Run & Gun Lens

[Graeme Hay]

I'm looking at getting his camera, a lot of research...
90% of my work is for indie-films, but I sometimes cover friend's events.
One question I have is choosing a 'run-and-gun' lens for the camera.

There is the stock lens that comes with the camera that looks good, but I've read reviews that people don't like it; so I'm wondering if there is a better lens for the job.

Requirements:
Autofocus
Zoom (covering at least 35-50mm range)
Under $1000
Comes with hood

[James Manford]

Wow your not exactly asking for much.

PLENTY of lenses available at that price range with those focals.

Look at the Tokina's or Canon L zoom lenses. Good sharp, video lenses and will definitely fall within your budget.

[Chris Harding]

Hi James

Agreed BUT not a lot will be autofocus zooms. Sigma make a 19mm and 35mm prime that autofocuses well on the Sony's but what zoom will do autofocus apart from the actual Sony 18-200?? Sigma's 17-50 would be neat but I think it's only available in Canon and Nikon mounts!!

I'd like a lower range AF zoom for my EA-50's too that have full autofocus!! 17 to 50/55/70 would be awesome!

Chris

[Graeme Hay]

Main thing is the autofocuses on the FS700, I have enough Nikon Glass to cover manual focus.

Right now there seems to be the stock lens and a similar spec'd servo-zoom lens.

Reading reviews on both (thoughts?) but also interested in hearing other's opinions on other e/a lenses as I'm not familiar with Sony offerings.

[Morton Molyneux]

I bought my FS700 with the stock lens last year when it first came out and find the stock lens works well in many situations. I also have a full range of Nikkor lenses but with the FS700 I find I use it most of the time with the stock lens or a Nikon mount Tokina 11 - 16,
cheers

Morton

[Bill Kerrigan]

I own 3 zooms with auto focus which cover the 35-50mm range.

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss T* Alpha A-Mount Standard Zoom Lens
Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 DT Standard Zoom Lens
Sony E-Mount 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Zoom Lens (NEX Kit Lens)

Most of my shooting is done with the Zeiss, but when I need to run & gun, I'm addicted to the 18-200 kit lens... The steady shot appears to work, and I love it's face recognition... I've been able to get shots I couldn't get with an assistant pulling focus. I've lost the fear of having people walking or running towards the camera.

I'm very happy with a Sigma 70-200 which I just bought... so I plan to test the auto focus in the new Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Zoom Lens for Sony ($569US)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/689618-REG/Sigma_583205_17_50mm_F2_8_EX_DC.html
______________________
Bill Kerrigan
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
http://indiecameras.com
http://www.kerrigan.ca

[Alister Chapman]

The 18-200 is a very capable lens. It's biggest down side is the non calibrated, round and round focus ring so manual focussing can sometimes be a little fiddly and focus is never in the same place twice. But the autofocus is good, the optical image stabilisation very capable particularly when combined with the cameras electronic stabilisation (only works when you have a Sony stabilised lens) to get Super Steady Shot.
It's not a fast lens, so it's harder to get very shallow DoF than with a fast prime, but for a run and gun general purpose lens it really isn't that bad.

See the clips below for some examples of the 18-200mm at work.

Grand Canyon - YouTube

Strokkur. - YouTube

[Peter Walsh]

The Sony SELP-18200 is an option as well. It's essentially the kit lens that connects to the zoom rocker. I have it and it performs very similar to an ENG lens. Auto focus, Spot focus, auto iris all work. The zoom range is pretty good. You can get your podium close ups from 30 feet away, but it's a stretch. It's an option to buy the FS700 without the kit lens (save $600-$800) and buy the SELP-18200, which retails I think below $1500.

[Dano Motley]

Have you seen this problem yet with the Sony lens?

Error in the focus of the SONY SELP 18200 power zoom - YouTube

[Matt Davis]

I have to add my vote for the SEL18200 too.

Yes, it's awful in manual mode. You really wouldn't want to use this lens 80% of the time.

But with the Face Focus and Zone Focus modes (as in 'tap to focus') it tames the lens beautifully and it's the one lens I felt comfortable with when doing that nightmare 'jump in a taxi and go film something for money'. I do more than my fair share of candids and 'incentive travel' videos and the SEL18200 was the 'get out of jail free' lens.

At f8, it was getting nicer and more separated DoF than my 1/2" chip EX1R at 2.8 on a side by side test, and yet it can do 'hyperfocal' shooting on an S35 sensor too.

But I'd have a 17-55 f2.8 in my pocket too - manual focus of course.

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Dano Motley

Have you seen this problem yet with the Sony lens?

It's a fault of all 'fly by wire' lenses; the SEL18200 - the non-rocker-controlled zoom - does this to a much lesser extent and if you go slowly enough in auto-focus mode, it keeps up.

The worst culprit at the moment is the Canon 18-135 which will only focus once the zoom has finished.

These lenses aren't sold as 'parfocal' (holds its focus through a zoom) - that costs a lot more. A LOT more. The Canon 24-105 (and the older FD 35-105) are so close to parfocal that, at f8, it makes no odds. But that's about it in my collection.

After purchasing Alister's B4 to E mount adaptor and a V-Lock power system plus rails, you could probably find a good parfocal B-Mount ENG lens for a couple of grand which will hold focus throughout a very wide zoom range.

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Dano Motley

Have you seen this problem yet with the Sony lens?

Error in the focus of the SONY SELP 18200 power zoom - YouTube

I have both the SEL and the SELP versions and yes both have that momentary out of focus take-off when zooming back from 200mm. The video poster seems to have this happen twice during a zoom? This I haven't seen before.

I have found that if the lens is backed off to around 94%, using the meter in the VF if set to %, this out of focus 'blur-out' doesn't happen. Just in the process of working out some kind of a zoom limiter to stop the lens at about 94-95% of its travel... work in progress at the moment but will get around to it soon... hopefully!

All in all price for performance they are both quite useable lenses. Unless you are prepared to spend a helluva lot more money you can't argue with these as there is nothing else out there, especially in servo for that price.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Graeme Hay]

Thanks for the info Guys, I've decided on the SELP-18200 as the Zoom Rocker I'm sure will come in handy at some point (also apparently there is slightly nicer glass inside?).

I also got the Metabones adapter and the speed booster for Nikon (both cause sometimes you just need that little bit of extra reach - even though the speed booster will be the go-to).

I'll let you guys know what I think once I have a chance to play around with the camera and lens.

[Graeme Hay]

Initial Hands-On Review:

The SELP is very nice and fully works with FS700.
Automatic Zoom and Focus work well but of course you can manually go faster if you want (need to turn off the servo-this lens does not have a slip clutch).

I like the square hood on the lens, blocks a lot of light, gives it that 'pro' feel, and as ND-filters are internal (JOY!) much cleaner and less heavy than a Marnix. That said the camera with this set-up is a bit back heavy.

Haven't had a chance to compare in detail the lens compared to my Tokinas/Nikons; but as I'm mounting them with the Metabones Nikon to NEX speed booster and they are f2.8 or better, they are a lot faster.

That said the ISO (yeah I found out how to switch from Gain to ISO) the slower zoom stills works in less than ideal lighting when ISO is higher.

Me

[Al Yeung]

Originally Posted by Graeme Hay

Thanks for the info Guys, I've decided on the SELP-18200 as the Zoom Rocker I'm sure will come in handy at some point (also apparently there is slightly nicer glass inside?).

Graeme -- where did you read that the SELP18200 has better glass than the SEL18200? I think their glass element specs differ slightly but I'm not sure how significantly.

I've been curious about how the two compare in terms of IQ for a long time. I've used many copies of the SEL18200. It's extremely practical in daylight and Active OSS is almost magical, but the image was always just slightly unsatisfying to me. If the SELP18200 is a lot better IQ-wise I'll be tempted to give it a try.