experience with 2/3 CanonHJ18ex28biaseHD lens

[Paul Cronin]

Wow back in 2008 this thread started, cool.

I have experience with the Canon 40x and my old F800. I found the lens soft (my experience with all Canon glass compared to Fujinon glass) but with amazing OS. I used it on my Vinten Vision 100 tripod and Fibertec sticks on rocks shooting the start of the Bermuda Race in Newport RI a couple of years ago.

I rented and it came with a nice lens support that I used with my supper Arri baseplate. Even at 2x full zoom I could follow boats 1 mile away tight. Always wanted to use the 18x28 since it is highly recommended by Steve who knows his stuff.

Hope all is well Steve?

[Steffen Sailer]

Hi Alister and Paul,

thank you for your resposes.
I made something very similar to the thing Alister has pointed.
The 18ex28 has a very small area for a support though. Just between the zoom- and the focus ring (which goes all the way to the front end of the lens). And the grip is mounted on the side of this area as well. So I think the Genus solution won’t work with the 18ex28. The bracket is too wide. So I made my own thing.
But thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Steve has absolutely right with this lens. It’s amazingly sharp, from edge to edge, even with the 2x. And with my old 2/3” HDCAM HDW 730s + Nano, there are absolutely no CAs visible. And this camera is a pre ALAC cam.
I absolutely love the lens! This lens works in every range. With 2x, without, on closeups and far distances, everywhere with flat focus plane, great sharpness and great contrast.

But it’s unfair to compare a 18x lens with a 40x lens. It’s easier to compensate the optical faults in a 18x range. It’s all about physics/optics.

If you look on the BBC White paper, WHP034-ADD67_Comparison_of_lenses, you will see, that there are no major differences between Canon and Fujinon. Coming from still lenses, I had the experience, that Canon had always some difficulties with wide angle lenses and long zooms (35-350L). But here, they are pretty good as well. I think its more about the one lens you get.
Anyway...

I have also an EX3 with a non powered MTF adapter and the picture also looks great with the 18x28. I didn’t use it with the 2x, 500mm with ½” sensor is long enouth for me. But I can test it if somebody likes to know.
One thing with the ½” sensor and the 18x28 is, that it’s very hard to focus. This lens has a high gear transmission ratio. So even with a 2/3”, you should have very sensitive fingers. But it makes it a fast-focus lens as well. But with an Ex3 it’s realy hard, even with the more depth of field of an ½”sensor.

But it’s great to have the posibility!
The Ex3 for me is a light handcamera, hidden camera, cranecam, slidercam, macrocam (with MTF adapter and 105 Sigma for Nikon macro, so you get the focus direction right) and an absolutely great sparecamera for long lens stuff, if something happens to the big one. You never know what happens out there...

Im extremely happy with this combination. Just my 5 cents.

All the best to you and thanks again,

Steffen

[Alister Chapman]

The greater DoF of a smaller sensor can make it harder to focus sometimes as it's not so easy to spot that moment when your subject comes into sharp focus, the image doesn't "snap" into focus as it would with a larger sensor.

[Steve Phillipps]

Best support IMO is the Ronford Baker setup. They make a yoke that screws to the bottom of the lens and that interfaces with the support bars. Check out Ronford-Baker Engineering Company Limited - Designers & Manufactures of Academy Award winning professional Film, Television , Video, Grip & allied equipment.

Steve

[Dean Harrington]

I just used the Canon HJ21ex7.5B ITS-ME 21x 2/3" Motor Drive Full-Servo Lens w/ sony adapter on a world football event and the image was spectacular ... also, thanks Alister for the AC Punch settings on the ex3 ... nice!

[Steffen Sailer]

Thanks Steve,

that's exactly what I'm looking for!
Great!
Have a healthy and beautyful new year!

Steffen

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

Best support IMO is the Ronford Baker setup. They make a yoke that screws to the bottom of the lens and that interfaces with the support bars. Check out Ronford-Baker Engineering Company Limited - Designers & Manufactures of Academy Award winning professional Film, Television , Video, Grip & allied equipment.

Steve