Interesting thread and some good info. However, Chris Hurd's quote at the beginning of this thread contained the dreaded word *all*:

<On the second issue, this is *perfectly normal* for a zoom lens... it will have one certain maximum aperture at the wide end, and another certain maximum aperture, not as open, at the telephoto end. *All* zoom lenses are like this, on video cameras and still cameras alike. You have to get into an *extremely expensive* professional zoom lens costing many, many thousands of dollars to get around this issue.>

I don't know if the *'s were the qualifier here, Chris, but I'll have to take issue with you up to a point. In my still photography gear (Nikon) all three of my zooms (17-35, 28-70, 80-210) are constant f2.8 across their entire zoom range.

This has been a great thread for still shooters like me who are being moved into more and more video work for our employers...thanks guys. I'm anxious to see some head-to-head comparisons of the zoom through Wide adapters as I'm feeling very limited (visually) by what our company's XL1 is capable of with the standard lens....I'm spoiled by my Nikon gear ;)

dave

My apologies Dave, I should have limited my statement to the realm of prosumer video zoom lenses only. Thanks,

I remember someone saying that the XL1s 16x manual lens didn't have that issue (with the aperature having a different maximum setting at the lens's wide angle than from the lens's telephoto). Is it BS?

The 16x Manual/Servo lens remains at f1.6 thru the entire zoom range, it's not BS because I have one and use it.

Hey hey now. I wasn't accusing anyone. Just asking. This is after all, the internet, and there is known to be much incorrect information floating around.

No problem, Don is just confirming something that sure looked like mis-information the way I originally wrote it. I should be more careful.

Cool. It's just one more reason for me to buy the lens, which I'm already planning to do.

and a good choice it will be. Like a few others, my fav extra I got for my non-s XL1 is the 16x manual. Focussing _is_ that much easier with it on, and I hardly ever miss the AF functionality (but then I never do guerilla shooting).

Kai.