HD100/250 1/2 and 2/3 lens options

[Adam Letch]

Hi guys,

my church is currently shooting 3 HD101s with stock lenses, we need something with a longer throw, the only 1/3 lens option is the Canon, which over here the cheapest is about $14,000Aus. So thats out. We only shoot SD 4:3, and will switch in the next couple of weeks to 16:9 SD.
So I wondering if people can give feedback as to what 1/2 or 2/3 lenses they've shot with successfully, something possibly with a 2x extender built in as well. And things like whether you needed rail supports etc.

Thanks for your time.

Regards

Adam

[Sean Adair]

Hi Adam
2/3" lenses won't work on these cameras without an adapter (expensive) then the lenses are expensive. The only lens (1/2" HD) that is longer is the expensive 18x you refferred to - although it is a better lens in every way you can consider. Overkill for this however, especially since youare still in SD.

Here's the budget solution that should also produce great quality results - including HD in this scenario.
Get a 35mm Nikon lens adapter (several around from zork etc) they run around $200. Then get a used still 35mm SLR lens - manual focus fast tele zoom. Nikon 2.8 80-200 or perhaps a sigma/tokina f2.8 70-210.
You will have great extended range. Follow focusing may be a bit more challenging, but I suspect there isn't that much range to work with in your scenario.

This is also a great solution for Nature videographers. I haven't had the call for it yet, but I'm ready to pullit out of the bag!
Good luck

[Adam Letch]

I have thought of one of these solutions, it's very cost effective, but I have a crew of ten camera people, and hopefully more with many different skill levels, and I believe it would be too much of a challenge for them to keep good focus as my Pastor is very animated, constantly walking the stage, and often walking into the congregation during the sermon.

Here's a wmv for any members who are interested in seeing the HD101 in a controlled environment using the analogue outputs at 50i SD. This is a non - animated day for Pastor Geoff, and the operators which I'm not sure who they were on the day, must be some of my lesser experience operators who don't shoot very tight.

mms://www.myinternetchurch.com/SampleSermon128

[John Mitchell]

Bit of a catch 22 really. Any lens with an extender is going to be expensive.
This is the best bet I could come up with: Fujinon S20x6.4BRM-38 Lens (approx $AUS2250 ex) or cheaper still Fujinon S16x7.3BRM-68 Lens (approx 1430 + GST) but these are half inch standard def lenses and by the time you pay for the JVC adapter (which runs about a $US1000) it's getting quite expensive. This 20x lens comes in an extender version but that more than doubles the price. Obviously these are lower grade Fujinon lenses as well, so I'm not sure how they'd look through an adapter to the JVC. Probably bad CA at the very least. I haven't shot with any of these lenses.

At the tele end the 20x is 128mm and the 16x is 116mm - both these lenses are significantly longer than the JVC 16x @ 88mm.

Both the fujinon 18x and 17x made for the JVC are actually shorter at the telephoto end than the stock 16x because they start wider (76mm and 85mm respectively).

I have one other suggestion, but i don't know how you could adapt it for live work (you'd need an HD-DVE). For post you could ingest HDV rather than SD and then crop your image to blow it up for SD output.

BTW I've shot up the back of the Hills Centre in Sydney and manage to get chest to waist up close ups on the stock 16x so that must be a pretty big auditorium you're in!

[Robert Yarosh]

Adam,

Keep in mind that when converting a 1/2" lens to a 1/3" camera, you will get about 50% more telephoto from the lens. A 116mm tele will become about 174mm relative to a 1/3" lens, so you may not need a 2x. If you are shooting in SD, CA and softer edges won't come into play. In HD, glass becomes much more critical, and HD grade lenses are preferred.

2/3" lenses are nearly double the telephoto when adapted to the 1/3" mount, but also, the wide angle is doubled and therefore useless for wide shots. 8.9 becomes 17.8!

[Sean Adair]

Originally Posted by Adam Letch

I have thought of one of these solutions, it's very cost effective, but I have a crew of ten camera people, and hopefully more with many different skill levels, and I believe it would be too much of a challenge for them to keep good focus as my Pastor is very animated, constantly walking the stage, and often walking into the congregation during the sermon.

You don't lose or change the depth of field with a straight lens mount adapter. The focus range will be the same as for a 1/3" lens of that same focal length. Yes, at this focal length, the depth of field is minimal - but better than it would be with a larger chip camera dealing with this distance and framing! Vibration, unsteadiness of camera moves etc will also be amplified - with any tele lens at this range.

The primary disadvantage of the still lens will be not having a servo zoom, but that doesn't seem to be as important to me as having a high quality fluid head tripod. A focus gear setup with a whip and a good external monitor would be really helpful as well.

The reference to nature photographers is quite relevant, especially if there is a challenge following the pastor while he is moving a fair bit. Look at what people use for those nature shoots.

[Stephan Ahonen]

Originally Posted by Sean Adair

The primary disadvantage of the still lens will be not having a servo zoom, but that doesn't seem to be as important to me as having a high quality fluid head tripod.

Aaaaaand you lost me right there. I can deal with a lower quality tripod head, but not having servo zoom on a video camera would simply be unacceptable.