focus slipping, iris acting funny

May 5th, 2002, 12:06 PM

You pretty much described what I don't like about the standard 16x auto and 3x, slipping focus and soft. The softness of the 3X in my opinion is due once again to the lack of control those electronic servo focus mechanisms have. Nothing is worse than getting into post and realizing what you thought was in focus actually was not. I've never ran into that problem with the 16x manual lens.

Josh Bass · May 6th, 2002, 03:41 AM

Ok ok . . cool. Several questions. Minimum focus distance is 3.5 feet (except when in macro mode) with the manual lens, correct? Okay, so. . .that makes me think maybe it's easier to do cool cinematographic effects with this lens (like blurring foreground, etc. Is this correct? Seems like you could just get "too close" to the area you wanted to blur, and focus on your subject, and all would be groovy. I've had little success achieving this effect with the IS II.

Also. . .have you figured out what to do when you do need those wide angles? Have you found a good enough adapter? Crystal optics has one. . .anyone know about it?

Mike Avery · May 6th, 2002, 07:38 AM

I just caught the tail end of this thread, but I agree with donbarzini about the benefits of the 16X manual lens.

I considered my XL1 an expensive toy until I put the manual lens on the front.

Now it's the first camera I grab.

If you are at all serious about videography, and you are frustrated by the standard lens.....go with the 16X manual.

Mike Avery

Josh Bass · May 6th, 2002, 10:13 AM

Well. . .rascals have opened my eyes. Is there a good way to get rid of the IS II an somehow make money off of it? Don't say ebay, because I got screwed pretty hard there once and I will never deal with those bastards or anything that resembles them again.

Also, good wide angle adapter? Anyone? Otherwise I'll be knocking down walls in every location . . .people might not like it

Chris Hurd · May 6th, 2002, 10:16 AM

Post it for sale right here in the Private Classifieds forum... every once in awhile, an XL1 owner looks to upgrade their IS lens to the IS II. Should be worth about $1000 or so.

Josh Bass · May 6th, 2002, 10:18 AM

1000.. .really? Hmmm. Groovy.

May 6th, 2002, 12:16 PM

I'm still searching for a good 100% zoom through wide angle adapter to use with the 16x manual lens.

Josh Bass · May 6th, 2002, 01:04 PM

Cool. Let me know if you find one. I don't much about them except what people say. Optex has a lens (not an adapter) that's fully manual, no communication with XL1s body, in other words. It's an adapted fujinon lens, I believe. There's an article about it on the XL1s watchdog site. I swear I saw it for $1000, but in the article it says it's like. . .$2300 or so? Something insane.

Chris Hurd · May 6th, 2002, 01:13 PM

Howdy from Texas,

Two things:

First, I have that lens and it is *not* a wide-angle lens. See the Guide to XL1 Lens Options on the Watchdog.

Second. the price in that article was from when it was new several years ago. It's much lower now. Hope this helps,

Josh Bass · May 6th, 2002, 04:31 PM

Ah. . .I see. Thanks. Is 16x manual's servo zoom smoother than the IS II's zoom?

Rob Lohman · May 7th, 2002, 03:28 AM

The manual lens does not use servos. That is the whole idea
behind a/the MANUAL lens. The rings are directly linked to the
underlying mechanisms.

Josh Bass · May 7th, 2002, 03:31 AM

Wait wait. . .I was under the impression there was a zoom rocker, and that you could switch between it and manually adjusting the zoom ring. ..

Josh Bass · May 7th, 2002, 03:38 AM

Here's an exerpt from an article on digitalfilmmaker.com

Now Canon has introduced a 16X manual lens that is able to work with the crucial elements of the power servo zoom and the camera auto exposure system. The black-barreled lens has a switch located on the bottom of the lens that allows it to easily be switched between servo and manual. What this means is that by leaving the switch in the manual position, it is possibly to quickly "snap" focus by racking between long and short focal lengths using the grip on the
barrel, or by switching to servo, be able to make smooth pushes and pulls

Chris Hurd · May 7th, 2002, 07:08 AM

It can get confusing to know exactly what we're talking about sometimes. The Canon 14x and Fuji-Optex 14x are manual only. The new Canon 16x manual lens includes a motor and is switchable between full manual zoom and motorized zoom. Hope this helps,

Rob Lohman · May 7th, 2002, 09:31 AM

My mistake. I was thinking about the "old" one indeed. My
appologies if I rushed any bushes.

May 6th, 2002, 03:41 AM	#17
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above Ok ok . . cool. Several questions. Minimum focus distance is 3.5 feet (except when in macro mode) with the manual lens, correct? Okay, so. . .that makes me think maybe it's easier to do cool cinematographic effects with this lens (like blurring foreground, etc. Is this correct? Seems like you could just get "too close" to the area you wanted to blur, and focus on your subject, and all would be groovy. I've had little success achieving this effect with the IS II. Also. . .have you figured out what to do when you do need those wide angles? Have you found a good enough adapter? Crystal optics has one. . .anyone know about it? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 6th, 2002, 10:13 AM	#19
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above Well. . .rascals have opened my eyes. Is there a good way to get rid of the IS II an somehow make money off of it? Don't say ebay, because I got screwed pretty hard there once and I will never deal with those bastards or anything that resembles them again. Also, good wide angle adapter? Anyone? Otherwise I'll be knocking down walls in every location . . .people might not like it __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 6th, 2002, 10:16 AM	#20
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Post it for sale right here in the Private Classifieds forum... every once in awhile, an XL1 owner looks to upgrade their IS lens to the IS II. Should be worth about $1000 or so. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 6th, 2002, 10:18 AM	#21
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above 1000.. .really? Hmmm. Groovy. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 6th, 2002, 01:04 PM	#23
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above Cool. Let me know if you find one. I don't much about them except what people say. Optex has a lens (not an adapter) that's fully manual, no communication with XL1s body, in other words. It's an adapted fujinon lens, I believe. There's an article about it on the XL1s watchdog site. I swear I saw it for $1000, but in the article it says it's like. . .$2300 or so? Something insane. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 5th, 2002, 12:06 PM	#16
Guest Posts: n/a	You pretty much described what I don't like about the standard 16x auto and 3x, slipping focus and soft. The softness of the 3X in my opinion is due once again to the lack of control those electronic servo focus mechanisms have. Nothing is worse than getting into post and realizing what you thought was in focus actually was not. I've never ran into that problem with the 16x manual lens.

May 6th, 2002, 07:38 AM	#18
Mike Avery Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 87	I just caught the tail end of this thread, but I agree with donbarzini about the benefits of the 16X manual lens. I considered my XL1 an expensive toy until I put the manual lens on the front. Now it's the first camera I grab. If you are at all serious about videography, and you are frustrated by the standard lens.....go with the 16X manual. Mike Avery

May 6th, 2002, 12:16 PM	#22
Guest Posts: n/a	I'm still searching for a good 100% zoom through wide angle adapter to use with the 16x manual lens.

May 6th, 2002, 01:13 PM	#24
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Howdy from Texas, Two things: First, I have that lens and it is not a wide-angle lens. See the Guide to XL1 Lens Options on the Watchdog. Second. the price in that article was from when it was new several years ago. It's much lower now. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 6th, 2002, 04:31 PM	#25
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above Ah. . .I see. Thanks. Is 16x manual's servo zoom smoother than the IS II's zoom? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 7th, 2002, 03:28 AM	#26
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	The manual lens does not use servos. That is the whole idea behind a/the MANUAL lens. The rings are directly linked to the underlying mechanisms. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 7th, 2002, 03:31 AM	#27
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above Wait wait. . .I was under the impression there was a zoom rocker, and that you could switch between it and manually adjusting the zoom ring. .. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 7th, 2002, 03:38 AM	#28
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	above Here's an exerpt from an article on digitalfilmmaker.com Now Canon has introduced a 16X manual lens that is able to work with the crucial elements of the power servo zoom and the camera auto exposure system. The black-barreled lens has a switch located on the bottom of the lens that allows it to easily be switched between servo and manual. What this means is that by leaving the switch in the manual position, it is possibly to quickly "snap" focus by racking between long and short focal lengths using the grip on the barrel, or by switching to servo, be able to make smooth pushes and pulls __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 7th, 2002, 07:08 AM	#29
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	It can get confusing to know exactly what we're talking about sometimes. The Canon 14x and Fuji-Optex 14x are manual only. The new Canon 16x manual lens includes a motor and is switchable between full manual zoom and motorized zoom. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 7th, 2002, 09:31 AM	#30
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	My mistake. I was thinking about the "old" one indeed. My appologies if I rushed any bushes. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors