My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, interesting. Back when I got the lens, I was advised to keep IS on all the time for video. Didn't know for a tripod that the lens would try to fight it, which explains some of the jerks in the pans and tilts, but I thought that was just me maybe.

If I turn with a gimbal in the future though, will lens IS try to fight the turns?

[Paul R Johnson]

Yep probably. Ryan, stop taking people's advice as gospel. If a product has a switch, for goodness sake experiment. I'm truly amazed you keep discovering things. A lens you've had for ages you suddenly find a spot, and suddenly find problems with the stabiliser and suddenly discover a switch you have never used, and worst of all, you discover t image is soft at maximum focal length. All this things come as a surprise. This is like discovering your car doesn't turn right, because everyone told you to always turn left, and when you first ignore the advice you discover a problem. Do you never experiment, play, fiddle, explore, examine, evaluate, compensate or modify? It's like you have a big arsenal of produce you have bought, but never use. The black spot for instance. Surely you shot at some point the sky? Or something evenly toned? I can't believe huge problem now was never noticed before? You post here and on other forums but always seem to have problems and not once have I ever seen you help other people with advice? Considering you are about to spend money on your feature, surely by now you must have picked up some skills you could assist others with. If we counted the time you have said "I have been told" it would be hundred. Do you never follow up the advice with "why"? So much of the advice you've been given you take as Gospel. Never questioning it till its proven as wrong, weird or plain crazy advice. We're urging you to get familiar and confident with what gear you have, but I get the impression that you pick up an item go through your mental check lis and then use it, and then spot the subject has gone, the sound doesn't work, the subject is jumping up and down, or the batteries are flat. How did you never spot the lens problem? It's so frustrating to solve one problem for you then you report yet another, and another.

[Brian Drysdale]

I'm not saying this is the case with Ryan, but on another forum the person asking endless questions without seeming to learn anything turned out to be a troll.

Many of the basic questions being asked can be answered by a quick google search and in more detail than is possible in a brief forum message,

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

I'm not saying this is the case with Ryan, but on another forum the person asking endless questions without seeming to learn anything turned out to be a troll.

I spent the better part of an afternoon awhile back (when I should have been doing other things) researching his prolific posting history on a wide variety of other forum sites, and eventually came to the conclusion that he doesn't seem to be purposefully trolling us.

I can't describe exactly how I made that determination, but I've been at this sort of thing since 1998 when I helped manage the Canopus forum.

If anyone here ever gets worn out by a particular member then I strongly suggest going to https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/profile.php?do=ignorelist (that's at the top left corner of any page, under Controls > Edit Ignore List) for a relatively simple and painless solution.

Hope this helps,

[Josh Bass]

Oh boy. Feel free to delete this if its too far but I am pretty sure he’s not a troll (he’s posted work for one thing whuxh would be a lot of trouble to go to for lulz), but is instead a youngish fella with aspergers or something like it that deeply affects the way he thinks including decision-making and potentially even reasoning out the idea of testing etc. or researching the answers, let alone being able to parse good advice from BS.

[Brian Drysdale]

I assumed that Chris would've put a stop to Ryan's membership if he was trolling, since there was the name change in the recent past, so he'd been working in the background. Also, as mentioned, he had posted some work.

There are a wide range of people who come onto forums and they learn in differing ways.This can involve rolling with how they work things out.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh sorry, if I came off that way, I didn't mean to come off as trolling, I certainly do not intend to be.

The lens is fairly new to me, only had it for a few months, and in the last few months I've been busy working on other people's projects in my time outside of work, so I haven't played around with it as much, since I got it.

I didn't notice the lens trying to fight me on movement until this project cause the animals were moving unpredictably, where as before when I practiced with it, I shot some friends and the movement was all planned, so I didn't notice anyone possibly problems then. The black spot in the lens only showed up last weekend, so I didn't notice it before then either, and it's not in any prior footage.

But on my previous projects, I always got someone else to do the shooting, so I didn't concentrate as much on the camera and lens technology and more so, directing. I can concentrate on it more.

[Brian Drysdale]

Some compact cameras with lenses that telescope in and out can suck in dust etc, although it tends land on the sensor, rather than inside the lens.

If you're planing to shoot wildlife a really good tripod is essential for the telephoto lens work. I don't expect you to go this extreme, but the high end wildlife camera people can be seen using Ronford 150mm bowl tripods when they're filming. Medium Duty - Ronford Baker

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

Oh boy. Feel free to delete this if its too far but I am pretty sure he’s not a troll (he’s posted work for one thing whuxh would be a lot of trouble to go to for lulz), but is instead a youngish fella with aspergers or something like it that deeply affects the way he thinks including decision-making and potentially even reasoning out the idea of testing etc. or researching the answers, let alone being able to parse good advice from BS.

This.
I’ve said this before to keep my sanity I try not to get deeply involved in his problems or offer him advice. The other thing as I understand it he has no income and no budget. I get the feeling his parents must occasionally buy equipment. This isn’t a criticism but it’s a waste of time recommending equipment he can’t afford. I think it’s a bit like going into a Ferrari dealership and taking up countless hours of salesman time all the while not having any means to actually purchase such a car.

But I agree in the past I thought he was a troll because the behavior is similar but I’d agree he isn’t but the end result is similar.

I have to restrain my natural instincts to help someone because it seems he rarely takes any advice he is given and the endless difficult situations he presents with no easy solution is exhausting to think about.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh i have an income what makes anyone think i don't? I just wanted to save on equipment while budgeting for other things as well in projects.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

Oh i have an income what makes anyone think i don't? I just wanted to save on equipment while budgeting for other things as well in projects.

I can’t remember you ever discussing a paying gig. Paid professionals will simply buy/rent the equipment that is needed for a job. So simply buy what you need.

It’s not that I care to know your finances but the starting point for any equipment decision is what’s your budget.

[Brian Drysdale]

Regarding this spot, I assume you've checked it's not there with your other lens?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

Regarding this spot, I assume you've checked it's not there with your other lens?

He verified it’s in the lens. It’s a used bad kit lens that’s worth practically nothing and when you throw in it has an internal dust spot it’s virtually worthless. No body would want to buy it and it’s not worth repairing.

[Ryan Elder]

The rental stores are often booked up in advance though and if shoot dates change i feel i need the equipment ready to go hence why i wanted a telephoto lens for future projects cause the DPs i know, don't have them.

[Brian Drysdale]

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

He verified it’s in the lens..

So I notice going back again to the first post.

Given the nature of the offending lens, it sounds like you'll have to work out your budget and decide which lenses fall within that and make a decision on buying one. However, I don't think we want to go through discussions on auto focus v manual focus and varifocal v parfocal again.