Updates on accessory page for hd100

[Louis Quin]

I noticed that a few more items were added with prices. Notably the wide angle converter for $599, the tripod adapter for $299, and the 13x lens for $11995!
Why would this lens be almost twice the price of the camera and standard lens? Is this more expensive to manufacture or is this just a better lens than the 16x with finer optics? I realize this may be hard to say on something thats not out yet, but any opinions?

[Doug Boze]

Gee, Louis, you beat me to it! Last night I stopped by the site, clicked on accessories, and hey, I don't remember seeing all that.

Well, at least the tripod adapter isn't $1K as previously suggested. But, yeah, the Th13x3.5BRMU at $12K?! IIRC, Canon also priced their wide-angle lens for the XL-1 at a substantial premium.

Does anyone have any experience with the sort of wideangle adapters as they list here? If they are anything like the crap sold for consumer camcorders, replete with focus and chromatic distortions, what good are they?

[Bill Pryor]

That price of $12K is not bad for a 2/3" lens but is pricey for a 1/3" one. However, it does open up to 3.5mm at the wide end, which is way cool and worth the money if you can afford it. I doubt that many people would spend that much for a lens for this camera, but who knows.

I read someplace that the camera will use the standard Sony tripod adapter plate. Does anybody know if that's true?

The more I read about this camera, the more I'm liking it. It's going to be interesting to compare it to the Z1. If both cameras come out close to equal in image quality, I would have to go for the one with the "real" lens.

[Doug Boze]

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

I read someplace that the camera will use the standard Sony tripod adapter plate. Does anybody know if that's true?

Nice, if true. It means I could keep something of my present setup... <g>

The more I read about this camera, the more I'm liking it.

I think this is the general consensus.

[Tommy James]

Actually the theory goes that when a person is first starting out in the video business you are broke so you buy the camera with the cheap lens. But as your business grows you get the expensive professional lens. Don't still photographers do this ? They buy a camera body for a modest price but then they go out and spend all kinds of money on lenses when they get more serious. I'm sure real pros get jobs bragging about how much they spent on the lenses.

[Frederic Segard]

Yeah! But still... $12K for a 1/3" lens... that's twice the price of the cam. I would of understood half the price. But twice? This lense must have superior optics, should it not? I would hope that they have a bundle with the 13x lens instead of the 16x.

[Louis Quin]

Anyone heard of a tele extender for the 16x, like what Canon has for the XL2?

[Tommy James]

Yes but if you are going to compete with a 50,000 dollar HD camera so what if the lens costs more than the camera. You tell your clients that you use the same expensive lenses found on those Sony alta cinema cameras and that gets you the job

[Tommy James]

Yes but if you are going to compete with a 50,000 dollar HD camera so what if the lens costs more than the camera? You tell your clients that you use the same expensive lenses found on those Sony alta cinema cameras and that gets you the job. I'm sure professionals pay 12 grand for a lens for a standard definition camcorder so whats wrong with paying 12 grand for a lens for a good high definition camcorder like the JVC HD100 ? The idea of the JVC HD100 is that you can upgrade the lens to any quality that you can afford and that gives it an advantage over the Sony HDV camera. and the idea of the JVC HD100 is that you look the part of the Electonic News Gatherer or the NFL sports videographer with that big HD shoulder mounted camera rather than using some handheld consumer looking camera with a cheap lens.

[Chris Hurd]

As far as the lens being more expensive than the camera, in the still photo world this is fairly common. The best glass routinely costs much more than the camera body that's behind it... sometimes two, three, or four times the amount for the camera in fact... so I really don't see why this should be an issue in the HDV world.

[Radek Svoboda]

http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Broadcastan...sp=19&id=75301

Here an example of Sony 1080p broadcast POV camera that using high quality 1/2" Canon HD lens. The lens used to list for 7,000 USD, also has auto focus mode.

I would prefer JVC added like this lens, another relatively inexpensive manual wide angle only zoom lens as accessories.

Radek

[Barry Green]

But that's not a wide-angle lens. That's more telephoto than the JVC's stock lens.

The JVC's optional wide-angle lens starts at a very, very wide 3.5mm. That Sony VCL-719BXS lens starts at 6.7mm.

[Radek Svoboda]

I know, but it has auto-focus function. Wide angle JVC is offering would cost lot less of it would extend only to normal, max. short tele focal length. It's inexpensive 1/3" HDV camera. People who buy it don't want spend more than 2x as much on wide angle.

Radek

[Barry Green]

Oh, I agree that HDV buyers will be turned off by the price.

But having used it at NAB, it was s w e e t... compared to the stock lens, it's much more desirable. Much.

But it's $12,000 vs. the $800 they value the stock lens at.

[Steve Gibby]

The Fujinon T13x3.5BRMU fo rthe HD100 should be an excellent professional lens. In the limited time I got to check out that lens on an HD100 at NAB, I was impressed by its optics. Let's face it, only professional shooters with reasonable project budgets will buy the 13x lens for the HD100. That said, this is one of the main strengths of the HD100 camera system - entry level use of the 16x lens and .8 wide converter for limited budget operations, but the ability, with larger budgets, to use the 13x, DigiPrimes, Nikon primes, etc. The operative phrase is "creative flexibility".

I'm buying two HD100 cameras. I'm buying one of the 13x lenses. One of the HD100's will have the 13x lens on it continually. My project budgets and creative applications justify buying the 13x. $12k is not an inordinate amount to pay a lens that will allow me to get the caliber of images that I need. The second HD100 will usually have the 16x lens, with the .8 wide angle converter available. Using the .8 WA on the 16x should bring the wide end down to about 4.4. For that camera, I'll also have the 1/2" to 1/3" step down converter, so that I have the option of using my 1/2" Fujinon 20x6.4 lens on it. In addition, I'll use a Century 2x extender for long reach uses on the 16x and 20x lenses (wildlife, etc.). The camera will be counterbalanced with an IDX or Antib Bauer battery system with a piggyback dual wireless mic system.

In my television work, I use a broad range of professional cameras with interchangeable lenses. But for certain genres of production, I also use compact, fixed-lens, camcorders - VX2100, DVX100a, PD170, etc. There are certain types of production values, budget, client, and application, - where an interchangeable lens is a necessity. Other times, a smaller, fixed-lens camera is not only preferrable, but absolutely necessary (mobility, cramped quarters, dangerous locations, etc.). I always have every accessory available for my small, fixed-lens cameras, to milk the best professional shots from them, with the side effect that they look much more professional to clients. I think that true professionals analyze all the factors, and simply mate the best format, camcorder, and accessories to that particular production. Nobody has the budgets to own every camera on the market. That's where rental houses come in. If you have a budget and you don't have a particular camera, lens, or accessory, rent it for that project.

In summary, when I buy (or rent) an interchangeable lens camera system, I'm after the professional lensing capability that I need for certain applications. When I buy (or rent) a smaller, fixed-lens camcorder, I'm seeking the mobility, and creative simplicity I need for certain applications. If you're an entry-level or limited budget shooter, the HD100 should still be a good acquisition tool for you. When you get bigger budgets, you'll have the expandability to buy or rent more lenses. If you are a high-level professional shooter, you are already used to the flexibility and creativity of having interchangeable lenses on most of your cameras, so the HD100 allows you to do the type of shots, and to use the type of lenses and lens accessories that you are used to.

FYI - I already own a Z1, and I will be buying an HVX200 when it's available. I use the Z1 with every accessory and attachment possible to enable a broad range of shooting possibilities. I'll do the same with the HVX200.

I wandered off-thread somewhat, but in my mind the bottom line on my decision to purchase the HD100 is interchangeable lenses. As a professional shooter, I need that feature in many of my applications. There's no question in my mind that the HDV format has some inferior qualities when compared to the DVCProHD format (I regularly use both formats), but interchangeable lenses is the clincher for me. My editing system easily handles every current video format, so I have the flexibility to shoot in whatever acquisition format that best matches each particular project - whether it's HDCAM, DVCProHD, HDV, or any of the SD formats.

Gibby
www.cut4.tv