FS7: What is your best lens with your FS7

Actually, no MLUT with lens correction ON isn't a bug-- it is documented as far back as the 1.10 firmware update printed manual.

I would far prefer the 18-105 as a run-and-gun lens to the Canon 24-105.

And Juan did indeed to "stay tuned" regarding future lens development.

Ned
 
nsoltz said:
I would far prefer the 18-105 as a run-and-gun lens to the Canon 24-105.

And Juan did indeed to "stay tuned" regarding future lens development.
Click to expand...

As long as you work within the limitations of the 18-105 it is a good lens for run & gun. The most versatile on a Sony e-mount camera.
 
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And then there's the Sony SELP18200 (18-200 PZ) for run and gun....

I'm looking at those 3 zooms (Sony 18-105, Canon 24-105, and Sony 18-200 PZ) as good candidates for run 'n' gun / no time to swap lenses outdoor daylight work horses. The 24-70 f/2.8 seems like something that would stay on the camera a lot, although of course it trades zoom range for a wide aperture; but it could be used indoors / in lower light, as well as in daylight. In the 24-70 f/2.8, lots of folks say get the Canon, but the Tamron has IS, unlike the Canon, and costs $600 less. This is one of the things I'd like to get my hands on to try out before choosing.

Ned, as someone who has the 18-105, would you favor it or the 18-200 for shooting events, like, say, a wedding or large outdoor feast?

Thanks,
S.
 
All of those lenses are great on paper - but you can't focus them with any finesse. Which makes them completely utterly useless for motion picture recording.

btw I own them and use my 1985 nikkor while they gather dust
 
If you're shooting events, get the Sony 28-135 lens. I shoot news and doc and it almost never comes off my FS7. If I have to shoot interiors I'll put on a wide but otherwise, the Sony's power zoom and accurate smooth manual focus wins. If I have to shoot man on the street interviews the lens at 28 is just about right to get my mic in my left hand up to their face while the autofocus keeps them sharp (tho I wish it focused closer.) It's great for interviews and if you're shooting 4k you can punch in to get a tighter crop (apparent longer lens) during the edit.

You really reallly need to include a shoulder mount rig with a VCT tripod sled in your budget to get the camera back on your shoulder -- and a different arrangement for the viewfinder so you can use the camera ENG style.

(I have the 18-200 power sony zoom and it's pretty useless for R&G because it's really hard to focus. I'm rather fond of the Rokinon cine lenses at the budget end. I have but don't often use a Speed Booster for the extensive set of Canon lenses I have - the extra stop is great and the sharpness is sorta OK, but you really can't shoot against the light with it. Canon lenses and aperture control on the FS7 are such a problem that I'd never use Canons for events.)
 
Len - it does. but there are options of the same quality and era canonFD contax, angie/nik (vivitar?) that do not.

I seriously suggest going to a shop and trying some of this stuff, or develop a relationship with a used dealer who will send you stuff to test (and pull the cream off the slop for you)
Superb examples of lenses like my 50-300 didnt come my way by dealing with box shifters.

Liam

Sometimes that is just really hard, my 28-85 is hugely flawed (not long enough, not wide enough etc) but when speed of operation counts it is my goto lens - in fact sometimes I record stuff where I will just roll with no cuts and changing lens is not an option.

My 'RnG' bag contains.. 10-24 Stigma or 20/28nikkor+booster, 28-85nikkor+booster, 50 1.8 nikkor and 50-300 or 70-200 nikkor

For set up stuff I have another 'prime' bag.. 14,18,20,24,28,28shift,35,50,55macro,85,135 :)

S
 
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I don't hate lenses like the 24-105 Canon or 24-70 like you do Morgan so I'm OK for now. Maybe I could learn to hate them but I shot with a 28-70 Nikon for a long time and like having the longer reach and IS for now. That 50-300 has always enticed me though.
 
AFAIK the 28-70 is gen1 or 24-70 gen2 AF, pretty horrid, esp gen1 AF, the older zooms are proper manual and once you go there on the focus feel you wont be able to go back.. so you dont hate them yet :)

If it is the 24-70 gen2 - they are really varied Ive tried one that was really nice and (2) others that had little hard points - I was on to a used one I could afford but didnt go ahead, seeing how they degrade with time worries me - too many plastic cogs and the plastic clutch.

The gen1 (like the 17-35 and older 20-35) AF are also pretty horrid - I have a 20-35 which I use for stills but cant to video with, I have had and disposed of maybe 3 17-35s.

All the AF glass is just completely different from that lens.

S
 
Id also consider the cost of trying these lenses, a great start point being a 35-70 (my interview go to, often paired with an 18 to create a great shoot package) my version cost $150 and would sale for $125 no problem, so with a $30 adapter the cost of giving it a go probably comes in around $50.

My 28-85 cost $200 and matched with a booster is an 18-60 T2.5-2.8 which at 1lb offers quite serious competition to the $23k 12lb Canon being a stop faster.

S
 
morgan_moore said:
Sometimes that is just really hard, my 28-85 is hugely flawed (not long enough, not wide enough etc) but when speed of operation counts it is my goto lens - in fact sometimes I record stuff where I will just roll with no cuts and changing lens is not an option.

My 'RnG' bag contains.. 10-24 Stigma or 20/28nikkor+booster, 28-85nikkor+booster, 50 1.8 nikkor and 50-300 or 70-200 nikkor
Click to expand...

Luckily, I rarely do any gigs where a quick lens change isn't an option, if I do, a second camera would be my preferred option.

If I'm on my own, my minimal run bag has Canon 70-200mm f2.8, Canon 16-35 f/2.8, Samyang or Canon 35mm prime, all on a speed booster. I find that if you can zoom with your feet a 35mm prime will get you better shots than a mid-range zoom every day of the week.
 
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This is basically not edited - its kind of 'rushes highlights' (from one 30min take) from my larger project the edit was just on the audio with no reference to the pictures (which can be covered),

28-85/booster, personally I like to be able to go in for a CU and also step back a bit to give some sense of scene.

Also people might wonder if IS is required.

It is not my finest bit of operating by a long shot but I dont feel I could do that, including the focus racks on any other lens.

https://vimeo.com/117124909

 
I dont agree, or might do, that was my first outing with the lens exploring it as an actuality tool, as Im much more used to shooting biff boff baff sequences for corporate than extended 'oners' for long form which this is

I said it was not good operating - there are shots there, and they are pretty for 'actuality' - but did I hold them long enough? did I move on at the right time? Was my brain doing the right stuff? possibly not! Of course I shot a bunch of coverage too - the really s*%t moves would be covered by other pictures.

Learning the right operator style is actually far more interesting to me than chatting about the kit. But also the 'right lens' is so much defined by the job than a specific thread could outline.

I still think that lens is a sweet tool for the right situations.

S
 
morgan_moore said:
All of those lenses are great on paper - but you can't focus them with any finesse. Which makes them completely utterly useless for motion picture recording.

btw I own them and use my 1985 nikkor while they gather dust
Click to expand...

Manual focus on the 18-105 (or other Emount lenses) is fine. IF you just
need to focus on a particular place in your shot. When you need to focus
on foreground instead of background, or something, just turn on peaking
and use the manual focus ring until you can see the correct part of your shot
in focus....easy easy. Where it falls down, is when you need to 'rack' focus....
because you can't 'hit spots' with the 'fly by wire' focus. You will 'overshoot'
or 'undershoot' your focus pull because the focus ring is 'speed based', but
for general 'I need to focus on this part of the image, not that part' it
works fine, just very hard to do focus pulls. You can use 'tap to focus' to
work around that a little. It's certainly not ideal......but I sure wouldn't say
that it is 'utterly useless for motion picture recording'.
I shot this little piece for the Gov's office entirely with the 18-105.

 
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