Wide angle lens at DVinfo.net

Robert Adams · January 7th, 2008, 11:26 AM

Can anyone give me a brief report on the Fujinon TH13x3.5BRMU? I am using the stock lens at the moment, with a ten year old Optex x0.7 + x0.5 wide angle adaptor. Of course this is not a zoom through adaptor, so it's constantly on and off the lens, and is well past it's retirement date. I bought a redEye adaptor a few months ago, but am not happy with it - it shows up every bit of dust, and since I work in news, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, it gets a lot of dust....

My questions would be:

1: where in the UK can I buy a Fujinon TH13x3.5BRMU? - extensive Googling has not turned one up.

2: is this lens as wide at its wide end as my current Fujinon 16x5.5 + optex 0.7/0.5 combo?

3: How much heavier is it? Does it stress the mount on the camera?

Any thoughts much appreciated.

BTW, I'm in Pakistan working for the BBC at the moment. If any other DVInfo members are around, and want to meet up in Islamabad in the next few days for a beer, drop me a line.

Marc Colemont · January 8th, 2008, 06:03 AM

Hi Robert,
If you search on this forum, you will pump into multiple posts of this subject with even footage and pictures with comparisons with the standard lens.
Myself, I'm using a Century Wide angle on the standard lens which works-out pretty good. And it costs much less then the 13x lens and goes wider.

Sean Adair · January 8th, 2008, 10:51 AM

I think dust and drops on the front element will be a challenge to control on any ultra wide-angle situation with this camera. The 1/3" format and the detail of HD exacerbate the situation and more care will be needed.

I've heard nothing but good things about the 13x, including a UK international doc project where they used only that lens. The price was reduced significantly in the last year. Was over $10K, now under $7K. I've played with it at demos, and it's compact (no mount stress) and nicely constructed.

Regarding the field of view, you'll find Tim Dashwood posted some very clear comparison frame grabs somewhere in this section, but optical physics works as well.
The 16x is 5.5 - with .7x= 3.85 (less wide) but with .5x =2.75 (wider).
It will be a LOT straighter and cleaner though, not mention zoomable and ready to use in other situations immediately... In fact, you could probably put an adapter on this lens too if you want to go wild with perspective.

Petr Bastar · January 9th, 2008, 03:13 AM

I want to know, if it will be possible to use the 1/3 Zeiss lenses from the new SONY HDV cams. Could you use for example the wide optional lens for JVC?

Robert Adams · January 10th, 2008, 11:12 AM

Thanks for this guys - Marc, I agree the Century combo (badged as Optex in the UK) makes for great pictures. My problem is that I can't run a clean environment for it, so it gets a beating. A camera assistant to hold bits of glass, sticks, spare batteries, cigarettes etc would be nice, but that's not in any news organisations' budgets any more. Sadly.

Sean, thanks for the technical stuff; I hadn't worked out the numbers, and the business of the 1/3" chip making a difference had completely passed me by. I didn't have this problem when I used the adaptor on my old JVC J15 on the (2/3") Betacam I used to use. Your explanation makes good sense, and your info on the price drop on the Fujinon, and its usability, is very encouraging. I'll get back onto Google and see what I can find.

I guess that putting a new Century 0.7 on the 13x would make for some really interesting frames...

Robert Adams · January 10th, 2008, 11:13 AM

... it's been a long fortnight.

January 7th, 2008, 11:26 AM	#1
Robert Adams Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Harare Zimbabwe Posts: 162	Wide angle lens Can anyone give me a brief report on the Fujinon TH13x3.5BRMU? I am using the stock lens at the moment, with a ten year old Optex x0.7 + x0.5 wide angle adaptor. Of course this is not a zoom through adaptor, so it's constantly on and off the lens, and is well past it's retirement date. I bought a redEye adaptor a few months ago, but am not happy with it - it shows up every bit of dust, and since I work in news, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, it gets a lot of dust.... My questions would be: 1: where in the UK can I buy a Fujinon TH13x3.5BRMU? - extensive Googling has not turned one up. 2: is this lens as wide at its wide end as my current Fujinon 16x5.5 + optex 0.7/0.5 combo? 3: How much heavier is it? Does it stress the mount on the camera? Any thoughts much appreciated. BTW, I'm in Pakistan working for the BBC at the moment. If any other DVInfo members are around, and want to meet up in Islamabad in the next few days for a beer, drop me a line.

January 8th, 2008, 06:03 AM	#2
Marc Colemont Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Belgium Posts: 695	Hi Robert, If you search on this forum, you will pump into multiple posts of this subject with even footage and pictures with comparisons with the standard lens. Myself, I'm using a Century Wide angle on the standard lens which works-out pretty good. And it costs much less then the 13x lens and goes wider. __________________ Marc Colemont - Belgium - http://www.mc-productions.be JVC GY-HM850's, HM890, HM600

January 8th, 2008, 10:51 AM	#3
Sean Adair Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 463	I think dust and drops on the front element will be a challenge to control on any ultra wide-angle situation with this camera. The 1/3" format and the detail of HD exacerbate the situation and more care will be needed. I've heard nothing but good things about the 13x, including a UK international doc project where they used only that lens. The price was reduced significantly in the last year. Was over $10K, now under $7K. I've played with it at demos, and it's compact (no mount stress) and nicely constructed. Regarding the field of view, you'll find Tim Dashwood posted some very clear comparison frame grabs somewhere in this section, but optical physics works as well. The 16x is 5.5 - with .7x= 3.85 (less wide) but with .5x =2.75 (wider). It will be a LOT straighter and cleaner though, not mention zoomable and ready to use in other situations immediately... In fact, you could probably put an adapter on this lens too if you want to go wild with perspective. __________________ Sean Adair - NYC - www.adairproductions.com JVC GY-HM-700 with 17x5 lens, MacPro 3.2ghz 8-core, 18gb. (JVC HD200 4 sale soon)

January 10th, 2008, 11:12 AM	#5
Robert Adams Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Harare Zimbabwe Posts: 162	Fujinon W/angle Thanks for this guys - Marc, I agree the Century combo (badged as Optex in the UK) makes for great pictures. My problem is that I can't run a clean environment for it, so it gets a beating. A camera assistant to hold bits of glass, sticks, spare batteries, cigarettes etc would be nice, but that's not in any news organisations' budgets any more. Sadly. Sean, thanks for the technical stuff; I hadn't worked out the numbers, and the business of the 1/3" chip making a difference had completely passed me by. I didn't have this problem when I used the adaptor on my old JVC J15 on the (2/3") Betacam I used to use. Your explanation makes good sense, and your info on the price drop on the Fujinon, and its usability, is very encouraging. I'll get back onto Google and see what I can find. I guess that putting a new Century 0.7 on the 13x would make for some really interesting frames...

January 10th, 2008, 11:13 AM	#6
Robert Adams Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Harare Zimbabwe Posts: 162	Canon J15, not JVC, of course.... ... it's been a long fortnight.

January 9th, 2008, 03:13 AM	#4
Petr Bastar Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ceske Budejovice,Czech republic Posts: 34	I want to know, if it will be possible to use the 1/3 Zeiss lenses from the new SONY HDV cams. Could you use for example the wide optional lens for JVC?