Can a Canon ENG lens for a DVCAM camcorder work with the Z7?

[Steve Bransford]

I have a Sony DSR-500 DVCAM shoulder-mount camcorder that I'm not using too much these days and wanted to see if I could use its Canon ENG lens on the Z7. The DSR-500 was a 16:9 camera with 2/3" chips. The Canon lens is the YJ18x9B4 Sx12. It's not labeled an HD lens, but does that matter? Would this lens work with the Z7? Possibly with the use of an adapter?

[Bill Pryor]

If the Z7 has the B4 mount, then you can use it. But don't forget the multiplier factor. I don't remember what it is between 1/3" and 2/3" chips but probably at least double.

[Barry Wilkinson]

I think its more like three times so a wide angle lens becomes a telephoto almost.

[Zach Love]

you WILL need an adapter, the Z7 uses a 'standard' 1/3" mount, the same mount used on JVC's HD100/HD200/etc

I think the (Fujinon / JVC) ACM-17 will fit your needs, but double check first. you might be albe to get a different model from some other third party that is cheaper, let me know if you find other adapters.

also to figure out what the FOV will be, remember that a 50mm lens is always a 50mm lens. just that 50mm is 'normal' on a 35mm film camera, while 50mm is about a 10xnormal telephoto on a 1/3" camera.

so my Z1 12x lens goes from 4.5mm to 54mm, I might be wrong, but I think 10mm is about the "normal" focal legnth for 1/3", thus if your lens goes from 9mm to 162mm x 2, you willl NOT be able to go wide at all, but you will be able to get super close.

also you can use a non-HD lens for HD, it just won't look as nice. I don't know how much nicer it will look, but I have read often about people loving it when they upgrade. (although often I think it is their boss footing the bill for the upgrade, so I don't know if they would be as impressed if it was $10-$20k out of their own pocket). I do know of a number of TV stations that boutght 1/2"-2/3" HD ENG cameras & are using 'standard' lenes.

the ONLY problem I could see is that I am not sure if you can plug in the lens to the camera. the shipped lens gets its servo power from the mount (I believe), so contact Sony / a retailer to find out, and if you do, please let us know

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Steve Bransford

I have a Sony DSR-500 DVCAM shoulder-mount camcorder that I'm not using too much these days and wanted to see if I could use its Canon ENG lens on the Z7. The DSR-500 was a 16:9 camera with 2/3" chips. The Canon lens is the YJ18x9B4 Sx12. It's not labeled an HD lens, but does that matter? Would this lens work with the Z7? Possibly with the use of an adapter?

I don't know what your results would be with the 2/3" lens but I could hazard a guess. Having tried a Z7 using an ACM-12 1/2" to 1/3" converter and a 1/2" Std Def Canon broadcast lens I wouldn't bother. The multiplier factor for the 2/3" to 1/3" from memory is around about 1.83, nearly double! With the 1/2" lens to 1/3" I recall it being around 1.37.

The results after an accurate back-focus? Great long end but pretty narrow on the wide end and more importantly the standard Zeiss was sharper right throughout the range. Apart from the lens performance the camera was way front heavy for hand held use. Looking closely while it was on the tripod it appeared that there was a fair amount of weight on the Z7 lens mount with the bigger Canon fitted which is something else I didn't like too much.

Additional point, the Canon and Fujinon lens adapters don't carry the 'hot shoe' connections through so you have to use a lens with the normal 12 pin connection.

Given time I will try this experiment with one of my 1/2" HD lenses and see what the image results will be like. Even if it is way better it still doesn’t overcome the weight distribution, multiplier and lens mount strain issues.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney, Aust