Thoughts on 2/3" lens I am looking at
 

I am looking at two lens for my PMW-350.

Angenieux Wide Angle Zoom Eng 12x5.3 AIF HR

Canon HJ22e x 7.6B IRSE

Would be interested to hear experiences people have with either?

The Canon is as you would expect for long work and fits the Canon Optical Stabilizer which is important to me.

The Angenieux I don't know much about be seems like a nice wide lens.

Both would be purchased used.

Paul,

I'd have no problem buying any Fujinon or Canon lens based on specifications alone. But
I'd be wary of the Angenieux unless you actually have the chance to test drive it yourself before buying. I've only used a couple of Angenieux lenes and they were both soft with sloppy focusing. The last one was a top-of-the-line WA that Foxwoods owns. Maybe I'm wrong to damn the whole product line based on only two experiences, but I'd never buy one of their lenses sight unseen. Especially a used one.

Thanks Doug,

I would not buy with out testing first. Go to know you think the Angenieux is soft.

Agree the Canon HJ and Fujinon ZA and HA are all high on my list just tough to find one close enough to try for a decent price.

Off to Beavertail now with the new rig.

Angenieux make some great lenses but they don't seem to have the consistency of the Japanese lenses. Don't dismiss it, but do try it out. The good ones can be real stunners, but finding a good one isn't easy.

Paul, don't forget that with the crop-factor of 2/3 lenses, the Angénieux is not all that wide; it's closer to a 'normal' lens as far as field of view is concerned.

Thanks Luc I think it would be close to a 22 or 23 mm in 35mm terms so you are right not very wide. If I find one wider I would check it out but this one is off my list since it is in LA.

Besides the long lens is more important to me so it will be first.

Paul's looking to put the lens on the 350 which is 2/3" so no crop factor there.
Paul, check some tests I did on 2/3" lenses, tested a lot of the ZAs etc.
One of the best compromises between performance and cost I found was the Canon HJ17x7.6. It was equal to the Fuji HA22x7.8 I use as my reference (as it's very good) but a lot cheaper.
Other reason to avoid Angenieux is resale, they're just not as in demand as other makes, and even Fujinon are less saleable than the Canon HJs.
Steve

Thanks Steve,

I have read your info and that always leads me to the ZA, HA, HJ series. The HJ17x7.6 is nice but I need as long as possible so I am looking at 22x and 23x with 2x extenders. I know the 2x is not the best but the extra length at times is worth it.

There is a company in HK that has new HJ at a good price but it is too scary for me to buy with out trying. So I am on the hunt. New is outside my price range.

The Angenieux are very low priced used.

The 2x extenders on these lenses actually tend to be pretty good, as long as they are stopped down a bit. Anything wider than f4.5 and they are virtually unuseable, but 5.6 and below they are not much to worry about on the whole.
Steve

Good advice Steve to know I should not be more open then f4.5. The EX350 is pretty sensitive so that should not be a problem in day light which is when I would use the 2x.

Today starting to look at the 18x in Fujinon to see if I can save some money since the 18x7.6 accepts the optical Stabilizer. Now checking on the Canon 18x. With both I loose the focal length but get into the lens sooner due to cost and then have funds for the OS.

I bought the Fujinon HA18x7.6 for my Varicam. It's nice. Very compact, optically about the same as the HA22 (just a shade less sharp and a tiny bit more CA). A lot cheaper though. My reasoning was that for my purposes neither the HA18 nor HA22 was a long lens, I need at least 600mm so it was just a standard for me and the extra few mms made no difference.
Steve

Agree Steve the cost difference vs focal length difference pushes me to the 18x.

Now my dream long lens would be one of the 42x with a stabilizer built in. But very expensive and heavy so only go for certain shoots.

What do you use for your long lens? Do you own or rent?

Have you used the TS-P58A stabilizer with your 18x?

Aaaah, total confusion thanks to Sony's very inventive naming of products. And as this post was under the XDCAM-HD (not EX) header, I supposed Paul had the PDW-F350. Of course, as you correctly point out, no crop factor for the 2/3 cam.
EX350 is a much more logical name for this fabulous new piece of equipment. If only the marketing guys at Sony's were as gifted as their R&D wizzards...

Sorry Luc it is a little confusing. The EX forum is great but for 2/3" lens info this is a better location. I think the PMW-350 should be here but then again it is a EX line camera.

Hey Paul, I couldn't agree more. So no reason to be sorry!