Sony PXW-FS5 - Initial User Impressions

[Paul Chiappini]

Is there a specific model Commlite adapter for the FS5 (Canon EF/EF-S lenses) that I should get or is there just one version?

BTW, there are a number of online tips on fixing the flare issue. Here's one on a Metabones but the Commlite tutorials were about the same:

http://dennisharding.com.au/prevent-...non-ef-adapter

[Mike Watson]

The camera is set up such that the viewfinder is only on when your eye is up against it. When your eye isn't up against it, the viewfinder turns off and the LCD pop out turns on. This is a decent idea for a feature (er, "feature"), but for the fact that the f'ing thing turns on and off everytime you pass a shadow over the viewfinder, turning the LCD monitor off.

The only way I have found to fix this is to go into the menu and turn the viewfinder off entirely, but I'd like to still use it from time to time, and diving into the menu each shot doesn't seem realistic.

How is everyone else handling this?

[Jody Arnott]

I can only see two options:

1. Use the automatic eye sensor so the VF turns on and the LCD turns off automatically
2. Set it to manual so the VF only turns on when the switch on the top of the LCD screen turns off

I'm personally using the auto method, although it is annoying when you move in front of the VF's eye sensor and turn it on by mistake.

[Jody Arnott]

Originally Posted by Paul Chiappini

Is there a specific model Commlite adapter for the FS5 (Canon EF/EF-S lenses) that I should get or is there just one version?

BTW, there are a number of online tips on fixing the flare issue. Here's one on a Metabones but the Commlite tutorials were about the same:

Dennis Harding Tasmanian Photography | How to prevent flare in a METABONES Canon EF adapter (mark 111)

This is the one I got:
http://www.amazon.com/Auto-Focus-Mou.../dp/B00DW0EV2I

I believe it's the only version (that I can see).

Initial thoughts are it's very well built (it actually has a much better fit than the last Metabones adapter that I had).

AF is mostly unusable, auto iris doesn't work, and I can't get image stabilisation working on my Canon 17-55 f2.8. I'll do a few more tests with my other lenses tomorrow.

It cost me less than $100 though so I'm happy. Even if it doesn't last, I can buy at least 6 of these for the same price as a Metabones adapter.

[Jeroen Wolf]

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

The camera is set up such that the viewfinder is only on when your eye is up against it. When your eye isn't up against it, the viewfinder turns off and the LCD pop out turns on. This is a decent idea for a feature (er, "feature"), but for the fact that the f'ing thing turns on and off everytime you pass a shadow over the viewfinder, turning the LCD monitor off.

The only way I have found to fix this is to go into the menu and turn the viewfinder off entirely, but I'd like to still use it from time to time, and diving into the menu each shot doesn't seem realistic.

How is everyone else handling this?

I find it easiest to turn Auto Off and just turn the LCD on and off to switch between LCD and VF. Just a switch on top of the LCD screen to deal with :-)

[Andy Wilkinson]

Ok so I FINALLY found a little time to try my Canon lenses on the FS5 with the Metabones IV adapter (MB-EF-E-BT4), directly linked below:

Metabones®

The fit is good and tight/no more play than when these lenses are on my C100.

Lenses tried were:

Canon 10-22mm F3.5 EF-S (nice and light on the FS5 - this is going to work great with my Letus Helix Jr!)
Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS EF-S (bit front heavy but this is my main lens on my C100)
Canon 70-200mm F4 IS EF (front heavy as expected)
Above lens with Canon EF 1.4x MkII Extender (what the hell, whilst I was in testing mood)
Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro HIS EF (again, front heavy).

On all of them, I can adjust Iris (albeit in a very step-wise fashion) or, what I'm more likely to do when outside etc., set the Iris and ISO where I want it for DOF control (e.g. using the Direct menu for speed) and then simply adjust exposure to fine tune via the Variable ND (very, very smoothly) using the little thumbwheel. It's not 100% perfect but it all seems usable.

I am only getting manual focus on all these lenses - but that's OK as that's how I shoot 99% of the time.

So whilst not ecstatic, I'm basically happy - as although the super light Sony 18-104mm G kit lens offers some additional features (autofocus, power zoom etc.) those are not essentials in my style of shooting. And I have this lens for if and when I want that.

BTW, if you push Auto Iris or Auto Focus in Green Mode you get an error message "Cannot execute functions because of the condition of the lens".

Explanation of what Green and Advanced modes are directly linked below.

Metabones®

I've tried the Advanced mode a couple of times (using the mounting instructions above) but it does not seem to make any difference at all, not sure why! OK, worked it out, Cam power needs to be ON, doh!

UPDATE: In Advanced mode I have now worked out that Push Auto Iris works. Push Autofocus still gives the error message. This is with the Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS and the Canon 70-200 F4 IS. You also now get a zoom position indicator - will test the other lenses and update further if it is any different with them.

UPDATE II: Advanced mode does not seem to work with the Canon 10-22mm F3.5 at all - just becomes unresponsive/impossible to set Iris (no F stop shows on LCD).

How are others getting on with their Metabones adapters and Canon glass on the FS5?

[Steve Rosen]

Andy: Thanks for that comprehensive coverage of using various Canon lenses with the Metabones adapter. I have had similar - actually worse - experiences using the Metabones EF-MFT adapter on the LS300...

I've rarely used auto-anything in the past, but with old eyes when shooting 4K, it's sometimes absolutely necessary. However, my major complaint with the Metabones on the JVC is that it after a few minutes it loses it's ability to manually change aperture, which involves shutting down and remounting- and forget OIS. And customer support rivals the DMV (that's the infamous Departmeint of Motor Vehicles over here).

The Metabones is an adapter with no optics that costs $400. I have no doubt that the electronics involved are complex, but for $400 I just got my nephew a pretty complex consumer camcorder at Best Buy that works as advertised... And my young AC a pretty amazing 50" LG TV at Costco - $400 should assure a certain level of reliability.

For several years on these forums I've read many people praising the Metabones "Smart" adapters... Has the quality dropped, or is something else going on?

To be fair, I do have a two year old Metabones Pocket Camera specific Speedbooster that works pretty well. That was a $700 purchase, and except for an occasional inability to talk to the camera, it usually does what it is supposed to do... But even it isn't 100% reliable. Isn't this supposed to be a professional product?

[Andy Wilkinson]

Reliance on adapters was one reason I steered shy of the FS7 when it launched...since I have Canon glass. Other reasons were size/weight (especially for one man band, low profile gimbal/steadicam work), slow menus/bugs and to a lesser degree cost. Plus, I had only just bought my PMW-300 a short period before and together with my C100 my needs were more than covered.

But I have become accustomed to reading posts from well respected professionals using the FS7 with Metabones adapters that indicated things could work pretty well - so when the FS5 was announced I took the plunge and ordered the cam and the MB adapter.

My guess is that, as things stand at the moment, unless Metabones issues a significant firmware update then FS5 owners might as well save themselves a load of cash and just buy the much cheaper Commlite adapter, which apart from a susceptibility to internal flare will offer the same (or at least similar) functionality? Correct?

I'm no expert on these "smart" adapters - never used one until today! This is more of a clarification question to help others...so is that right?

[Steve Rosen]

Andy - I went through the whole AF100 thing and adapted a bunch of Leica and Canon FD lenses using dumb adapters.. I bought Novoflexes for the Leicas, but got cheapos for the FDs. Even the cheap ones focused accurately to infinity, although the mounts were looser (1/4" black gaffers tape saves the day).

The Metabones Speedbooster was my first foray into the world of smart. As I said, it's great when it works properly. But I get nervous on an important shoot when I can't totally rely on something, so I don't use it much on my Pocket Cameras, and depend on the Nokton or Rokinons when I need speed and the Olympus 12-40 when I need a zoom. And I was drawn to the LS300 because I had all these lenses. But I also have EFs.

Hopefull Metabones will improve these adapters for use on these cameras (or maybe it's something to do with an esoteric design difference in the FS5 and LS300?). Hopefully firmware will work.

[Dave Mercer]

I've been debating buying the FS5 as a kit or body only and then buying the metabones speed booster and using it with my 24-105 L.

Unfortunately there are no FS5 demos where I am on holiday over the coming weeks to try out with either the kit lens or the speed booster / Canon combo.

I head back to central america early Jan so don't have too much time to play with the options.

Got to say, some of the glitches with the metabones makes me a bit worried. Especially as I wouldn't have a back up in the field. I travel around to some reasonably remote places in Latin America and the Caribbean and am thinking the kit lens might be the safest option. I'd hate to be on a 7 day documentary shoot in say haiti and not be able to work.

Open to all advice.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Dave, best info I could find that might address your question specifically was Slavik's post in the Lenses for FS5 thread, quote below. Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by Slavik Boyechko

Just got back from shooting docu with the FS5 for a couple days. The 24-105/Speedbooster was a pleasure to use and stayed on the camera for the majority of the time. We also used the Canon 70-200 f4 IS, the Tokina 11-16, Canon 35mm f2 IS, and even tried the Sigma 18-35 (which works but only at about 25mm and up). The Speedbooster worked flawlessly and the extra stop of light on the lenses was very useful.

The Sony kit lens is definitely lighter and maybe that is a preference for handheld-only shooters, but I find the combination of electronic zoom and electronic manual focus makes the lens frustrating to use - just takes the joy out of shooting. Especially for any kind of moving subject. The lens is always two steps behind what you want it to do. It is cheaper than the 24-105/Speedbooster combo, but it just feels like shooting with a giant point and shoot camera.

The one advantage of the kit lens is the Clear Image digital zoom kicks in seamlessly at the long end of the lens. On the 24-105 you can kick in the digital zoom anytime throughout the zoom range, and if you're not careful you'll forget it's on (the icon disappears from the screen after a few seconds).

Anyway, if you've got a 24-105 lying around already, I would skip the kit lens in a heartbeat and get the Speedbooster.

Cheers -

Also, read his 2nd Dec article on the Newsshooter website (I won't directly link it here).

But despite all of the above, I would still ALSO buy the kit lens (or at least a second adapter of some sort, maybe a cheap Commlite one?) just so I always had some kind of backup in the field...I think you might not get IS working with the Commlite one though, as per post #94 from Jody in this thread.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Just seen this FS5 video - has some lovely shots.

YouTube (Short URL)

[Dave Mercer]

Cheers Andy. I wonder how the adapter will stand up to the test of time. I think you're right to have a backup ... just in case.

[Steve Rosen]

I'm curious - are there no native E mount zoom lenses besides the terrible to use (I think) Sony lenses?

If not, and adapters are the only choice, I'd go with a Speedbooster rather than the standard Metabones. The booster I have for my Pocket Cameras is reliable compared to the EF-MFT I bought with the LS300.

The only reason I've become wary of it is because of my less-than-stellar experience with the new one, and the total lack of support from Metabones..

My mistake was not testing mine immediately (my EF lenses were on loan to a friend who had them in Australia at the time) and consequently, since 30 days had lapsed, B&H refused an exchange or refund. Maybe I just got a bad one (although it seems there are a lot of bad ones out there).

But I've not heard any complaints about the Speedbooster... Maybe that branch of Metabones has their s__t together. My guess is that if you get the Speedbooster, and work the Hell out of it the day you receive it, the probability is that it will continue to function correctly

[Olof Ekbergh]

Originally Posted by Steve Rosen

I'm curious - are there no native E mount zoom lenses besides the terrible to use (I think) Sony lenses?

Here is a list of E-mount lenses:

'E' mount lens chart