Hi All - I've been using the VG20 with my Steadicam Merlin and the kit lens and getting some nice results but I need something wider - I'm think of the Sony SEL 16mm F2.8.

I have stabilisation in use to smooth down my movements even further, but am I correct in thinking this is a feature of the kit lens (ie optical stabilisation) and i won't get this with the SEL16F28?

Pete

Yes the VG20 kit lens has excellent stabilisation but the 16mm pancake lens has none, which is a shock when you first use it and realize you have to handle it with care, unless of course you have a Merlin. I also have the ultra-wide adapter for the 16mm and on the Merlin the combination is just fabulous.

CCADS Whistle Down The Wind rehearsal - YouTube

Well you can go for the NEX 10-18 mm Sony lens.
Its not cheap but works pretty good.
It's f4 but its better in low light than my Canon with the Tokina 11-16 @f2.8


7 Teraglin Street, Kanimbla - YouTube

Yes the VG20 kit lens has excellent stabilisation but the 16mm pancake lens has none, which is a shock when you first use it and realize you have to handle it with care, unless of course you have a Merlin. I also have the ultra-wide adapter for the 16mm and on the Merlin the combination is just fabulous.

CCADS Whistle Down The Wind rehearsal - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCjvLr35qpk)

Hi Tony - can you pls pass on your merlin settings for this combo? I've been recently using the Samyang 14mm but it's died so I'm going back to the pancake lens and wide adapter but cannot get it to stop swaying!

Cheers

Pete

Wide and stable. Nice.

Hi Peter ..

The setting for the VG20 with16mm pancake (with ultra-wide adapter) on a Merlin are:

Dovetail plate: Hole G, positioned at +3 on the Stage Position Scale
Weights: 1 finish weight in the forward position and 2 mid-weights and a finish weight in the lower position.
Arc Size: 27cm.

Should then be just a matter of adjusting the trim rollers.

If you add one lower mid-weight and slide the dovetail plate back to the zero position, you should be
perfectly balanced for the kit lens - which is handy.

Without the ultra-wide adapter, you need to push the camera forward as far as it will go on the Stage,
but the drop-time seems a bit fast and I suspect you would need to reduce the arc and move the
camera further forward on the dovetail plate.

Tony

Great stuff Tony - Many thanks :)