hello there

i have the A7S and am very interested in buying this lens for my camera

up to today i was and am still working with a TAMRON 24-70 2.8 VC and a metabones adapter III but i want very much to go for an e mount lens and get rid of the adapters and other mount lenses.

the 28-135 on papers is my perfect lens but i have seen some very negative reviews regarding this item especially about the very sensitive and weak mount this lens have..

many reviews around the net say that many users had mount broken after some use or during transfer

is this true? is this lens so weak ?

does anybody have it to tell me his opinion? is it worth it?


thanks
Anthony

I've rented the lens a couple of times. Once to use with my FS700 and once to use with my A7S. Pretty decent lens I'd say.
Regarding the lens mount... It might be on the larger size for the e-mount system. But with an A7S, you mount the lens on a tripod and let the A7S hang free or if using hand held, you hold under the lens and it shouldn't be a problem. If used with bigger camera, lens support might be a good idea to be sure.

The lens is fantastic. The mount is fine but treat it with caution like all fragile things. I mount either on the Movcage or the lens mount. The lens mount can be taken off for packing, transportation etc..

Here is one I just finished shooting today, mounted the camera via the lens mount upside down with all the weight on the mount, no problem.

i have plans to work with this lens on the camera mount and not with the lens mount

i am working with an edelkrone pocket grib on my a7s and its difficult to mount it there.

my other option is the 18-105 lens but i feel that this lens is far inferior than the 28-135

ofcource i dont want to buy something that will brake easily

thank you all for your replies

Anthony the 18-105 is for APS-C the 28-135 is for full frame

Pete

The 18-105 works great on the A7S as well, but as said, only in S35 crop mode. Which means, still pictures are only 5.1mb and if you want to shoot 4K, camera has to upscale, which probably isn't a very good idea.
But for shooting HD, it works well. I find f4 sometime limiting in S35 (on the A7S only from depth of field reasons) while f4 on full frame seems adequate for most shooting situations.

If your budget fits get the 28-135mm you will not be disappointed. This lens for me also has a beautiful coating on the lens. I also have a 18-200mm Sony lens but sadly this sits gather dust.

I have also read and re read every review and watched all the videos but I think you'll never know unless you try it for your self. This lens with the A7s is a great combo.

My next lens to complete the package will be the 10-18mm SonyF4 which ia APS-C.

I'm also going to add that, a lot of reviewers were trying to use the camera and lens as a typical ENG setup, yes you can but those ENG rigs are shoulder mount with B4 mount lens designed for that application.
I own and use an ENG rig with B4 lens. Now the A7s and 28-135mm is a different beast size wise and ergonomically but it's the closest I have found for a lens to work on a DSLR in an ENG way.

thanks for the updates! :P

i have an a7 with the 55m for photos and the rx10ii

i want to buy the 28-135 but the only things that worries me a lot is that i have seen loads of users saying that they broke the mount on transfer ..... and sony do not fix this lens ....

this is what is takes me away

mayne a 24-70 with 70-200 FE to be a better option but i dont like changing lens when in video

If your budget fits get the 28-135mm you will not be disappointed. This lens for me also has a beautiful coating on the lens. I also have a 18-200mm Sony lens but sadly this sits gather dust.

I have also read and re read every review and watched all the videos but I think you'll never know unless you try it for your self. This lens with the A7s is a great combo.

My next lens to complete the package will be the 10-18mm SonyF4 which ia APS-C.

i do have the 10-18 . great lens.

i have plans to work with this lens on the camera mount and not with the lens mount i am working with an edelkrone pocket grib on my a7s and its difficult to mount it there.
Please don`t ever think about this. With 28-135 will the system be very very front heavy. It will be not comfortable and the E- mout will be very stressed.
If you don`t like changing the lens and you will still have a relativelly small and light system - try the 24 - 240 lens. Its a mechanical zoom - so you can change it a lot faster but of course without smooth motorized zooms. Ist much cheaper, uses common 77mm instead of 95mm filters - and the optical quality for video is very good. It goes wider and has much better minimal focal distance too.
Its a big lens, but the 28-135 is much bigger and heavier:

That's true Ivan and the reason the mount is on the lens. I guess one could get rails and some kind of lens support which you could then mount via the bottom of the camera or if you use a cage that would work.

I should chime in that I just got an A7s and the 24-20 lens, and I must say, except for the sweet 10x range, the 24-240 is horrible for video. It is NOT PARAFOCAL, and my ENG type use of it is made extremely difficult, because something as simple as a wide medium and telephoto shot of the same angle requires lots of work to refocus. Also, the zoom mechanism is extremely TIGHT, so that zooming is a grip and twist several times, like unscrewing a stuck jar lid. Expect the camera to rotate on it's axis as you do this. Manual focus is no better, and the lens has no infinity stop, which wouldn't be too horrible if not for the fact that the free spinning focus dial will pass infinity by a huge margin and blur everything.

Now on to the 28-135, which I want to upgrade to. The A7s when attached to the 28-135 should present a lens mount stress issue. The people breaking lens mounts are hanging the heavy lens off the front of a heavier camera. The A7s is more like a tiny attachment to the lens, so the light weight of the camera won't do anything. It's sort of like the cap on a 2 liter bottle, the A7s being the little cap!

What can you guys tell me about the manual operation of the 28-135 for ENG type work, I am assuming it IS parafocal? Is the zoom the servo type with a fixed maximum speed, so if you crash zoom you get the equivalent of if you held down a camera zoom rocker at it's maximum detent? How about focus, heard some rumors the lens focus is decoupled to a ridiculous extent? Reading that it can continue changing focus for up to a second after you stop turning, and is impossible to use manually?

Paul

Another question, when using the zoom control on the lens, will it automatically continue into the A7s's "clear image" or "digital zoom" range????????

Paul

Please don`t ever think about this. With 28-135 will the system be very very front heavy. It will be not comfortable and the E- mout will be very stressed.
If you don`t like changing the lens and you will still have a relativelly small and light system - try the 24 - 240 lens. Its a mechanical zoom - so you can change it a lot faster but of course without smooth motorized zooms. Ist much cheaper, uses common 77mm instead of 95mm filters - and the optical quality for video is very good. It goes wider and has much better minimal focal distance too.
Its a big lens, but the 28-135 is much bigger and heavier:


thanks for the reply! i will not go forward with the 28-135 for this reason .

as for the 24-240 as Paul Anderegg said it have some major issues in videos..

i was thinking of this lens but instead of this for my run and gun outdoor shots i went directly for an RX10II... i know its different but the little camera is giving me great results with its 24-200 lens

The lens is parfocal.
You can't make crash zooms using the servo motor, it's fixed speed.
The lens has an image stabilize (OSS) and works really well.
On the a7S you can switch between full frame and APS-C crop mode.
In APS-C mode this is around 42-202 mm.

You will need ND filters:


Is it an ENG B4 lens, NO but it's about as close as one will have on a small rig like the A7s.

I find the lens easy to focus in manual using peaking and if the lens mount is an issue grab some rails and secure the lens to this.

I just did a quick zoom test, first day off in a while.
There are different zoom speeds when you press hard or soft.
I'll post a vid in a few minutes

Here is a quick zoom test with the Sony A7s and the Sony 28-135mm lens.
I have zoomed in, pulled focus and zoomed in and out several times.

No thought has gone into this test, I just turned the camera on and roughly exposed, white balance is way off and yes it's blown out where the chairs are. This is just a zoom test on the lens.

https://youtu.be/3po5qTPDOXU

It is NOT PARAFOCAL, and my ENG type use of it is made extremely difficult, because something as simple as a wide medium and telephoto shot of the same angle requires lots of work to refocus. Also, the zoom mechanism is extremely TIGHT, so that zooming is a grip and twist several times, like unscrewing a stuck jar lid. Expect the camera to rotate on it's axis as you do this. Manual focus is no better, and the lens has no infinity stop, which wouldn't be too horrible if not for the fact that the free spinning focus dial will pass infinity by a huge margin and blur everything.
You are right - but this make it terrible for fast ENG - but not for other kind of filmwork.
24-240 make life much more comfortably if you compare with work based on changing between 5 - 6 prime lenses (what i do a lot of time).
Zoom mechanism on such lens have to be tight - otherwise it will move to tele if you film down angles. Canon lenses are not so tight - but they need lock buttons for this.
And yes - manual focus on this lens is terrible. Its probably not possible make it mechanical in such big zoom in small body.
I love the 28 - 135 and its manual focus (even if it is electric too) feel much much better. A lot of people says - that it work not good with Follow Focus - but it fit perfect with my edelkrone FF.
But i do a lot of product videos and i do not like the minimal focus distance. Its impossible to shoot small objects - what i can do very good with 24 - 240 and its 50cm focus distance. On the other side - its not wide enough... Life is never easy...

Thanks Simon......that is with the on lens rocker right? If you manually "command" a crash zoom, is the zoom servo "follow through" roughly equivalent to the zoom speed demonstrated in you video?

Ivan, I really like the C button I can assign to do a zap AF on the center, so I can get by most times with zoom, press, focus zaps, etc. The only problem is when this doesn't work in low light, it goes way off focus, and toggling into manual makes me have to deal with the ring....ugh.

If the 24-240 was parafocal, I would not have a problem with it. The lack of parafocus (is that a word?) forces the user into other issues, sort of like a flat tire causing handling and steering issues!

I have decided to return my 24-240 to B&H and get the 28-135 monster lens. I have been operating with a 7lb PXW-X180 with 2lb's off add-on's, so the weight of the A7s, 28-135, and cage shouldn't stress my arm more than the almost 10lb monster Handycam!

Repeating a previous question.......will the zoom control on the 28-135 activate the digital zoom on the A7s when the limits of optical zoom have been servo'd out?

Paul

No - it do not activate the digital zoom. Fast manual zoom are difficult. You have to look to the scale - because the delay is too long. Otherwise as by manual focus is there no "direct feel". Its not comparable with mechanical manual zoom.

With the digital zoom enabled I'm not sure how this works. It looks like its zoom range is from 28-135mm then it zooms pass the 135mm as a digital zoom. I don't use this function so I have no experience other than just testing. What I do is go into crop mode for those long shots.

Yes that's using the lens slider/ rocker.
It looks like the crash zoom speed is roughly the same as the servo zoom speed. Sorry, the crash zoom speed is about double that of the rocker. I'll do another vid as a test.

This is a quick crash zoom test using the Sony A7s & Sony 28-135mm
Yet again, no thought has gone into this other than a very rough test on using the lens in manual zoom and then engaging the servo.

https://youtu.be/0x4Aw0nUbh8

Repeating a previous question.......will the zoom control on the 28-135 activate the digital zoom on the A7s when the limits of optical zoom have been servo'd out?
Yes, it does, if I remember correctly! Which is a sweet feature. The Clear Zoom is surprisingly useful!

If only there were a way to rock the zoom with my right hand on the camera body......so that I could focus as I am framing a fast action shot.

Paul

Simon, would you say that the focus mechanism is light enough that it can be adjusted by fingers while the hand is under the lens providing support? I HATE tight focus rings SOOOOO much! I am a day or so away from buying a 28-135, want to make sure I can actually operate it as a video camera lens and not as a stop, adjust, then recompose etc like a still photographer!

Paul

You know Paul, using the A7s and the 28 -135mm is not easy, gotta be honest here and you will need to work on getting steady shots and pulling focus while crash zooming etc…. It can be done and won't take long.

Check out Brandon Li on Vimeo. He doesn't use the 28-135mm but his work is excellent.

The lens does not behave like your traditional video camera, for a start the zoom is on the left so you have to work out a way to zoom and focus while holding the camera.
I think one has to start again with how this camera operates in their hands and find muscle memory along with finger position etc.. so this becomes second nature. I use shoulder ENG rigs so my fingers shape to this, chuck the A7s and 28-135mm I have to think.
What I reckon is the The A7s and 28-135mm needs a new set of skills to operate. The way I use this camera is auto setup then snap into manual.
What I mean by this is: shutter is set, f stop set and I let the iso on auto, when I'm framed and set then I'll lock iso in and off I go. I also use auto focus all the time… YEP. I'll frame up then press the button on the back, snap to focus and If I'm unsure I'll then manual focus.

I'm selling my ENG rigs and the A7s and 28-135mm is my main camera now.

Why do I like the A7s and 28-135mm.

I can fit this into a small backpack
Image is fantastic
Media is cheap
Batteries are cheap and small
I don't stand out like a BIG shoulder mount rig.
The body is around 2k v 34k for my Sony 500
Oh, this thing sees in the dark.

Simon, I am thinking of supporting the lower middle barrel with the back-bottom of my index finger, using the tip of that finger to work some focus motion, while using my thumb to zoom.........are the mechanics of the lens able to do that, focus light enough?

The low light is just TOOO amazing to NOT deal with these issues! I am used to hand holding a 9lb PXW-X180, and it needs a hand under the barrel it is so front heavy!

Paul

Yep, that's the way I do this and it works. Don't forget that there are rails you can stick on etc..

I just ordered the 28-135 from B&H along with a preordered A7sII.

I think the Varavon A7s Pro cage I previousl ordered will work wonders, as it has two options for the leather handstrap, one rotating, to help the camera/lens weight hang properly like an ENG camcorder. I will most likely put my Sony VCT14 shoe slide in adaptor on the bottom of the lens. I use the slide feet in front on my current PXW-X180 as a place to put my thump under to support the 8-9lb weight of the handheld camera. Might also allow the camera to be set on the ground with some degree of stand-up-ability. Will be putting a Comer1800 on the right of the handle and a Sony CG60 shotgun on the left.

If the A7s's didn't have the 4X digital zoom option, I am not sure I could make this 5x zoom lens work. My final output will be 720p60 to air, so the resolution drop is not as severe for my use.

Paul

I'm looking forward to some posts Paul when your rig is up and running.

No - it do not activate the digital zoom.
Sorry. Digital zomm is not activated by the zoom ring, but its activated with the power zoom leveler.

It must be noted that the transition to digital zoom is not clean, there is a pause and should not be used while recording. Another weird thing, on my A7s, if I attempt to change exposure (ISO) settings while the power zoom is in action, the camera locks up, as if it get's a brain seizure. Very annoying when you want to compose and expose your next shot as quickly as possible, and don't want to wait 30 seconds for the zoom to complete.

Paul

Paul,
You must have a light touch.
The 28-135 zoom rocker is variable speed.
I can zoom all the way from 28 to 135 in about 8 seconds.
Same speed the other way.

Or are you talking about using the camera to (digital) zoom?
Why would you want to use that for Video anyway?

I know Roger, i was being a big sarcastic. I am use to my broadcast 22x lenses that go from 28mm wide to full telephoto in UNDER one second. heck, even my PXW-X180 25x can do that. 8 seconds for a 5x is excrusiatingly slow! The concept of zooming in to focus then pulling back to record is no longer a possibility for me in ENG. It will take me some time to get used to the UP for telephoto and DOWN for wide angle. At least the focus rotates in the correct video direction!

One thing I am finding necessary when using A/F at night, is to leave the manual focus ring set to near infinity, so if the lens looses focus I can pop it back and then forward again, which resets the A/F to begin again at infinity.

BTW, here is some night ENG footage on the 28-135 all at f4.0 on my A7s.

Paul

https://youtu.be/ODOVxqTdvpI

Looks good Paul,

What picture profile are you using.

PP4 ITU709, black level at -2 and and auto knee, but otherwise stock. The green light is actually one of those newer white streetlight type lamps that looks green to a Sony camera, much more so than any other camera I have. This was a situation where you would not be able to use a light whatsoever, and the f4.0 was not much of a disability.

The majority of the wobbling and shaky video was the result of me hunting for the controls on the lens, it's very difficult to do anything while rolling, as your supporting hand has to move around to rotate and flip things. I should get a bit better with practice. I found that pressing the EVF against my face helped steady the heavy rig much more than I can get with handholding my PXW-X180.

Paul