have those accessories. I'm not sure what else is different between them, but this is the one I'm familiar with at the moment.

I am most interested to hear how useful the VidPro unit is at managing smooth zooms on DSLR Lenses. Which lenses have you tried them on ? Also, how do you know that VidPro is planning on making an updated version?

There is definitely a difference in the accessory offerings between the various companies offering this product but I highly doubt there would be any differences in the operational abilities of these devices. It would cost more money to make them differently then it would be to keep them the same. I would imagine that the gimbal example you gave is more an example of poor QC than differences between vendors. I have had components that I have had to return from Chinese vendors and when I received the replacement parts I was amazed that they were from the same company as the quality in the replacement part was significantly better.

 

[M. Gilden]

I am most interested to hear how useful the VidPro unit is at managing smooth zooms on DSLR Lenses. Which lenses have you tried them on ? Also, how do you know that VidPro is planning on making an updated version?

I tried it with a GH2 and some Canon FD zooms (the 35-105mm), Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and a lumix kit zoom (which wasn't so exciting because of the aperture change down the barrel).
I'll be honest, it seemed to work better on lenses with "grippier" rings on the surface, but the same is true of follow focus gears that I've tried. And the lenses that extend during zoom were obviously useless for focus gear attachments as the belt slips off when it extends too far (another reason I'd use this only zoom and not for focusing). The Canon FD was pretty interesting though, as the lens does not extend.

Full disclosure: I know about the planned revision because an old coworker of mine now works for the company. We've kept in touch, and I asked about this product specifically because I found it interesting.

There is definitely a difference in the accessory offerings between the various companies offering this product but I highly doubt there would be any differences in the operational abilities of these devices. It would cost more money to make them differently then it would be to keep them the same. I would imagine that the gimbal example you gave is more an example of poor QC than differences between vendors. I have had components that I have had to return from Chinese vendors and when I received the replacement parts I was amazed that they were from the same company as the quality in the replacement part was significantly better.

Yes and no. I have a GY6 150cc scooter made in China, and there are several companies offering the same bike under various names. I've owned two of them, and I can tell you they are not all the same build quality despite being mostly identical and sourced from the same factories. The first one was built poorly, had hoses that crimped on themselves, "speed screws" that did a poor job holding plastic farings and sub-par spark plugs. After I played mechanic and sort of broke it, I did some research and found another company selling the same bike but with better quality parts, and little enhancements like a spring coil surrounding the hoses that were prone to crimping to avoid it happening again.
From what little I understand about Chinese OEMs, I think the importing company is in charge of QC and dictates what kinds of corners are acceptable to cut. I'm not saying this is the case for you, but it is possible that a Chinese company would choose to replace a part with a higher QC than the ones that went into the original equipment in order to avoid further replacement claims.

That being said, I don't know if VidPro's QC is better than Opteka. I do, however, know that VidPro chooses to bundle more things with it, which means they might be more interested in a better end product than the others.

 

[olof]

One thing to think about when zooming still lenses. Most are not parafocal. The focus shifts when zooming, this is a big difference in cinematic and ENG zoom lenses.

My Canon 70-200 f2.8 L changes quite a bit when zooming. My 24-70 less so but still it can mess you up as badly as a ENG lens with bad back focus.

I am just saying be aware and check focus as you zoom.

 

[MondoTV]

OK - I have this one from Camera Turret and it does ease in and ease out as well as giving you control over speed. It works exactly like a broadcast zoom an it is very smooth. With one exception - it is not completely silent. However it is fine in most situations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEWbW3CW6CA&noredirect=1
My copy which is both zoom and focus from a single controller is not designed to mount on a tripod but rather a jib arm but Lou from Camera Turret kindly made me up an adapter which works fine.

For smooth zooms unless you are really close to a very quiet interview situation it's great.It also contains an overall speed control as well as pressure sensitive spped and a reverse switch which is important for lenses that zoom in different directions.

Be aware that this DOES NOT work on the stock Sony lens - at least not my copy - the zoom by wire ring is so stiff that the clutch just slips on the controller - the clutch is there to give you smooth starts and stops which is exactly how a broadcast zoom works. This is the only lens I have which doesn't work.

As OLof mentions most still lenses are not parfocal - meaning focus changes as you zoom through. However my copy of the Minolta beercan 70 - 210 appears very close - I can't fault it.

I would not recommend the focus controller from Camera Turret - it is way to noisy for most broadcast operations even though it works quite well.

This one from DitoGear also looks good and comes as two axis controller. It is more expensive but it does advetise near silent operation

http://ditogear.com/products/lensdrive/
However it is a tad more expensive and I'm not sure how well the zoom controller works given that it also operates as a focus controller and really the paradigms are not the same - you want a focus controller to accurately find a place on the servo quickly while you want a zoom controller to ramp up and ramp down and a slipping clutch for smooth stops.

 

[True North]

OK - I have this one from Camera Turret and it does ease in and ease out as well as giving you control over speed. It works exactly like a broadcast zoom an it is very smooth. With one exception - it is not completely silent. However it is fine in most situations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEWbW3CW6CA&noredirect=1
My copy which is both zoom and focus from a single controller is not designed to mount on a tripod but rather a jib arm but Lou from Camera Turret kindly made me up an adapter which works fine.

For smooth zooms unless you are really close to a very quiet interview situation it's great.It also contains an overall speed control as well as pressure sensitive spped and a reverse switch which is important for lenses that zoom in different directions.

Be aware that this DOES NOT work on the stock Sony lens - at least not my copy - the zoom by wire ring is so stiff that the clutch just slips on the controller - the clutch is there to give you smooth starts and stops which is exactly how a broadcast zoom works. This is the only lens I have which doesn't work.

As OLof mentions most still lenses are not parfocal - meaning focus changes as you zoom through. However my copy of the Minolta beercan 70 - 210 appears very close - I can't fault it.

I would not recommend the focus controller from Camera Turret - it is way to noisy for most broadcast operations even though it works quite well.

This one from DitoGear also looks good and comes as two axis controller. It is more expensive but it does advetise near silent operation

http://ditogear.com/products/lensdrive/
However it is a tad more expensive and I'm not sure how well the zoom controller works given that it also operates as a focus controller and really the paradigms are not the same - you want a focus controller to accurately find a place on the servo quickly while you want a zoom controller to ramp up and ramp down and a slipping clutch for smooth stops.

That is some great stuff

So to summarize

If you can find a good parfocal zoom lens with constant aperture, it looks as if there are at least a couple of products that will allow you to have a viable motorized zoom alternative for a lot less than buying a fujinon style lens.

 

[M. Gilden]

That is some great stuff

So to summarize

If you can find a good parfocal zoom lens with constant aperture, it looks as if there are at least a couple of products that will allow you to have a viable motorized zoom alternative for a lot less than buying a fujinon style lens.

I'd say so. I'll admit though, I've shot outdoors with my 35-105 FD, which isn't technically parfocal, but as long as I'm in focus when its tight it appears to be in focus when I zoom out. At an aperture of f4 or smaller and zoomed out wide, the DOF is deep enough that it doesn't matter too much IMO. And if I do need to make micro adjustments to the focus, so be it. Sometimes, even a parfocal lens won't be at the right position when you zoom in if you set focus on wide (it could technically be within the deeper dof when wide but not exactly in the middle point, you may not be able to tell until you zoom in).

You do, however, need to at least find a lens that doesn't extend or move as you zoom, because that cause all kinds of other problems with focus gears and the like. I think most parfocal zooms also zoom internally so you should be golden if you find one.

 

[cuervo]

Took a look at the Ditogear stuff. Nice!! Even got to the point of pricing out a package. Then, they added over 23% sales tax. I guess that's what they do in Poland, but, there's no way I'm going to pay an additional 23%.

edit: I have been informed that the 23% tax is waived if your in the USA. I've ordered a single axis controller and drive. Let you know how it works.

 

[MondoTV]

Took a look at the Ditogear stuff. Nice!! Even got to the point of pricing out a package. Then, they added over 23% sales tax. I guess that's what they do in Poland, but, there's no way I'm going to pay an additional 23%.

Yeah - the Dito looks nice but I can't get a straight answer from their tech support. The controls definitely seem more aimed at focus and controlled movement than hand controlled zooms - there is no purpose built zoom controller. I think despite the little bit of noise I'd plump for Camera Turret - it works as you'd expect.

 

[MondoTV]

And btw - I read another post on another forum that claimed that all Minolta MD glass is parfocal but only with adapters that have the correct flange distance. Of course the Minolta beercan doesn't require adapter...

 

[MondoTV]

And btw - I read another post on another forum that claimed that all Minolta MD glass is parfocal but only with adapters that have the correct flange distance. Of course the Minolta beercan doesn't require adapter...

Sorry does require adapter - but I use the Sony LEA2 which maintains correct flange distance - autofocus is clunky