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#1 |
Regular Crew
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK
Posts: 60
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Long Lens Support
Hi All
Thought you might be interested in the lens support I have made for my XL1s / 300mm Sigma. It is made from 4mm alloy bar, 50mm wide and 338mm long (cost £2). With this lens the mounting foot is exactly level with the tripod socket, if using a lens with a lower mounting foot a spacer will need to be fitted to the rear mounting. I bolted a Manfrotto long plate to the bottom of the plate to mount to the tripod. All holes are drilled 5.1mm and threaded 1/4 X 20 tpi BSW, and the slot is 100mm long and 4mm wide. Right lads and lassies get out your hacksaw and drill and have a go. See photographs in attached files
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henry g |
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#2 |
Trustee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 1,397
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That looks like it will do the job well. Thanks for the heads up. Can I ask what you use the rig for? I'm guessing wildlife with that length. How do you find using it at that focal length?
Great stuff Mat |
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#3 |
Regular Crew
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK
Posts: 60
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Hi Mat,
Yes I use this setup for wildlife filming. The only problems I have are FOCUS, very shallow depth of field at maximum zoom and following moving birds and animals can be difficult,in fact near impossible The other problem is STABILITY, the tripod must be locked down whenever possible as any adjustment will cause camera shake. Whenever the subject will allow I lock down, zoom in to maximum, focus, zoom back to required framing, press record and hope the subject stays in frame. Panning and zooming at 2160mm does not work due to the camera moving even with the lightest touch. When filming moving subjects I use the standard 16X lens, sometimes with the 1.6 extender which allows the auto focus to work.
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henry g |
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#4 |
Trustee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 1,397
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Hi Henry
Yeah I can imagine keeping things still at that range is tough going. You say ... '1.6 extender which allows the auto focus to work' How do you find that extender and how do you mean 'for the autofocus to work'. The extender improves autofocus ?? Have you tried other lenses, what do you consider is a good workable range. I'm going to be gearing up for such things soon so this is usefull stuff? At the moment I'm looking at not going much above 200mm(maybe 300) that should still double the focal length of the stock lense. Cheers Mat |
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#5 |
Trustee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 1,397
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Oh and any sample footage available, I'd like to take a look?!
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#6 |
Regular Crew
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK
Posts: 60
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Hi Mat,
When using Canon XL lenses as supplied with the Canon XL1/ 1s /2 you have auto focus and if you fit a Canon XL 1.6 extender the auto focus will still work. However when you fit a lens from a still camera with an EOS mount you will need a Canon EF adaptor which fits between the lens and the camera, this adaptor multiplies the focal length of the lens by 7.2 but will disable the auto focus and the auto exposure. If you look at my photographs the EF adaptor is the square white thing. I will TRY to upload some film shots soon.
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henry g |
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#7 |
Trustee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 1,397
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Ahh ok, I get you. Yeah I have an EF adapter on order and yeah I realise you lose the auto controls. Crazy you pay so much and actually lose functions, but hey I guess the gains from being able to change your lens functionality will be great. I'm starting at the macro end of things, hence my other post 50mm macro! But I indeed to get a longer lense as I enjoy shooting birds but have to rely on quiet approach at the moment instead :)
Cheers for now |
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#8 | |
Regular Crew
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Crewe United Kingdom
Posts: 43
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Quote:
Regards Andy |
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#9 | |
Inner Circle
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 2,222
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#10 |
Regular Crew
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Brighton, Colorado
Posts: 49
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our camera setup questions
Hello Henry,
Nice setup. I just sent you a pm. Thanks, Vince |
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#11 |
Regular Crew
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NSW / Australia
Posts: 76
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I use the Sima 100-300 APo with the Z7P, bought also the Manfrotto long plate, turned the lens brace around with the screw thread facing the camera. As the 2 screw holes are very much toward the front of the camera, I have no problem, bolting camera and lens to the plate, and, guess what, it is long enough even with the 1.4EX converter - but just. There would not be more than 1mm play.
Although not recommended by Lino (Manfrotto) I throw my tripod and camera over the shoulder to go bush and film wildlife. I've done that for 8 years (first with Canon XM2 and 2x Century adaptor), now with the Z7P. It would be too slow fishing the camera out of a bag on the back and mounting it, when action happens. In case you are interested read on: With the Canon XM2 (no adaptor, just the lens hood) I once stumbled and fell, as the rock under my feet crumbled, and the camera landed lens hood first very hard on the rock. I did not expect it to work again, but an immediate check revealed, everything was fine. Now this surprised me: instead of being crushed, the lens hood had only a small dent. The hood has the weight of thin plastic, if not less. Only later did I find out, that it was made of what must be a new very tough metal composition. At that time I had read many reviews of that camera complaining of the plasticky feel to it. Technology surrounding fabrication materials is also constantly advancing, keeping the weight of cameras down, while stability goes up (to meet the wishes of consumers). |
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