FS7: Sony FS7 with Sony 18-200mm Lens

Joshua Milligan

Joshua Milligan

Well-known member
Hey guys (or gals). I am wondering if you can help me sort out a dilemma. I just recently purchased a Sony FS7 and am using my Canon glass on it. I love the combo as it produces great images. One of my lenses though that I'm using a lot is a Canon 28-300mm 3.5-5.6 L on a MetaBones Speed Booster. With the SB, the lens gains an awesome stop of light, but man is it heavy! It weighs 3.67 lbs, plus whatever the SB weighs. With my Zacuto rig, my 28-300mm lens and mics, my camera weighs a whopping 16.5 lbs on my scale. That's a lot! I am mainly outdoors producing run and gun wildlife docs, so I need the wide range of this lens. I was doing some research today and came across the Sony 18-200mm 3.5-6.3 lens. On the FS7, this would equal 27-300mm, which is basically the same range as my Canon. It's got a built in servo that supposedly also works with the FS7's servo controls and it only weighs in at 1.43 lbs, which is 2.24 lbs less than my Canon and even more once you factor in that you don't need the SB either. This would help me cut my weight! And since it's a native lens to the FS7, autofocus should be halfway decent with it too. I was hoping to see if anyone has experience with this lens on the FS7. My Canon produces a wonderful image that's very sharp and detailed and the added stop of light with the SB is great. But is it worth that weight when I could have the Sony lens at half the cost and weight, plus gain zoom controls with the FS7 and maybe even some autofocus too? Thanks in advance for any help!
 
That's an awful lens for so many reasons and it would be terrible for wildlife shooting. Stay away from it or at least make sure you can return it if you decide to give it a try. It's physically impossible to manufacture a super35mm lens with that kind of zoom range at that price point and have it be any good. Impossible. If that lens was any good, Sony would have made it the kit lens.
 
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Only you can make that choice, it's all a compromise and you decide which side of the compromise you come down on in a particular situation, ultimate quality vs ultimate convenience...
 
Okay, I thought you were talking about this lens:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/732292-REG/Sony_SEL18200_DT_18_200mm_f_3_5_6_3_Zoom.html

Maybe the lens you're looking at is better, I don't know. But I will tell you that just based on the cost, zoom range, and speficifcations, it cannot be a good lens for professional use. But that's just my opinion -- I freely admit I have never tried that lens. My advice to make sure that you can return it, still holds.

You'd be much better off carrying 2 or 3 better lenses of different focal lengths or shorter zoom ranges than trying to find a one-size-fits all solution. Changing a lens takes 30 seconds at most and shouldn't present a stumbling block when getting quality images is a priority.
 
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Joshua Milligan said:
Doug, just to make sure we are talking about the same lens here, I am talking about the Sony E mount PZ 18-200mm 3.5-6.3 OSS for $1,200. How is that an awful lens? Here is the link to the one I'm talking about:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=913563&gclid=CjwKEAjwrOO3BRCX55-L9_WojHoSJAAPxcSPXVAqptvv3nNJhAVzi890yPE39jmbIX223-9_-gb2vRoCyaPw_wcB&is=REG&ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876%2C92051678642%2C&Q=&A=details
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It's a crap lens. It's optically the same as the 18200 that was the FS100 kit lens and it's a poor choice for the FS7. If you desire range, power zoom over image quality then that's your choice.
 
Thanks for your input guys. I do take other lenses with me. Currently I'm shooting with these: Canon 16-35mm 2.8L MK II, Canon 24-70 2.8L MK II, Canon 70-300 3.5-5.6L, Canon 70-200mm 2.8L MK II, Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L MK II, Canon 50mm 1.2L and the Canon 100mm 2.8L Macro. I also shoot night-lapses on a Rokinon 14mm 2.8 and a Rokinon 24mm 1.4. As you can see, I do value quality lenses! And I take all of these to my shoots. But for some shows I work with, they require me to run and gun with no lens changes for parts of the show, just trying to capture everything I can as fast as I can. This is what I've been trying to use the Canon 28-300mm for. But I just wrapped up my first shoot using this combo with the FS7 and it about killed me, which is why I'm looking to maybe replace that one particular lens with the much lighter Sony, if that makes sense.
 
Joshua Milligan said:
This is what I've been trying to use the Canon 28-300mm for. But I just wrapped up my first shoot using this combo with the FS7 and it about killed me, which is why I'm looking to maybe replace that one particular lens with the much lighter Sony, if that makes sense.
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I have the original non powered 18200 from the FS100 and I might use it with the FS7 in similar circumstances to yours. The problems with it are it is a slow lens and quickly stops down from 3.5 to 5.6 very quickly and the focus ring is a spongy as you can get and the focus will lag behind you too.

I bought a Sony 1670 F4 to replace the 18200, it's optically better, has a constant aperture and the focus feels more connected even though it is servo. It doesn't have the active steady shot but I don't think that's too much of an issue for the focal length of the lens. You may find it an option.

I wish Sony would produce a really decent 20-120 manual par focal OSS lens in E Mount as fast as possible (F4) but not at a ridiculous cost or weight, just junk the servo stuff and I'd be happy.

Edit.

Sony maybe about to announce a 18-105 PZ which I might be interested in.

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr2-sony-rumored-to-announce-a-new-18-105mm-pz-e-mount-cine-lens/
 
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