SONY 18-200mm or Canon 70-200mm?

[Kent Beeson]

Just received the SONY FS700, no lens, but in a few days the new servo Power zoom 18-200mm SONY lens is coming in the post -

SO, if I want to shoot a few shots of wildlife (not regularly but once or twice), would this SONY lens at the long end of 200mm, even though it's only at best 3.5, be as good really as renting a Canon 70-200mm II 2.8, metabones adapter?

Can you really tell the difference or will the SONY lens do OK? Birds in flight, animals in pond, etc. Maybe yes on occasion a person in the distance.

[Wilf Davies]

Hi Kent
Ive got stock lens ordered power zoom lens not got it yet got earlier canon 70-200 not IS 2.8 back to your question in low lite the canon is miles better but in normal lite not really in my opinion is there a lot of differance.but i feel were there is a lot of differance is how it is to focus it just feels and works much better i hav'nt got my power zoom yet we will see how good that is. There is still one little thing the canon lens is quite costley especialy for it not to be used very often Thanks Wilf.

[Dmitri Zigany]

Maybe ask in the Sony NEX EA50 sub-forum? As the EA50 was the first camera to ship with the 18-200 power zoom some users there might have a good answer. I have the 18-200PZ but I film mostly indoors under usually less than ideal light. For my needs it is a bit too slow, but finding a faster power zoom seems impossible for a reasonable amount.

[Kent Beeson]

Thanks for replies - I'll check in the EA50 forum

MODERATOR NOTE: DV Info Net does not allow duplicate posts; new thread that was started in the EA50 forum was merged with this one.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Kent

The SEL18200 lens doesn't have a constant aperture at all (at least the one that comes with the camera doesn't) It's F3.5 at 18mm but only F6.3 at the top end of 200mm.

Chris

[Kent Beeson]

WOW that's horrible, can anyone confirm that it's 6.3 at 200mm? I'll send it back the day I receive it if that's the way it is...$1200 for that?

Anyone know for sure if the SELP18200 servo lens for the FS700 is that bad in terms of constant aperture?

[Kent Beeson]

can anyone confirm that the new servo lens is f6.3 at 200mm? I'll send it back the day I receive it if that's the way it is...was hoping it's 3.5 all the way.

Anyone know for sure if the SELP18200 servo lens for the FS700 is that bad in terms of constant aperture?

[Chris Harding]

Hi Kent

Read .... Sony E PZ 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Lens Hands-On Preview

The Power Zoom is F3.5-F6.3

Chris

[Dmitri Zigany]

Yup, the one that comes with the EA50 is 6.3 at 200. I find it hard to think that the one they sell seperately is any different. I think it's still pretty good though, just a bit slow for my usual needs.
However, as motorized zooms go, there seems to be very few options and once you have a motorized zoom that's 2.8 over an entire 18-200 range you're looking at $10.000+ lenses!

[Kent Beeson]

OK, thanks guys - so is that how it reads, the 3.5 is only for 18mm, and the 6.5 is at the 200mm end? I'm only used to the SONY EX1R lens and I thought the range mentioned on the servo zoom selp18200 just meant that you could play with the iris between those ranges, didn't know it meant that was the fixed iris at each end...

may just send it back and get 24-70mm Canon with adapter and rent the Canon 2.8 70-200mm when I need it.

[Michael Bradshaw]

It's 3.5 at wide end down to 6.3 at 200mm.

M.

[Steven Digges]

Kent,

Before you jump to extremes and send things back or incur rental costs I would suggest you do some research. Not to be judgmental AT ALL, you stated, and your post indicates you have some things to learn about lens function, design and cost. There is more to it than can be explained in a post.

Quality glass is expensive to manufacture. You get what you pay for.

Bright lenses, as in low aperture number, large aperture, require lots of quality glass. High cost.

Constant aperture zooms require multiple lens elements made of large extremely high quality glass. More glass, more cost.

No one lens is a perfect do all, it is complicated. The 18-200MM kit lens is a do all compromise. It does that very well at a reasonable cost.

Steve

[Kent Beeson]

Thanks Steve

Understood and I thank you - actually when the new servo SONY lens arrives here I will try it...I also hope to rent 3 diff canon lenses later for higher image capture.

[Kent Beeson]

Thanks for replies - I will try the lens when I receive it and hope it works OK.

[Chris Medico]

I bought my FS700 with the 18-200 lens and yes it is a variable aperature. And it is not parfocal. But I find that I use it often.

I'm not an ultra shallow DOF shooter so I don't find the speed of the lens a problem at all. It has very good OIS. It is relatively light and the auto focus works surprisingly well. The manual focus however is horrible.

I normally use it in run-n-gun situations with face detection autofocus (one touch). It does a better job there than the Canon lenses do. When I'm shooting scripted stuff under controlled conditions I'll use the Canon glass.

Its good to have multiple options and you may find the 18-200 useful when you are shooting hand held or ENG.