VCL-308BWH Wide-Angle Lens Hood & Filter

Gabor Heeres · April 6th, 2009, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derran Rootring

Thanks for the footage Gabor!

I would really appreciate it if you would make some comparison footage of the two lenses in use. Perhaps (if it's not to much trouble) you can also show a bit of pan and tilt movements of the wide lens in use.

It has taken me a litlle more time than I expected. Her it is:

Sony Carl Zeiss Wide Angle Lens Test on Vimeo

Tom Hardwick · April 7th, 2009, 02:09 AM

Oops, it's been deleted from Vimeo, Gabor.

Derran - I'm pretty sure the Sony 0.8x designed for the Z1 won't fit the (same thread size) Z7. The Z7's zeiss lens is of a quite different construction to the Z1's.

Derran Rootring · April 7th, 2009, 03:29 AM

Ah too bad the link isn't working anymore. I really wanted to see the footage. Thanks Gabor, for taking the time to make this vid for us. Hopefully you can get it back online.

Tom, I must have seen it wrong then. Didn't Sony make a wide converter for this camera?

Tom Hardwick · April 7th, 2009, 03:55 AM

Yes, Sony make a 0.8x for the Z5 and the Z7 - it's just that I think they're different lenses and not interchangeable. Real users will know more.

Gabor Heeres · April 7th, 2009, 04:01 AM

Seond chance! If not in HD via Vimeo than back to SD:

Sony Wide Angle Lens Test Zideo, de grootste Nederlandse videosite waar je geld verdient met jouw video.

Derran Rootring · April 7th, 2009, 04:17 AM

Yes fantastic! Thank you very much for this footage, really helpful. Looks like a great lens. This is the real wide view I was searching for.

Gabor, You use it on a S270 right? Do you ever take it off, or leave it on the cam the whole time?

Gabor Heeres · April 7th, 2009, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derran Rootring

Gabor, You use it on a S270 right? Do you ever take it off, or leave it on the cam the whole time?

Derran, yes, indeed I do use the version for the S270 which is slightly different from the Z7 version. It is my standard lens on the camera but so now and then I switch to the standard lens if I need more teleview. Both lenses are built with the same quality and optical there is no difference. Advantages of the standard lens compared to the wide angle lens: Longer zoomrange and barndoors on the front. The lenscap of the w/a lens drops off all the times. Every time I put the camera on the ground the lenscap drops of, quite frustrating.

Derran Rootring · April 7th, 2009, 05:55 AM

Yes it can be very frustrating, if the lenscap keeps falling off. Too bad they didn't use the integral lens cap. Especially on a wide angle you want to keep the lens dust free. Otherwise it will be very noticeable on the screen.

Perhaps something like this will help you to protect the lens:
Century Precision Optics | DS-MBLC-00 Matte Box | 0DS-MBLC-00

Chad Dyle · April 10th, 2009, 05:46 PM

I hope this helps. I bought a 16x9 WA lens for my Z7 and had to get the 16x9 rubber hood to go on it. I paid closer to $200 last year for it, but it seems to have had its price lowered. It doesn't close or have a cover, but does offer some protection. It slides over the lens and then you tighten it down a bit. It keep my fingers out of the shot as well ;)

16x9 Inc. :: Rubber Shade - 85mm

Anthony Trotter · April 20th, 2009, 05:18 AM

Last week I was on an assignment covering a whaling ship returning to port with its controversial cargo. Decided to use the standard stock lens with protective filter as opposed to the wide-angle without a protective filter. Boy am I glad I did because the lens came into contact with ocean-spray and rain. I was constantly wiping it with a chamois. There was a lot of run-and-gunning going on and there were many chances that lens could have been scratched. Here's the bottom line for me: There must be a protective filter attached when I used the wide angle. Now, I just gotta find a solution. Any ideas?

Anthony Trotter · April 20th, 2009, 05:28 AM

Thanks for the suggestion, Chad. I will definitely look into the rubber hood. The lens hood that comes with the VCL-308BWH is very sturdy. Despite the lens cap falling off, it is very thick and provides a lot of protection. How’s the sturdiness of the 16X9 Inc. 85mm rubber shade that you linked to?

Chiayi Fun · May 10th, 2009, 12:59 PM

308BWH is good.

Sony VCL-308BWH Wide Angle Lens review part one (test) on Vimeo

This is my test video part one. but my English is poor. I can only speak Chinese. Sorry.

Luc De Wandel · May 10th, 2009, 02:59 PM

A very good alternative for the wide-angle lens is this wide-angle convertor from Sony: the VCL-HG0872K. Sony only markets it for the Z5, but it performs even better on the Z7, and it's a perfect fit. Plus no risk of dust getting into the cam in dusty working circumstances.

Originally, I was also looking at the VCL-308BWH, but for one third of the price I have a very good wide-angle solution (although there is some barrel distortion at the full wide setting), that comes with a mattebox and filter holder.

Anthony Trotter · October 30th, 2011, 07:44 AM

I realize this is an old thread, but something happened that relates to it. I'd been going without a protective ND filter on the lens of my new EX1R because it was easier to screw on the wide angle converter when I needed it. Well, while shooting low to the ground from a moving car, a pebble was thrown and put a tiny scratch directly on the naked lens. A $2,000+ lens replacement could've been prevented with a $60 filter. Luckily, the cam is insured.

Alexander Timanov · January 16th, 2012, 05:10 AM

As to the filter: I've managed to screw a UV (HMC) filter from HOYA on to the lens and a lens hood as well. It took some strength to put lens hood back, but it worth it considering the las post.

April 7th, 2009, 04:17 AM	#36
Derran Rootring Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	Yes fantastic! Thank you very much for this footage, really helpful. Looks like a great lens. This is the real wide view I was searching for. Gabor, You use it on a S270 right? Do you ever take it off, or leave it on the cam the whole time? Last edited by Derran Rootring; April 7th, 2009 at 05:58 AM.

April 10th, 2009, 05:46 PM	#39
Chad Dyle Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 410	I hope this helps. I bought a 16x9 WA lens for my Z7 and had to get the 16x9 rubber hood to go on it. I paid closer to $200 last year for it, but it seems to have had its price lowered. It doesn't close or have a cover, but does offer some protection. It slides over the lens and then you tighten it down a bit. It keep my fingers out of the shot as well ;) 16x9 Inc. :: Rubber Shade - 85mm __________________ www.chaddyle.com www.chaddyleproductions.com

May 10th, 2009, 12:59 PM	#42
Chiayi Fun Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: taiwan Posts: 62	308BWH is good. Sony VCL-308BWH Wide Angle Lens review part one (test) on Vimeo This is my test video part one. but my English is poor. I can only speak Chinese. Sorry. __________________ http://blog.dcview.com.tw/tmtcman filmtool http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/tmtcman/ DOF

October 30th, 2011, 07:44 AM	#44
Anthony Trotter Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 51	Re: VCL-308BWH Wide-Angle Lens Hood & Filter I realize this is an old thread, but something happened that relates to it. I'd been going without a protective ND filter on the lens of my new EX1R because it was easier to screw on the wide angle converter when I needed it. Well, while shooting low to the ground from a moving car, a pebble was thrown and put a tiny scratch directly on the naked lens. A $2,000+ lens replacement could've been prevented with a $60 filter. Luckily, the cam is insured.

January 16th, 2012, 05:10 AM	#45
Alexander Timanov Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ukraine Posts: 39	Re: VCL-308BWH Wide-Angle Lens Hood & Filter As to the filter: I've managed to screw a UV (HMC) filter from HOYA on to the lens and a lens hood as well. It took some strength to put lens hood back, but it worth it considering the las post.

April 7th, 2009, 02:09 AM	#32
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Oops, it's been deleted from Vimeo, Gabor. Derran - I'm pretty sure the Sony 0.8x designed for the Z1 won't fit the (same thread size) Z7. The Z7's zeiss lens is of a quite different construction to the Z1's.

April 7th, 2009, 03:29 AM	#33
Derran Rootring Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	Ah too bad the link isn't working anymore. I really wanted to see the footage. Thanks Gabor, for taking the time to make this vid for us. Hopefully you can get it back online. Tom, I must have seen it wrong then. Didn't Sony make a wide converter for this camera?

April 7th, 2009, 03:55 AM	#34
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Yes, Sony make a 0.8x for the Z5 and the Z7 - it's just that I think they're different lenses and not interchangeable. Real users will know more.

April 7th, 2009, 04:01 AM	#35
Gabor Heeres Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eindhoven, The Netherlands Posts: 322	Seond chance! If not in HD via Vimeo than back to SD: Sony Wide Angle Lens Test Zideo, de grootste Nederlandse videosite waar je geld verdient met jouw video.

April 7th, 2009, 05:55 AM	#38
Derran Rootring Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	Yes it can be very frustrating, if the lenscap keeps falling off. Too bad they didn't use the integral lens cap. Especially on a wide angle you want to keep the lens dust free. Otherwise it will be very noticeable on the screen. Perhaps something like this will help you to protect the lens: Century Precision Optics \| DS-MBLC-00 Matte Box \| 0DS-MBLC-00

April 20th, 2009, 05:18 AM	#40
Anthony Trotter Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 51	Last week I was on an assignment covering a whaling ship returning to port with its controversial cargo. Decided to use the standard stock lens with protective filter as opposed to the wide-angle without a protective filter. Boy am I glad I did because the lens came into contact with ocean-spray and rain. I was constantly wiping it with a chamois. There was a lot of run-and-gunning going on and there were many chances that lens could have been scratched. Here's the bottom line for me: There must be a protective filter attached when I used the wide angle. Now, I just gotta find a solution. Any ideas?

April 20th, 2009, 05:28 AM	#41
Anthony Trotter Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 51	Thanks for the suggestion, Chad. I will definitely look into the rubber hood. The lens hood that comes with the VCL-308BWH is very sturdy. Despite the lens cap falling off, it is very thick and provides a lot of protection. How’s the sturdiness of the 16X9 Inc. 85mm rubber shade that you linked to?

May 10th, 2009, 02:59 PM	#43
Luc De Wandel Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium Posts: 963	A very good alternative for the wide-angle lens is this wide-angle convertor from Sony: the VCL-HG0872K. Sony only markets it for the Z5, but it performs even better on the Z7, and it's a perfect fit. Plus no risk of dust getting into the cam in dusty working circumstances. Originally, I was also looking at the VCL-308BWH, but for one third of the price I have a very good wide-angle solution (although there is some barrel distortion at the full wide setting), that comes with a mattebox and filter holder.