New Sony FS7 4K XDCAM at IBC 2014

[Craig Marshall]

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Plakiotis

I still can't understand the rationality to pair a FF lens with a S35 camera. The added weight and the lack of wide angle can't be compensated with any benefits. This lens can be a perfect much for A7s, but its out of place with this camera....

I think with the speed of innovation today, cameras are rapidly becoming disposable items. Not so with lenses. Over the past two years, I've made a considerable investment in full frame lenses. (Carl Zeiss 'Contax' primes in my case) FF lenses can always be adapted 'down' to smaller sensors but those who have made a large investment in APS-C lenses for example are usually restricted to that sensor format or smaller.

I use one of the rare Metabones C/Y to E-Mount 'Speed Boosters' with my Zeiss collection which optically compensates for the 'correct' full frame field of view when used on a S35 sensor and of course, offers that extras stop of light. My Zeiss 50mm F1.7 lens becomes a 50mm lens again but with an improved speed of F1.2. The Metabones product also corrects artifacts which can be experienced when using some 35mm 'film' lenses with digital cameras. I've found one of the best ways to get that so called 'film look' with digital cameras is to shoot through 'film' lenses.

As for lens diameter mentioned in another comment, my Zeiss Contax 300mm telephoto lens weighs nearly 2Kg and has a front glass diameter of nearly 5 inches. It is conservatively rated at f4.0 which of course becomes F2.8 with the Speed Booster attached. Even with my 2x extender, I'm achieving 600mm at only F4.0.

Another advantage of Zeiss 'Contax' series of lenses is that they are totally manual, they can easily be 'de-clicked', they all offer massive focus rotation (in the correct direction too) and they share the same wonderful T* coating as Zeiss CP2 'cinema' lenses, at a fraction of the price. (Be quick though, because 'used' prices seem to be rapidly trending up. For example the legendary Contax 21mm F2.8 prime consistently brings $2000 to $2500 second hand on ebay.)

[Dmitri Zigany]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

If low light and wide angle are needed... Sigma 18-35 f1.8 on a Speedbooster should do the trick

The Sigma 18-35 f1.8 is an APS-C lens, will cause vignetting if used with a speed booster...

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

The Sigma 18-35 is DX format lens (similar to s35), so you don't need a speed booster for this lens.

[Barry J. Weckesser]

Originally Posted by Dmitri Zigany

The Sigma 18-35 f1.8 is an APS-C lens, will cause vignetting if used with a speed booster...

Wouldn't it cause problems without the speed booster being made for APS-C sensors?

[Chris Medico]

Originally Posted by Barry J. Weckesser

Wouldn't it cause problems without the speed booster being made for APS-C sensors?

There is no speedbooster for APS-C lenses because their image circle is already sized for APS-C (approximately S35) sensors.

[Barry J. Weckesser]

Do you think the Sigma 18-35 would work for low light situations with the FS7? I am concerned about the kit lens available with the camera being F4.

I thought APS-C sensors only went up to a maximum of 28mm or so. Wouldn't there be cropping with a S35 sensor like on the FS7?

[Dmitri Zigany]

Originally Posted by Barry J. Weckesser

Do you think the Sigma 18-35 would work for low light situations with the FS7? I am concerned about the kit lens available with the camera being F4.
I thought APS-C sensors only went up to a maximum of 28mm or so. Wouldn't there be cropping with a S35 sensor like on the FS7?

All I heard is that it works great on S35 sensors (they are almost same size as APS-C).
So with a Metabones adapter (not speed booster) it should work well. Not sure if it's available in a-mount, then you could use the Sony adapter if auto focus is important.

As it's f1.8 it should be good in low light in combination with the FS7.

[Alister Chapman]

I use the 18-35mm on my F5 and it's a great combination, produces some extremely nice images. I've stopped using my 24mm and 35mm primes since getting this lens, it's that good. It should also be excellent on the FS7.

[Alister Chapman]

The Sony 28-135mm lens is a great all round lens. Sure it would be nice to have a wider lens for some applications but then it would probably end up being something like a 17-70mm f4 in a similar size and weight package, so lacking at the tele end. Being realistic if you want a compact parfocal zoom you are not going to get both wide and long at the same time. But that's the beauty of a camera where you can change the lens.

I like that the lens is full frame. This means I can take just one set of lenses on a shoot that can be used with either my A7s or FS7 once it arrives. The lens is pretty sharp through the zoom range, although it does soften up a little when wide open, but what do you really expect at the price? Remember that a similar parfocal zoom would normally cost 5 times as much. The lenses at IBC were all very early pre-production units so there may be some improvements in IQ and response times between now and delivery in December. CA and other aberrations appeared well controlled. I did notice that there was a lens compensation setting in the FS7's menu so maybe it will be able to correct for CA and other distortions.

I suspect (but do not have knowledge) that this is the first in a line of lenses and that we will see a wide angle zoom and possibly a more telephoto zoom in the future.

[Steve Kimmel]

Thanks Alister. So can you confirm that the 28-135mm is parfocal? That is, to me, a critical aspect of zoom lenses for video.

Thanks.

[Barry J. Weckesser]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

I use the 18-35mm on my F5 and it's a great combination, produces some extremely nice images. I've stopped using my 24mm and 35mm primes since getting this lens, it's that good. It should also be excellent on the FS7.

Thanks for the opinion on the Sigma 18-35. I am assuming that this would be the lens to use in low light situations versus the Sony 28-135 since it is f1.8 compared with f4 for the Sony?

On another topic - do you have enough experience from IBC working with the FS7(K) to write a review or will you wait until you receive your own camera? Looking forward to reading it.

[Erwin van Dijck]

Would the new Zeiss FE 16-35mm be a good combi with the FS7?

and: that Sigma 18-35 you talk about here, is that available for e-mount? (couldn't find it)

[Barry J. Weckesser]

It sounds like the Sigma would work with adaptor (see below).

Here is the lens for Sony:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/983905-REG/sigma_210_205_18_35mm_f1_8_dc_hsm.html
And here is the description. From the Sony website:

"α Mount System for a wide selection of lenses and E-mount that is suitable for movie shooting
The PXW-FS7 incorporates the α Mount System, with an E-mount lens mount. This is especially useful for motion-picture shooting because the system supports power driven silent auto focus, iris control, power zoom and more, as well as SteadyShot image stabilization and other functions. Moreover, the E-mount system's short flange-back distance (the distance from the lens-mounting surface to the image sensor) enables use of A-mount lenses via LA-EA4 lens adaptor, as well as various other lenses via third-party adaptors. The E-mount system thereby makes it possible to take advantage of a wealth of lens resources suitable for creative, versatile video expression."

I would assume with the mentioned adaptor the Sigma would work.

[Erwin van Dijck]

But the LA-EA4 lens adaptor is quite an expensive adapter with build-in AF motor, aperture-drive mechanism and Translucent Mirror... seems to me that this is not what we need. And: the Sigma has it's own HSM focus motor. Puzzled.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

Dylan, could you tell me how did ou manage to pre-order it from BH? I just tried and got this message"Due to export regulations and/or manufacturers restrictions, we are unable to accept orders with a shipping address in CANADA for the following item(s):"

Have you been able to pre-order it before they apply this rule ?