HD Lens: Pull focus at DVinfo.net

Michael Wisniewski · September 15th, 2005, 04:39 PM

The new HD lens has a good distance read-out so it's easy to mark and pull focus, there's also a preset focus (one way only) so it will automatically find the pre-set focus.

Aaron Koolen · September 15th, 2005, 05:23 PM

So I assume it's accurate and repeatable? What about the zoom? Is it the same? This sounds like something nice if they've finally done this - would have assumed a full manual, but this is a good start.

Michael Wisniewski · September 15th, 2005, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Koolen

So I assume it's accurate and repeatable?

Yes, I tried it on several items in the convention hall both at full wide angle and full zoom, with a long focus and a shorter one. The zoom function works the same way, but I didn't get to try it. I'll take more pics tomorrow and test the zoom function.

James Emory · September 15th, 2005, 11:37 PM

Did you test the new peaking focus feature in the EVF where the indicator disappears when the image is in focus or the magnifying feature to help ensure critical focus?

Greg Boston · September 15th, 2005, 11:54 PM

[QUOTE=Michael Wisniewski there's also a preset focus (one way only) so it will automatically find the pre-set focus.[/QUOTE]

Michael, are you sure about the one way only. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your statement. This would be different from the XL2 20X. Once you set the focus preset, it returns to it regardless of which side you are on when you press the 'go to' button. Same with the zoom preset.

-gb-

Michael Wisniewski · September 16th, 2005, 12:25 AM

Woops, sorry, I meant you can't set two focus points and then automatically go back and forth between them. There's only one focus point, and it always goes back to that one, no matter which side of the point you're on.

Greg Boston · September 16th, 2005, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Wisniewski

Woops, sorry, I meant you can't set two focus points and then automatically go back and forth between them. There's only one focus point, and it always goes back to that one, no matter which side of the point you're on.

Thanks for the clarification. I wouldn't think they changed the way the presets operate unless it was to add a second memory. Now that would be cool!

Also wanted to say thanks for all the image acquisition and uploading you did this week. Some really nice detailed pics.

-gb-

Paul Curtis · September 16th, 2005, 01:33 AM

Perhaps im missing something here but the lens is rated as f1.6 to f3.5 presumably over the zoom range. Surely an HD zoom should be a constant aperture otherwise the lighting levels will alter as you zoom? Does the body do some kind of ISO or shutterspeed trickery to keep the exposure the same throughout (which seems like an odd solution)?

Nice glass though, i have a stack of canon L lens, curious to see if there's going to be an EF adaptor for it and how good or bad the adaptor is optically...

paul

Greg Boston · September 16th, 2005, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Curtis

Perhaps im missing something here but the lens is rated as f1.6 to f3.5 presumably over the zoom range. Surely an HD zoom should be a constant aperture otherwise the lighting levels will alter as you zoom? Does the body do some kind of ISO or shutterspeed trickery to keep the exposure the same throughout (which seems like an odd solution)?

Nice glass though, i have a stack of canon L lens, curious to see if there's going to be an EF adaptor for it and how good or bad the adaptor is optically...

paul

The existing EF adaptor will work with the camera with the same caveat of image magnification turning practically every EF lens into a mega zoom.

-gb-

Guy Barwood · September 16th, 2005, 03:11 AM

"Perhaps im missing something here but the lens is rated as f1.6 to f3.5 presumably over the zoom range. Surely an HD zoom should be a constant aperture otherwise the lighting levels will alter as you zoom?"

The Z1's lens does the same thing however the HD100's doesn't. This gives the HD100 the equivalent of about a stop more sensitivity than the Z1 when zoomed in. This will hurt the XL H1 too, 3.5 is 2.3 stops lower than 1.6 (calculated using http://www.imaginatorium.org/stuff/stops.htm).

This is an important feature many don't stop to think about.

Barry Green · September 16th, 2005, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Curtis

otherwise the lighting levels will alter as you zoom? Does the body do some kind of ISO or shutterspeed trickery to keep the exposure the same throughout (which seems like an odd solution)?

This is only an issue if the f-stop you're using is more open than 3.5. If you're shooting at f/4, it will be a constant f/4 throughout the zoom range. Most (all?) prosumer-priced cameras do this; the DVX and FX1 certainly do (going from 1.6 at the wide to 2.8 at the tele). I didn't measure sensitivity on the HD100, but I would be most surprised if it were actually a constant T1.4 throughout the zoom range -- that seems most unlikely.

Guy Barwood · September 16th, 2005, 08:27 AM

This is true, although it still can't be ignored as anyone shooting in poor light or low light where you can't control lighting such as special events/concerts will be effected by this. I know in a recent concert with a DV500 I had to use 6dB of gain in some scenes at F1.4 - F2.8 to properly expose many scenes and the DV500 is about 1-1.5 stops more sensitive than the HD100. I also was zoomed in quite a bit a lot of the time (16x not 20x lens).

I did test the HD100 next to a Z1 and there was a definite and distinct advantage to the HD101 in zoom and the Z1 only closed to about f/2.4 not 3.6

It will also effect your ability to reduce depth of field if that is an effect you desire.

I can't absolutely guarrantee the HD100 does stay wide open throughout zoom but I am pretty sure it does (like my DV500 lens does) and if it does close up a bit, it is only a tiny tiny bit.

At least in theory Canon could release a better lens you could upgrade to for better light performance. With the Z1 your stuck with what you got.

Michael Wisniewski · September 16th, 2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Emory

Did you test the new peaking focus feature in the EVF where the indicator disappears when the image is in focus or the magnifying feature to help ensure critical focus?

I only used the EVF feature for about a minute before I got bumped off by the presentation, it is usable, I had it in telephoto and I was able to easily get good sharp focus on the HD monitor. Wasn't able to try the magnifying function.

Michael Escher · September 16th, 2005, 09:50 PM

I'm sorry, but am I clueless about this? If the chips are still 1/3", then what is the 35mm still equivalent of the new 20x HD lens? The current 20x is from 5.4 to 108mm and according to the Canon website (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/con...12152&pageno=3) the new lens has a 38.9 to 778mm range. Is that the real lens size or the 35mm still equivalent?

I am assuming that the 16x manual lens will still work with this camera as well as the 3x wide angle zoom. Anyone have info on lens compatibility?

Guy Barwood · September 16th, 2005, 09:58 PM

The 35mm equivalent is the 38.9-778mm range quoted. The actual lens is 5.4-108mm.

A 1/3" CCD has a 'crop' factor of about 7x compared to 35mm film.

Just remember lens mm are all the same, it is the sensor size that changes. We only refer back to 35mm because it is such a common format most people can relate to the angle of view from this format with a given lens setting.

September 15th, 2005, 04:39 PM	#1
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	HD Lens: Pull focus The new HD lens has a good distance read-out so it's easy to mark and pull focus, there's also a preset focus (one way only) so it will automatically find the pre-set focus. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

September 15th, 2005, 05:23 PM	#2
Aaron Koolen Trustee Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 1,727	So I assume it's accurate and repeatable? What about the zoom? Is it the same? This sounds like something nice if they've finally done this - would have assumed a full manual, but this is a good start. __________________ My Website Meat Free Media

September 15th, 2005, 11:37 PM	#4
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	Did you test the new peaking focus feature in the EVF where the indicator disappears when the image is in focus or the magnifying feature to help ensure critical focus? Last edited by James Emory; September 16th, 2005 at 01:52 AM.

September 16th, 2005, 12:25 AM	#6
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	Woops, sorry, I meant you can't set two focus points and then automatically go back and forth between them. There's only one focus point, and it always goes back to that one, no matter which side of the point you're on. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

September 16th, 2005, 01:33 AM	#8
Paul Curtis Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canterbury Posts: 411	Zoom and aperture Perhaps im missing something here but the lens is rated as f1.6 to f3.5 presumably over the zoom range. Surely an HD zoom should be a constant aperture otherwise the lighting levels will alter as you zoom? Does the body do some kind of ISO or shutterspeed trickery to keep the exposure the same throughout (which seems like an odd solution)? Nice glass though, i have a stack of canon L lens, curious to see if there's going to be an EF adaptor for it and how good or bad the adaptor is optically... paul

September 15th, 2005, 11:54 PM	#5
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	[QUOTE=Michael Wisniewski there's also a preset focus (one way only) so it will automatically find the pre-set focus.[/QUOTE] Michael, are you sure about the one way only. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your statement. This would be different from the XL2 20X. Once you set the focus preset, it returns to it regardless of which side you are on when you press the 'go to' button. Same with the zoom preset. -gb-

September 16th, 2005, 03:11 AM	#10
Guy Barwood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 423	"Perhaps im missing something here but the lens is rated as f1.6 to f3.5 presumably over the zoom range. Surely an HD zoom should be a constant aperture otherwise the lighting levels will alter as you zoom?" The Z1's lens does the same thing however the HD100's doesn't. This gives the HD100 the equivalent of about a stop more sensitivity than the Z1 when zoomed in. This will hurt the XL H1 too, 3.5 is 2.3 stops lower than 1.6 (calculated using http://www.imaginatorium.org/stuff/stops.htm). This is an important feature many don't stop to think about.

September 16th, 2005, 08:27 AM	#12
Guy Barwood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 423	This is true, although it still can't be ignored as anyone shooting in poor light or low light where you can't control lighting such as special events/concerts will be effected by this. I know in a recent concert with a DV500 I had to use 6dB of gain in some scenes at F1.4 - F2.8 to properly expose many scenes and the DV500 is about 1-1.5 stops more sensitive than the HD100. I also was zoomed in quite a bit a lot of the time (16x not 20x lens). I did test the HD100 next to a Z1 and there was a definite and distinct advantage to the HD101 in zoom and the Z1 only closed to about f/2.4 not 3.6 It will also effect your ability to reduce depth of field if that is an effect you desire. I can't absolutely guarrantee the HD100 does stay wide open throughout zoom but I am pretty sure it does (like my DV500 lens does) and if it does close up a bit, it is only a tiny tiny bit. At least in theory Canon could release a better lens you could upgrade to for better light performance. With the Z1 your stuck with what you got.

September 16th, 2005, 09:50 PM	#14
Michael Escher New Boot Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 15	I'm sorry, but am I clueless about this? If the chips are still 1/3", then what is the 35mm still equivalent of the new 20x HD lens? The current 20x is from 5.4 to 108mm and according to the Canon website (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/con...12152&pageno=3) the new lens has a 38.9 to 778mm range. Is that the real lens size or the 35mm still equivalent? I am assuming that the 16x manual lens will still work with this camera as well as the 3x wide angle zoom. Anyone have info on lens compatibility?

September 16th, 2005, 09:58 PM	#15
Guy Barwood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 423	The 35mm equivalent is the 38.9-778mm range quoted. The actual lens is 5.4-108mm. A 1/3" CCD has a 'crop' factor of about 7x compared to 35mm film. Just remember lens mm are all the same, it is the sensor size that changes. We only refer back to 35mm because it is such a common format most people can relate to the angle of view from this format with a given lens setting.