anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? at DVinfo.net

Thomas Wong · April 24th, 2012, 09:27 PM

I could get a 50mm F1.8 at very low price in FD or Nikon. Does it really worth to pay $300 for this sony e-mount? I could pay about $100 more to get a nikon 50mm F1.2 manual lens.

There are OSS and autofocus for this lens? Do we really need that? I think mostly of time will be on tripod if using a 50mm.

please share some of your experience if you have this lens using on FS100

Bill Weaver · April 25th, 2012, 07:58 AM

FD lenses with 13 dollar adapter on each one are great. Use the kit lens for IS when needed.

Jem Moore · April 25th, 2012, 09:11 AM

I just finished a week of filming where I used this lens a lot. I used it hand held quite a bit, and on a tripod somewhat less. I've been very happy with it's performance, especially for bokeh. Low light performance is great, and since I did hand held, the OIS was quite helpful. Here is a not-yet public music video from last weeks filming, all of the shots in the right-hand frame are on the FS100 with the 50mm lens.

password: patolwell

hope that helps...

Les Wilson · April 25th, 2012, 09:36 AM

I just read a review of that lens on the vg20. It has autofocus and autoexposure support in addition to the ois. I find both push af and push ae are handy even when using tripod. Especially with shallow dof cameras. Ymmv

Thomas Wong · April 26th, 2012, 01:26 AM

Jem,

On the left side of the video, I believe it's a VG10, and what lens do you use?
and what picture profile do you use? the image looks sharper than mine

Piotr Wozniacki · April 26th, 2012, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Weaver

FD lenses with 13 dollar adapter on each one are great. Use the kit lens for IS when needed.

Great idea!

I have a nice collection of FD glass, and just a single "no-name" adapter from eBay ($20 with shipment, working great). Considering how awkward it can be to mount an FD lens on the adapter, I am going to buy several adapters of the same kind/price, and keep them on all my FD lenses permanently...

It's just some $80, and will spare me some stress and time involved in changing lenses :)Thanks for the idea!

Jem Moore · April 26th, 2012, 07:37 AM

Thomas, you are correct, sir, it's a VG10 :) I was using the Zeiss Planar 24mm E-mount, and I was using the 'portrait' image profile, but to be totally honest, I added a tad of sharpening in post. I had the lens wide open at 1.8 and I think the autofocus was choosing the curtains in back, so the people were a little soft. The Zeiss lens is usually very sharp, though. I'm not sure if it was worth spending a grand on, but I have been very happy with it, usually on close up shots and alternate interview shots.

Robert Musiello · April 27th, 2012, 07:45 AM

I bought it to use on my jib, I buy the "e" mount lenses to use with my Sony RM-1000BP Multifunctional LANC Remote Commander Unit
This way I have Iris and focus control from the bottom of the jib...
I have a big studio in NY and a staff of photographers and videographers all canon cameras and lenses on the photography side and Sony equipment on the video side.. so I could have used any of the lenses we already own... but I like using the controller when I can. so I am starting the "e" mount collection... lens def looks good...

Asif Khan · April 27th, 2012, 03:33 PM

the lens is in stock on amazon (it was out of stock for a while)

Amazon.com: Sony 50mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Lens for Sony E Mount Nex Cameras: Camera & Photo

Galen Rath · April 27th, 2012, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

Great idea!

I have a nice collection of FD glass, and just a single "no-name" adapter from eBay ($20 with shipment, working great). Considering how awkward it can be to mount an FD lens on the adapter, I am going to buy several adapters of the same kind/price, and keep them on all my FD lenses permanently...

It's just some $80, and will spare me some stress and time involved in changing lenses :)Thanks for the idea!

Yes, it seems every FD lens has it own trick in attaching an adapter, and there's no way I can remember each trick. Get an adapter for each.

Thomas Wong · April 28th, 2012, 04:25 AM

i finally got this lens, i like to use it for interview, because the autofocus really help a lot specially when the target is moving forward and backward while talking

but i really hate the infinitive focus ring, it took like 360 degree to pull the focus on a dish of salad from one end to the front

Piotr Wozniacki · April 28th, 2012, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas Wong

i finally got this lens, i like to use it for interview, because the autofocus really help a lot specially when the target is moving forward and backward while talking

but i really hate the infinitive focus ring, it took like 360 degree to pull the focus on a dish of salad from one end to the front

Doesn't sharp, short ring movement make focusing faster, like with the stock lens?

Stephan Hubenthal · April 28th, 2012, 06:54 AM

> but i really hate the infinitive focus ring <

that was the reason I just went for a Sigma 50 mm 1.4 Nikon mount that I can use on my D300 too.
With video cameras I never use any autofocus or auto exposure settings. If the picture is out of focus for a moment - just because the interviewed person had moved - then hopefully nobody will mind. But if the lens (auto)focusses onto something, that just came in between and was not supposed to be there - like mikes on booms, hands or birds ;-) - the picture might be ruined.

The other thing was, that I wanted to be able to do some "focus-ring-postion-reliable" rack-focussing. With the 18-200 mm stock-lens, this was nearly impossible, if it had to be right the first time, like in run-and-gun-shooting.

But of course there might be times where one would miss the stabilizing feature. I hope the 18-55 kit lens can take care of that, when needed.

Have a great weekend
Stephan

Eric Barker · October 25th, 2013, 05:03 PM

For a 50mm (75mm equivalent), OSS is going to be handy. On a 16mm, who cares. But I was taught (pre OSS) never shoot video handheld unless all the way zoomed out, and 75mm is NOT zoomed out. OSS and a decent rig can compensate for that, though.

Autofocus... I never used to use it until recently, but now that I'm doing a lot of steadicam truck/dolly shots, it's pretty much required. Impossible to hold a two-handed steadicam, move, and manually focus at the same time. Maybe for dolly shots, but trucks... you get my drift.

Back when I started doing commercial video work 8 years ago, I shot 90% on tripod, 10% shoulder mount. Now with robust OSS, a steadicam (DIY of sorts), and the increased acceptance of smooth steadicam shots in professional film/video, I can practically reverse those figures. But I couldn't do it without OSS and autofocus.

I'm going to get this lens for my EA50.

April 24th, 2012, 09:27 PM	#1
Thomas Wong Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 144	anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? I could get a 50mm F1.8 at very low price in FD or Nikon. Does it really worth to pay $300 for this sony e-mount? I could pay about $100 more to get a nikon 50mm F1.2 manual lens. There are OSS and autofocus for this lens? Do we really need that? I think mostly of time will be on tripod if using a 50mm. please share some of your experience if you have this lens using on FS100

April 25th, 2012, 07:58 AM	#2
Bill Weaver Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Victoria,BC Posts: 124	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? FD lenses with 13 dollar adapter on each one are great. Use the kit lens for IS when needed. __________________ Bill Weaver Across Borders Media / Media that Matters

April 25th, 2012, 09:11 AM	#3
Jem Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Carbondale, CO Posts: 134	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? I just finished a week of filming where I used this lens a lot. I used it hand held quite a bit, and on a tripod somewhat less. I've been very happy with it's performance, especially for bokeh. Low light performance is great, and since I did hand held, the OIS was quite helpful. Here is a not-yet public music video from last weeks filming, all of the shots in the right-hand frame are on the FS100 with the 50mm lens. This is a password protected video on Vimeo password: patolwell hope that helps... __________________ descantproductions.com cloudgate.tv Sony and Zeiss, FS700, FS100, A7s, A7rii, RX100MkII

April 25th, 2012, 09:36 AM	#4
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? I just read a review of that lens on the vg20. It has autofocus and autoexposure support in addition to the ois. I find both push af and push ae are handy even when using tripod. Especially with shallow dof cameras. Ymmv

April 26th, 2012, 01:26 AM	#5
Thomas Wong Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 144	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? Jem, On the left side of the video, I believe it's a VG10, and what lens do you use? and what picture profile do you use? the image looks sharper than mine

April 26th, 2012, 07:37 AM	#7
Jem Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Carbondale, CO Posts: 134	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? Thomas, you are correct, sir, it's a VG10 :) I was using the Zeiss Planar 24mm E-mount, and I was using the 'portrait' image profile, but to be totally honest, I added a tad of sharpening in post. I had the lens wide open at 1.8 and I think the autofocus was choosing the curtains in back, so the people were a little soft. The Zeiss lens is usually very sharp, though. I'm not sure if it was worth spending a grand on, but I have been very happy with it, usually on close up shots and alternate interview shots. __________________ descantproductions.com cloudgate.tv Sony and Zeiss, FS700, FS100, A7s, A7rii, RX100MkII

April 27th, 2012, 07:45 AM	#8
Robert Musiello Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 143	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? I bought it to use on my jib, I buy the "e" mount lenses to use with my Sony RM-1000BP Multifunctional LANC Remote Commander Unit This way I have Iris and focus control from the bottom of the jib... I have a big studio in NY and a staff of photographers and videographers all canon cameras and lenses on the photography side and Sony equipment on the video side.. so I could have used any of the lenses we already own... but I like using the controller when I can. so I am starting the "e" mount collection... lens def looks good...

April 27th, 2012, 03:33 PM	#9
Asif Khan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 29	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? the lens is in stock on amazon (it was out of stock for a while) Amazon.com: Sony 50mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Lens for Sony E Mount Nex Cameras: Camera & Photo Amazon.com: Sony 50mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Lens for Sony E Mount Nex Cameras: Camera & Photo

April 28th, 2012, 04:25 AM	#11
Thomas Wong Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 144	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? i finally got this lens, i like to use it for interview, because the autofocus really help a lot specially when the target is moving forward and backward while talking but i really hate the infinitive focus ring, it took like 360 degree to pull the focus on a dish of salad from one end to the front

April 28th, 2012, 06:54 AM	#13
Stephan Hubenthal Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 23	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? > but i really hate the infinitive focus ring < that was the reason I just went for a Sigma 50 mm 1.4 Nikon mount that I can use on my D300 too. With video cameras I never use any autofocus or auto exposure settings. If the picture is out of focus for a moment - just because the interviewed person had moved - then hopefully nobody will mind. But if the lens (auto)focusses onto something, that just came in between and was not supposed to be there - like mikes on booms, hands or birds ;-) - the picture might be ruined. The other thing was, that I wanted to be able to do some "focus-ring-postion-reliable" rack-focussing. With the 18-200 mm stock-lens, this was nearly impossible, if it had to be right the first time, like in run-and-gun-shooting. But of course there might be times where one would miss the stabilizing feature. I hope the 18-55 kit lens can take care of that, when needed. Have a great weekend Stephan

October 25th, 2013, 05:03 PM	#14
Eric Barker New Boot Join Date: May 2013 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska Posts: 6	Re: anyone has experience using the e-mount 50mm F1.8? For a 50mm (75mm equivalent), OSS is going to be handy. On a 16mm, who cares. But I was taught (pre OSS) never shoot video handheld unless all the way zoomed out, and 75mm is NOT zoomed out. OSS and a decent rig can compensate for that, though. Autofocus... I never used to use it until recently, but now that I'm doing a lot of steadicam truck/dolly shots, it's pretty much required. Impossible to hold a two-handed steadicam, move, and manually focus at the same time. Maybe for dolly shots, but trucks... you get my drift. Back when I started doing commercial video work 8 years ago, I shot 90% on tripod, 10% shoulder mount. Now with robust OSS, a steadicam (DIY of sorts), and the increased acceptance of smooth steadicam shots in professional film/video, I can practically reverse those figures. But I couldn't do it without OSS and autofocus. I'm going to get this lens for my EA50.