Am I dreaming, or is there a fw update for SELP18105G in the works (focus precision)? I'd swear I saw a rumor or announcement somewhere... Can anyone confirm or deny?

Piotr

I read that very thing Piotr.
That there was gonna be a FW upgrade fixing the horrible focus issue on this lens.
It was last week, but now i cant remember where i saw that, im always searching this topic and came across it. Gonna try and locate it

Thanks for the confirmation, Jim - I also forget where I saw it... Anyway, it's not the same as the Sony's commitment "to see into perceived IQ problems in the FS5" - 2 separate things.

Piotr

One can only hope. The manual focus of this lens is driving me crazy!

Agreed with all. Great lens. Lousy focus. Firmware update needed!

Fantastic lens, and I was chuffed that the distortion was fixed with a firmware update. But you're all right in pointing out the horrid manual focusing on this lens.

It's so hard !! definitely needs a fix.

I'm sure Sony can fix it. I used the Canon 18-135mm STM lens for years. That uses the same sort of electronic fly-by-wire focus, and it felt perfectly natural to use. So it can be done!

Fantastic lens, and I was chuffed that the distortion was fixed with a firmware update. But you're all right in pointing out the horrid manual focusing on this lens.

It's so hard !! definitely needs a fix.

James, I'm little late to the FS5 / SELP18105G party - so please tell me: has the distortion already been fixed by some previous fw update? That would be great indeed!

Piotr

The distortion is handled by the FS7 and FS5 software.

The distortion is handled by the FS7 and FS5 software.

Well - the last time I saw Doug write about it, the correction doesn't work for this lens on the FS7 (in HD or 4K), that's why I'm asking.

Piotr, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't misquote me.

Piotr, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't misquote me.

Doug - this thread, from post #6 onward:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-pxw-fs7-fs5/526899-fs7-vintage-canon-fd-glass-bad-idea.html#post1877014

Sorry if I misunderstood ALL you were saying then :)

Cheers

Piotr

And where did I say the lens didn't work in HD?

But as long as you have brought up that old thread, I will say that I have grown less impressed with that lens and wouldn't recommend it anymore. There are better options out there for professionals. For a hobbyist, okay maybe, but not for a professional.

True - you said

"You can't use Distortion Comp. at 4K or even at HD over 60 fps."

- I stand corrected, sorry. But back to my question: has it been fixed in the meantime, as James' post would imply?

Thanks,

Piotr

I would not buy the 18-105 for the FS7. Now for the FS5 it has its uses. But I would never call it a Pro lens (whatever that is).

I would borrow/rent/demo one myself before deciding.

I have the 18-105 and I used it a lot testing the FS5. But in real world shooting I don't use it much. The only time is if I am just running around doing quick B-roll. Or on a hike/ski in a fanny pack with a monopod, just to be versatile and compact. It is better than an iPhone, don't laugh I have several commercials running all over the NE USA where there are a few iPhone clips mixed in. The best camera is the one you have with you.

As far as I know there is no FW update that makes this lens comp work in 4K or hfr in the FS7.

Even for $500, with its effective 27 mm at wide end, compared to what... effective 42 mm of the SELP28135G? I'm not denying what you said Olof - you have both - just being curious... Yeah it doesn't have aperture ring, and the other two turn without physical stops - but it's light, which means the camera would be less nose heavy (you know why it's important for me). So if both the distortion and focus problems are /will be solved - there is only one thing that would really stop me from making my initial investment easier to my pocket: picture quality.

So please tell me (and I'm gonna believe you, and follow your advise as testing the 2 lenses myself is not easy here in Poland): is the difference in PQ so visible between them?

Thanks, Olof

Piotr

Piotr,

There is still distortion, just less. It also vignettes quite a bit, most users will not notice but it is there.

The 28-135 has superior image in every way as is operation. But it is heavier and pricier.

So much has been written about the 18-105, some love it, some hate it. I see a use for it, but it is not a favorite. Primes and some of my Canon L zooms are my favorites, and get most use on the 7 and 5. On the A7s I like the Emount Sony/Zeiss 24-70 f4 IS. But that is on a full size imager, with center crop mode. I don't use that lens at all on the 5 or 7.

I would never take anyones advice on a camera or lens from a WEB board, and decide to spend thousands w/o testing/demo myself. I usually demo new cameras/lenses that dealers send me and then decide to buy or not. I can't tell you what works for you.

Don't spend big money w/o demoing. Take a trip to Sweden or Germany where you can rent or demo, if your Polish dealers don't offer demos.

Sorry Piotr the distortion issue has been fixed for FS700 users like myself via a firmware update, I should of mentioned that to avoid confusion.

I am still waiting for Firmware 3.0 to install on the actual lens itself which rectifies the focus issues (or makes it easier to manually focus).

If you didn't know already there is a Firmware 2.0 for the SELP18105G lens but the changes are hardly worth mentioning. Only ideal if you use the lens on the full frame A7 cameras.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=SELP18105G&template_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab

OK guys - I used to have a similar class lens - the 18-210 that came with the FS100K kit. Now - is the SELP18105G worse, comparable or better on a camera like the FS5 or FS7? Of course not counting that it is a constant F4....

OK so I don't own a FS7 but i'll mention this anyway. I have compared all three SEL18200, SELP18200 and SEL18105G on my FS700 and the primary advantage for me has to be the constant F4. It makes ALL the difference. I know you said not to mention that. But it really does help.

I also find as the SEL18105G is a newer lens the picture quality is better although that may just be placebo.

I'm the sort of person that isn't interested in figures or numbers or technical info. You can sell me anything as long as it looks good to my eye. That's how my customers perceive things as well.

Don't spend big money w/o demoing. Take a trip to Sweden or Germany where you can rent or demo, if your Polish dealers don't offer demos.
Not quite a viable solution. Although it's rather cheap flying between countries in Europe, it's still time consuming. And there's very few stores here that offer the possibility to borrow equipment to try out. Very few stores that are big enough to keep these specialty items in big enough stock to facilitate such service as well. So it's only if you are a regular at a dealer they will let up you try one out anywhere but in the store. Here you usually have to buy it, then you have the right to return it. Which is quite a hassle.
Also second hand market is close to non existent compared to the USA, it seems. So buying used is also much trickier. And things are generally more expensive here as well. Some premium usually added and then much higher VAT/sales tax on top of that.

As for renting, the 18-105 is probably hard to rent in Europe. None of the rental houses here in Berlin have any e-mount lenses for rent, except for the 28-135 which is available from a few places here.

Thanks for your comments, Dmitrij - our friends in the US think by their own standards, and no wonder... I was a little embarrassed to explain that in Poland, we have exactly the situation you described - a bit encouraging that we're not alone with this regard...

Piotr

Thanks for your comments, Dmitrij - our friends in the US think by their own standards, and no wonder... I was a little embarrassed to explain that in Poland, we have exactly the situation you described - a bit encouraging that we're not alone with this regard...

Piotr

Sorry to hear that. Maybe you can find someone in your area that owns and get together with her/him and test out the equipment. I often do that here, there are quite a few videographers even in northern NH and southern Maine. And we do help each other out and meet up frequently for fun. I have a lot of them stop by at my Studio/CNC-shop to have custom stuff fitted or discuss new ideas and they often bring cameras i don't own and we compare them.

We also have a number of User Groups. That get together for meetings and demos a lot, in the bigger cities like Boston. Maybe there are some groups like that in Europe. If not think about starting some. Facebook is commonly a great place to start.

Just a few thoughts while drinking coffee procrastinating another long editing session. Had a terrible day yesterday, one of my trusted FCPX plugins crashed dozens of times, I should not have updated in the middle of a long edit.

So for those of us who have the 18-105, and enjoy is apart from focusing issues, how do we go about pressuring Sony to come up with a firmware update to make it a better lens?