wideangle power zoom suggestions?

[Brian Crow]

I have just upgraded from sony ex1 to a used fs700EK with SEL18200 lens (not the power zoom).

I am going to be recording an event which previously I recorded using EX1 with wide angle converter.
The ex1 lens with W/A converter is equivalent to a 25 - 350 mm lens on 35mm.
This was generally satisfactory but just not quite wide enough at times so I would like a wider power zoom lens for FS700.

Looking at E mount lenses:-

My SEL18200 (equivalent to 30.6 to 340) is not as wide as the EX1 with converter
so this would appear to rule out the SELP18105 and SELP18200.

The SELP1650 would be about the same at the wide end (at 24mm equivalent) but is much shorter at the long end at 75mm equivalent.
The 5.6 aperture at the long end could be a problem but may be fine given the extra sensitivity of the fs700.

For this particular event OSS is not critical as I will be on a tripod, but is desirable for other work.
Similarly manual focus is fine if parfocal and focus ring is directly connected i.e. not fly by wire.
Auto focus however would be good for other occasions.

I guess I would like a wider version of SELP18200.
Any suggestions?

Brian
cameraman and single person crew
Cardiff Wales

[Christopher Young]

"My SEL18200 (equivalent to 30.6 to 340) is not as wide as the EX1 with converter".

There are a few options open to you. Not being pedantic but the crop factor on the FS700 is just on 1.59 but let's call it 1.6. So that's 28.8mm to 320mm in FF round figures for the SEL or SELP 18-200.

I have tried a Sony VCL-HG0872 which is a .8 full zoom through HD adapter with a 72mm screw in thread. This was originally made for the Z1 HD cameras. On the Sony 18 -105 it works pretty well and brings this lens in at 23.04 - 134.4mm in FF terms. One thing you have to be careful with is the fact that the 72mm screw in only engages about 50% of the 72mm thread on the lens due to the rearward projection of a metal rim on the converter. I am going to get a Cokin 72mm spacer which should overcome this problem. Someone kindly pointed out in another post that these extender rings were available from B&H which is good news.

There is one of these VCL-HG0872 on eBay down here in Oz for AU $99 which would be just under 50 Quid your money. He will ship overseas. That's good value as they were about $700 + from memory.

Genuine Sony VCL HG0872 0 8X High Grade Wide Angle Conversion Lens 72mm | eBay

The other thing is that with the 18-105 on the FS700 YOU MUST upgrade to the latest v3.10 firmware that came out in late November. If you don't you will end up with very bad barrel distortion at one end going through to pincushion distortion at the other end of the zoom. I have attached the firmware update PDF which outlines the update procedure you need to follow depending on whether the camera you have is already 4K upgraded or not. This update contains lens correction files for the 18-105 plus a number of other e-mount lenses.

You could also use this VCL-HG0872 adapter on the 18-200 but it's fairly heavy and I don't know how that lens would behave with it seeing that it is a lens that extends as it zooms unlike the 18-105 where it all happens internally. In this case you would need a 72mm extension ring and then a 67 to 72mm step up ring. I haven't tried this yet.

Another two options that could well work on both the Sony lenses with the appropriate spacers and step up rings etc is the 16x9 Inc EXII and Fujinon WCV-82SC zoom through wide angle converters which are .82 and .8 respectively.

Wide Converter WCV-82SC JVC | eBay

16x9 Exii 0 8X 72mm Thread Mount Converter Lens Canon 169 HDWC8X 72 | eBay

I'm currenty using the Fujinon .82 variant on a Sony X70 with success but don't at the moment have the necessary spacers and 67 and 72mm step up rings to try it out on the 18-200 and 18-105.

Anyhow I see you are from Cardiff. I'm from over the river, Bristol boy I is! Did my time with the Beeb on Whiteladies Rd. My claim to fame is that I and some other students were the first people ever to get booked for nor paying the bridge toll on the old Severn bridge. We had no money left after a heavy night out in Cardiff :) Ah those were the days!

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Brian Crow]

Thanks Chris for the correction to my numbers: I may just get away with the 18105 on its own for some of the event.

Pointing out the SELP18200 extends when zooming was a critical point to make that I had overlooked.
As you say a converter on the end of an extended 18200 could be a problem particularly having seen
comments on the F7 which query the strength of the E mount with metabones adapter and zoom lenses.

Given your experiences, a converter for the SELP18105 looks to be solution at a knock down price.
So SELP18105 and converter are next on the list of wants. .

It seems somewhat ironical that Sony make so much about the wide range of lenses that can be attached to E mount cameras
when it appears that my best option is going to be adding a converter as I have done with the EX1.

It is also unfortunate that my EX1 converter is a bayonet fitting rather than screw in: so will not fit.
There can't be much demand for a 72 mm to EX1 bayonet step up ring. (Even so, I did look, as you never know what you might find...)

I was aware of the new firmware, have it downloaded but not installed it yet.

I will probably also get the SELP1850 if I can find one at a good price.

For your information: in case you ever have a heavy night in Cardiff again, you do not need to pay the toll to get back to Bristol.
Wales to England is free, they now only charge in the England to Wales direction, but doubled the cost.

Many thanks again Chris,

Brian

[Christopher Young]

"Wales to England is free, they now only charge in the England to Wales direction, but doubled the cost."

Yeah! That would be right.

"...it appears that my best option is going to be adding a converter as I have done with the EX1."

Yes that is basically the conclusion I've come to as there is a dearth of servo zooms for almost any of the Super 35 sensor cameras unless you want to take out a mortgage for an Angenieux or the like.

What I have used with considerable success, far better than i expected is a B4 Lens using the MTF B4 to E-mount adapter kit. Have a look at this link as Alistair Chapman gives a pretty clear outline of what it will do:

MTF B4 2/3" to Super35 lens adapter overview. - YouTube

My very first test with rig can be seen here, excuse the dirt spot on the filter :( There is also a link on this page that takes you to a DVInfo post where you can look at a few options people have come up with.

Sony FS700 - First quick test with MTF's B4 2/3" adapter and a SD Fujinon 18 x 7.6 BDERM lens. on Vimeo

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney