FS7: Which Fast Wide Angle

A

AMcBroom

Member
Hi. I'm going to buy a fast wide angle for the FS7 and have narrowed it down to 2. The Sony SEL24F18Z f1.8 E Mount or the Sigma 18-35 f1.8 ART Lens (Nikon Mount with Commlite adapter) Which one would you choose and why? At this point I'm struggling. The autofocus for the Sony is nice to have, but the flexibility of the zoom range is good with the Sigma.
 
I would go with the sigma Sony alpha mount + novoflex Sony alpha to NEX adapter this will give you manual smooth aperture on the adapter.
 
AMcBroom said:
Hi. I'm going to buy a fast wide angle for the FS7 and have narrowed it down to 2. The Sony SEL24F18Z f1.8 E Mount or the Sigma 18-35 f1.8 ART Lens (Nikon Mount with Commlite adapter) Which one would you choose and why? At this point I'm struggling. The autofocus for the Sony is nice to have, but the flexibility of the zoom range is good with the Sigma.
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I have the little SELP 18/105 zoom lens and a set of Nikon fast zooms as well as a set of Zeiss primes (which I never use).
The little Sony is a fun lens but a bit slow at f4 and wonky with it's fly by wire focus. But for $600 it's very sharp, has a built in zoom and is decent enough as a run and gun lens. Crop factor makes it more like a 27-50 but at 1.8, not bad.
I also have Nikon zooms with my "go to" the 24-70. It's a true 2.8, parafocal and via the Metabones, a true 28-70. Pretty good range but for interviews, I feel like I need another 50 -75mm's on the long end. When I really need WA land, I switch to my Nikon 18-35mm. At 2.8 it sees nicely in dark areas but again I wish had a little more on the front end.
I'd love to see an 18-100 but I'm guessing optic wise, it would be a formidable piece of glass that would also have a heavy price tag. There are cinema lens out there with that range but as I mentioned, you're talking from $25k-$60k for a big ass piece of glass.
If only Sony offered the center punch like the f5. Then we could use our ENG glass. Yeah I know, we couldn't do 4k but we would survive.
So to answer your questions AmcBroom, I would seriously consider Sigma 18-35. It's cheaper, has the same speed and you have a little zoom motor action working. And if you use a Metabones, you should have the full WA advantage.
 
I'm only seeing the Sigma in APSC, which means it would not work with/benefit from the Ultra. Which is why I went with the Tokina 17-35 f4 in a FF Nikon version to use with my Ultra. Watch out though, the Tokina is soft at the edges at 17 and/or wide open. And of course slower.

Hope you find something that works well,
Robert
 
Thank you guys. I bought the sigma. It's really nice with the novoflex. I already have the 16-35 Sony f4 but it's just no use for sdof. The sigma is for a specific project so it needed to be 1.8 and at the 18mm end, it's wide enough. Looking forward to using it now :-) Not enough hours in the day.
 
infohou said:
I'm only seeing the Sigma in APSC, which means it would not work with/benefit from the Ultra. Which is why I went with the Tokina 17-35 f4 in a FF Nikon version to use with my Ultra. Watch out though, the Tokina is soft at the edges at 17 and/or wide open. And of course slower.

Hope you find something that works well,
Robert
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Hey Folks,

I am rethinking the 17-35 Tokina based on the reviews of the Tamron 15-30 2.8. If I can get the dealer to take it back and give me at least close to the purchase price towards the Tamron I may spend the difference for the faster/better Tamron.

Anybody have a chance to use the Tamron 15-30 on the FS7? If so, how is it?

BTW, talking FF Nikon mount with Speedboster Ultra.

Thanks,
Robert
 
the sigma is a really remarkable lens, as is the entire sigma art line....i am hearing great things about the tamron though and doesn't it also have VC? and FF....so it can be used with a speedbooster as well....looks hard to beat
 
gene_can_sing said:
For a true wide angle, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 is great. I use this lens all the time.
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Actually the 11-16 is an APSC lens and the Tamron 15-30 is full frame. As you probably realize, with the Ultra I would get approx the FF FOV when using the Tamron on the FS7. Also, image wise the new Tamron 15-30 is really a class above the Tokina 11-16.

Thanks for your reply but I am not asking for alternatives. I am asking if anyone has used the Tamron 15-30 2.8 with the FS7.

Y'all take care,
Robert
 
Paul schefz said:
the sigma is a really remarkable lens, as is the entire sigma art line....i am hearing great things about the tamron though and doesn't it also have VC? and FF....so it can be used with a speedbooster as well....looks hard to beat
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Yes, stabilization and FF:-)
 
Paul schefz said:
the sigma is a really remarkable lens, as is the entire sigma art line....i am hearing great things about the tamron though and doesn't it also have VC? and FF....so it can be used with a speedbooster as well....looks hard to beat
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Tokina 11-16 works on a Speed Booster till about 13mm before it vignettes (I do it all the time). But at 13mm on a Booster it becomes a 9.3mm @ f2, it's super wide and fast!

No need for IS on a lens this wide. IS is mainly needed for longer lenses.

Edit: Opps, saw you were talking about the Tamron and not Tokina, my bad.
 
So apparently there are not many of the Tamron 15-30 in folks hands yet.

I am returning my Tokina 17-35 and have the Tamron on backorder.

I will try to remember to post back on it's handling and image quality when used with the FS7 and Ultra.

Y'all have a good Holiday,
Robert
PS: Good field for the Indy 500 this year.
 
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infohou said:
So apparently there are not many of the Tamron 15-30 in folks hands yet.

I am returning my Tokina 17-35 and have the Tamron on backorder.

I will try to remember to post back on it's handling and image quality when used with the FS7 and Ultra.

Y'all have a good Holiday,
Robert
PS: Good field for the Indy 500 this year.
Click to expand...

So I finally got the Tamron SP 15-30 a few days ago. Preliminary testing shows it to be not only sharper in the center but much sharper at the edges even at 15mm than the Tokina 17-35. Only worry so far besides the no screw on filter capability is the zoom ring is a bit tight at the far end but i think it is loosing up already.

So to protect the lens and be able to use filters, I bought the Tilta carbon fiber 4x5.6 matte box this afternoon from the fine folks at Microsearch. We tried the cheaper one and it would not fit. And the 4x5.6 one does not cause vingnetting either.

When I got home I went through the box and found no instruction sheet/manual of any kind. I have sent Microsearch an email but I thought maybe you folks could clue me in. The box is mounted and does the swing away bit so all is well there.

So the noob question is how does one determine which matte to use? Trial and error? Look for markings?

Thanks Forum Folk,
Robert
 
Robert - regarding the Tilta matte box... I also tried the lightweight, cheaper carbon fiber one to use with my Tokina 16-28mm cinema lens - but got vignetting when used with metabones SB ultra. Also, I didn't like that I couldn't just take off the swing-arm easily and clamp directly to lens. So - my question - the Tamron 15 doesn't vignette with the SB ultra using the 4x5.65 version of the carbon matte box? And is the only way to remove the swing arm on it - is to remove the two screws on the back? (the photos I've seen make it look much like the cheaper version).
Thanks in advance...
 
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