Weird Quirk using VARIZOOM STEALTH PZFI & LUMIX 14-140

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daveduffus

New member
I'd appreciate confirmation whether anyone else is experiencing this:


I recently bought a VZSTEALTHPZFI for my Panasonic AF102 with Lumix 14-140 lens. When I'm zoomed completely wide or anywhere up to Z00 - Z44 I get the full range from 00-99 of focus but when Zoomed in anywhere from Z45-Z99 I can only focus as far as 00-90. No infinity!


Is this a technical limitation or bug with the AF100 camera or might I have a faulty controller?


Cheers!
 
It's something weird with the range of the intervalometers used on the controller, in that they werent' specifically designed for the AF. I have an older Varizoom model that focuses fine, but won't open the iris fully (eg, 20/1.7 only opens to 1.9 and so forth)
 
Thanks mcbob,

I noticed the iris issue on my 20/1.7 too.

I bought a Manfrotto 521PFi this morning.
It doesn't have the infinity focus issues but it also won't allow the iris to open completely (only to 2.4 on the 20/1.7 & only to 5.3 [instead of 4.0] when wide on the 14-140). Fortunately in most applications where I'd use a focus controller I don't want the depth of field to be that shallow anyway.

I hope someone ends up making one specifically for the AF100/Lumix lenses.
 
This has been a problem for me for a long time...the Panasonic remote interface has always been a bit problematic. Or, rather, the different cameras all seem to have slightly different tolerances that make the remotes work differently... or not as well with some cameras.

On my original DVX, all the controllers worked fine; and I think this is where the original zoom spec comes from. On later cameras, I've found that the zoom in/zoom out speed is often lopsided (i.e., can't get the fastest zoom speed on zooms in, and hard to get a slow zoom speed on zooms out). On some cameras, there seems to be a shift in the "dead zone" when you're not trying to zoom, such that after a zoom in, the camera starts zooming out when you let go of the controller. Very ugly.

I much prefer a digital protocol like LANC which is not subject to fine variations in measurements of resistance that may vary across cameras and perhaps power sources.....
 
Identical issue with my AF100, PZFI, and 14-140 lens. Could be camera, lens or firmware?. Don't have the issue using that controller with my HMC150.

JD
 
I have a Manfrotto 521PFI and on the AF100 it covers the entire iris and focus ranges on the following lenses:

Olympus 9-18mm f4-5.6 legacy FT
Olympus 14-35mm f2.0 legacy FT
Olympus 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 micro FT
Olympus 25mm f2.8 legacy FT
Panasonic 25mm f1.4 legacy FT
Panasonic 45-175mm f4-5.6 micro FT
Panasonic 45-200mm f4-5.6 micro FT

On the following lenses, remote iris control works, but remote focus doesn't work at all:

Panasonic 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 legacy FT
Sigma 30mm f1.4 legacy FT
Sigma 50mm f1.4 legacy FT

I'd be interested to hear of others' experience with 521PFI compatibility on the AF100.
 
I had the same issue using the BeBob FOXI when I first acquired my AF-100 but it has adjustment screws which are accesible so we were able to calibrate it to the camera.
 
iris issue easy to go over - u can cut 1 of the cables, of course u dont want to do it....., but then u can use any audio cable instead of original one. it works for manfrotto
 
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