Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? at DVinfo.net

Martijn Damen · June 11th, 2014, 10:47 PM

Hi and sorry for barging in like this with my first post, but I need some help.
I'm looking to upgrade from a digiscopeing setup and there are so many options and non option that I (as a noob) can't figure out what to do.
To start with the glass; I have seen a Canon FD 150-600mm f/5.6 L for sale for around 2500 euro.
The other options are a Sigma 50-500mm and a Tamron 150-600mm.
Did anyone had the chance to work with these and is the old Canon glass really superior?
For a camera I have my eye on the sony a6000; the e-mount should be the best choice to adapt to almost all lenses. Has anyone tried this camera for video with other lenses like Canon FD?
All my options are still open so if you have some advice on this I would really like to hear it.
Thanx,
Martijn

Martijn Damen · June 16th, 2014, 09:46 AM

Ok, so after a lot of reading I understand manual focus is standard for video.
Also a zoom lens should be parfocal preferably.
Maybe I should ask you guys what zoom lens, in combination with an extender perhaps, would be good for this long range I'm looking for.
Also I think I should have an other zoom lens that goes to +/- 200mm that is still very wide at the wide end .. any suggestions?

As for the camera I decided not to go with the sony a6000 but rather for the new a7s or the panasonic GH4 or maybe a blackmagic since they are much better suited for video.

If you have any recommendations, advice or tips I would really like to hear them.

Grz.

Martijn

Jim Michael · June 17th, 2014, 06:40 AM

Look at the old Nikkors as well, particularly the fixed focal length lenses. 800mm comes up for sale occasionally and the 300, 400, and 600 are pretty common. All easily adapted to the e-mount.

Martijn Damen · June 17th, 2014, 12:34 PM

Thank you Jim.

Mark Williams · June 17th, 2014, 04:07 PM

Take a look at Tara Tanaka's set up and videos at Tara Tanaka on Vimeo. She seems to be getting really good results with the GH4.

Martijn Damen · June 18th, 2014, 01:26 PM

That looks very enjoyable Mark. I wish I had a backyard like these guys :D Amazing.

I'm using a digiscopeing setup myself for 3 years, but with a pocketcamera looking through the eyepiece of the scope, too much glass and hard to get perfectly aligned: https://imageshack.us/i/emsetupimj
Here are some vids: Strunkgx - YouTube

Until now I wasn't aware that a dslr could be attached to a scope, and there is an adapter for the scope I have also:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lFELKwm4ZV...scope+Ed82.jpg
It looks like a too long and too narrow tube to me, and it costs 300 euros.

Does anyone have experience using scopes and specially the Nikon ED82 as a tele?
Is it worth going for it or better sell the bunch (scope + eyepieces +/- 900 euro) and go for a big prime?

Steve Siegel · June 30th, 2014, 07:33 AM

If you are shooting wildlife, do not go for a big prime. You will want to be able to zoom. That Canon 150-600 looks really interesting, but at the rather low price, and with a maximum aperture of f/5-6, I suspect that you will find the images a bit softer than you might like them to be. Tara Tanaka has shot some truly outstanding video with her digiscoping set up. Not only stationary stuff, like so many other digiscopers do, but flying birds. She uses a very good (Swarovski 85 mm) scope and what is currently the best DSLR for video, the Panasonic Lumix GH4, with an adapter (Digidapter?). The price is in the range of $6,000 US for all that, not including whatever tripod and head she has. I don't know what she does for audio, as her material is always music-dubbed, but Panasonic makes a special component for audio on the GH4.

A lot of money, once you get done. if you go that route, I would love to hear if you are happy with it. I have been thinking about digiscoping, having seen her work.

Martijn Damen · July 8th, 2014, 09:59 AM

Thanx for your reply Steve Siegel,

I already bought the 150-600, it's a real piece of kit, little odd but serious.
I have send it for service on the mechanical parts for it was not zooming smoothly anymore.
I ordered a GH4 also and I hope I can find a "cheap" adapter for my Nikon ED 85 scope to see what it looks like. The optics in the better scopes, specially swarovski, seems to be very good and using them as big primes seems to be a real option, looking at Tanaka's footage.I wonder if there are companies that
can make good custom adapters for a good price ...

I will post footage of my setup in the future on this forum and I hope there will also be some with a GH4 / Nikon ED 85 combi.

Besides the Canon 150-600 I bought a Zeiss Sonnar *T 35-135 for the wider range and macro (gh4=cropfactor 2-2.2). Footage of that will be here in a while also.

June 11th, 2014, 10:47 PM	#1
Martijn Damen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Valkenswaard, Netherlands Posts: 62	Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? Hi and sorry for barging in like this with my first post, but I need some help. I'm looking to upgrade from a digiscopeing setup and there are so many options and non option that I (as a noob) can't figure out what to do. To start with the glass; I have seen a Canon FD 150-600mm f/5.6 L for sale for around 2500 euro. The other options are a Sigma 50-500mm and a Tamron 150-600mm. Did anyone had the chance to work with these and is the old Canon glass really superior? For a camera I have my eye on the sony a6000; the e-mount should be the best choice to adapt to almost all lenses. Has anyone tried this camera for video with other lenses like Canon FD? All my options are still open so if you have some advice on this I would really like to hear it. Thanx, Martijn

June 16th, 2014, 09:46 AM	#2
Martijn Damen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Valkenswaard, Netherlands Posts: 62	Edit: Is it worth going for an old Canon 150-600? Ok, so after a lot of reading I understand manual focus is standard for video. Also a zoom lens should be parfocal preferably. Maybe I should ask you guys what zoom lens, in combination with an extender perhaps, would be good for this long range I'm looking for. Also I think I should have an other zoom lens that goes to +/- 200mm that is still very wide at the wide end .. any suggestions? As for the camera I decided not to go with the sony a6000 but rather for the new a7s or the panasonic GH4 or maybe a blackmagic since they are much better suited for video. If you have any recommendations, advice or tips I would really like to hear them. Grz. Martijn

June 17th, 2014, 06:40 AM	#3
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	Re: Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? Look at the old Nikkors as well, particularly the fixed focal length lenses. 800mm comes up for sale occasionally and the 300, 400, and 600 are pretty common. All easily adapted to the e-mount.

June 17th, 2014, 12:34 PM	#4
Martijn Damen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Valkenswaard, Netherlands Posts: 62	Re: Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? Thank you Jim.

June 17th, 2014, 04:07 PM	#5
Mark Williams Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Deep South, U.S. Posts: 1,526	Re: Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? Take a look at Tara Tanaka's set up and videos at Tara Tanaka on Vimeo. She seems to be getting really good results with the GH4. __________________ Mark videos: http://vimeo.com/channels/3523 Stock: http://www.pond5.com/artist/mark29

June 18th, 2014, 01:26 PM	#6
Martijn Damen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Valkenswaard, Netherlands Posts: 62	Re: Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? That looks very enjoyable Mark. I wish I had a backyard like these guys :D Amazing. I'm using a digiscopeing setup myself for 3 years, but with a pocketcamera looking through the eyepiece of the scope, too much glass and hard to get perfectly aligned: https://imageshack.us/i/emsetupimj Here are some vids: Strunkgx - YouTube Until now I wasn't aware that a dslr could be attached to a scope, and there is an adapter for the scope I have also: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lFELKwm4ZV...scope+Ed82.jpg It looks like a too long and too narrow tube to me, and it costs 300 euros. Does anyone have experience using scopes and specially the Nikon ED82 as a tele? Is it worth going for it or better sell the bunch (scope + eyepieces +/- 900 euro) and go for a big prime?

June 30th, 2014, 07:33 AM	#7
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	Re: Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? If you are shooting wildlife, do not go for a big prime. You will want to be able to zoom. That Canon 150-600 looks really interesting, but at the rather low price, and with a maximum aperture of f/5-6, I suspect that you will find the images a bit softer than you might like them to be. Tara Tanaka has shot some truly outstanding video with her digiscoping set up. Not only stationary stuff, like so many other digiscopers do, but flying birds. She uses a very good (Swarovski 85 mm) scope and what is currently the best DSLR for video, the Panasonic Lumix GH4, with an adapter (Digidapter?). The price is in the range of $6,000 US for all that, not including whatever tripod and head she has. I don't know what she does for audio, as her material is always music-dubbed, but Panasonic makes a special component for audio on the GH4. A lot of money, once you get done. if you go that route, I would love to hear if you are happy with it. I have been thinking about digiscoping, having seen her work.

July 8th, 2014, 09:59 AM	#8
Martijn Damen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Valkenswaard, Netherlands Posts: 62	Re: Canon FD 150-600, is it worth to go manual? Thanx for your reply Steve Siegel, I already bought the 150-600, it's a real piece of kit, little odd but serious. I have send it for service on the mechanical parts for it was not zooming smoothly anymore. I ordered a GH4 also and I hope I can find a "cheap" adapter for my Nikon ED 85 scope to see what it looks like. The optics in the better scopes, specially swarovski, seems to be very good and using them as big primes seems to be a real option, looking at Tanaka's footage.I wonder if there are companies that can make good custom adapters for a good price ... I will post footage of my setup in the future on this forum and I hope there will also be some with a GH4 / Nikon ED 85 combi. Besides the Canon 150-600 I bought a Zeiss Sonnar *T 35-135 for the wider range and macro (gh4=cropfactor 2-2.2). Footage of that will be here in a while also.