XL2 Optional LENS and Optics!!!! at DVinfo.net

Gladys Araque · February 21st, 2005, 10:34 AM

XL2 Optics & LENS options
I'm getting ready to Shoot a small but ambitious Project in FLORIDA. mostly out on location on sunny days and at night.

Some inside with lights and DP if I can find one to work for back end profits which so far very unlikely.....So I think I will have to learn all the Lens choices and options on my own.

WHICH LENSES ARE A MUST HAVE......?
WHICH LENSES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY?

WIDE ANGLE OR TELE?

The XL2 is a true 16:9 so do I still need WIDE Angle Lens?
The XL2 has 20X which other TELE would I want?

I have many many ECU that I want to be sharp and nice.
Is there a lens that would make these shots better?

What is the Fisheye for?

okay any help and ideas on different lenses would be greatly appreciated....Thanks

Andrew Oh · February 21st, 2005, 05:38 PM

Hey Gladys,

The XL2 has true 16:9 but I think the 20x isn't wide enough for interiors. It's a wonderful Telephoto though. You couldn't go wrong with any of the manual lens either (I'd opt for the newer 16x). If you want Image Stabilizer, get the 20x.

On the wide end, you're a little stuck because Canon does have a 3x wide angle XL lens but as seen on this forum, it suffers from backfocus. It's fine if you don't zoom in and out. The other option is the Century Optics adapter but some users have stated that the images are a little soft.

Best of luck!

Gladys Araque · February 22nd, 2005, 07:14 AM

thanks Andrew,

I'm confused with the manual 16X and the 20X what is the main difference. Is the 20X stronger has more distance right? So why do I want a 16X with less distance capability?

Wide lens issue with the back focus I do need to zoom in or out so what do I do in that case? Is there another wide lens specially for interiors that I could use I can't afford to have soft images though. What happends if I don't use a wide angle lens?

I mean If I have a closeup of face and zoom out to see entire body resting in a bed. Shot from the cealing. Do you want to deal with the back focus problem just to have wide angle?

I need to know why DP's choose to open a room up with the wide angle lens if you only need to zoom in and out focusing on one object in particular.

Is the wide angle better used in a room when shooting a scene with three or more people? It sounds like that would be more the purpose of it. Thanks so much for helping me out. I do read forums but I can't grasp unless I start form the beginig the basics as I'm doing here so thanks ....

Marty Hudzik · February 22nd, 2005, 08:11 AM

The wide angle adapter is ideal for shooting interiors. If....I Repeat.....IF you have an issue with the 3x wide angle adapter holding focus when you zoom in or out you can send it to Canon to be "recalibrated". This should work....however some claim that there 3x still has backfocus issues after being serviced.

The most important thing to consider is if you will be rolling tape while you zoom in out. Most professional dramatic pieces do not do zooms during shots. It is used most often to frame shots. So if that is the case, (As it is with me), this backfocus issue will not be major.

If you plan on zooming in and out all the time while filming you will need to tweak the focus manually as you do so. OR your 3x may work flawlessly.

And to be fair to the Century Adapters they are not soft overall but get a little soft at the outer edges. This is called falloff and occurs because all lenses are spherical by nature and are more curved at the outer part. This bends light to focus it on the CCD and therefore some distortion occurs. Only very expensive adapters are able to overcome this.

If you shoot in 16x9 and use the Century adapter the problem will be only on the left and right and not the top and bottom as the 16x9 section of the CCD is only sampling the best part of the lens......which is alway closest to the middle.

February 21st, 2005, 10:34 AM	#1
Gladys Araque New Boot Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 8	XL2 Optional LENS and Optics!!!! XL2 Optics & LENS options I'm getting ready to Shoot a small but ambitious Project in FLORIDA. mostly out on location on sunny days and at night. Some inside with lights and DP if I can find one to work for back end profits which so far very unlikely.....So I think I will have to learn all the Lens choices and options on my own. WHICH LENSES ARE A MUST HAVE......? WHICH LENSES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY? WIDE ANGLE OR TELE? The XL2 is a true 16:9 so do I still need WIDE Angle Lens? The XL2 has 20X which other TELE would I want? I have many many ECU that I want to be sharp and nice. Is there a lens that would make these shots better? What is the Fisheye for? okay any help and ideas on different lenses would be greatly appreciated....Thanks

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February 21st, 2005, 05:38 PM	#2
Andrew Oh Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 86	Hey Gladys, The XL2 has true 16:9 but I think the 20x isn't wide enough for interiors. It's a wonderful Telephoto though. You couldn't go wrong with any of the manual lens either (I'd opt for the newer 16x). If you want Image Stabilizer, get the 20x. On the wide end, you're a little stuck because Canon does have a 3x wide angle XL lens but as seen on this forum, it suffers from backfocus. It's fine if you don't zoom in and out. The other option is the Century Optics adapter but some users have stated that the images are a little soft. Best of luck!

February 22nd, 2005, 07:14 AM	#3
Gladys Araque New Boot Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 8	thanks Andrew, I'm confused with the manual 16X and the 20X what is the main difference. Is the 20X stronger has more distance right? So why do I want a 16X with less distance capability? Wide lens issue with the back focus I do need to zoom in or out so what do I do in that case? Is there another wide lens specially for interiors that I could use I can't afford to have soft images though. What happends if I don't use a wide angle lens? I mean If I have a closeup of face and zoom out to see entire body resting in a bed. Shot from the cealing. Do you want to deal with the back focus problem just to have wide angle? I need to know why DP's choose to open a room up with the wide angle lens if you only need to zoom in and out focusing on one object in particular. Is the wide angle better used in a room when shooting a scene with three or more people? It sounds like that would be more the purpose of it. Thanks so much for helping me out. I do read forums but I can't grasp unless I start form the beginig the basics as I'm doing here so thanks ....

February 22nd, 2005, 08:11 AM	#4
Marty Hudzik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 1,771	The wide angle adapter is ideal for shooting interiors. If....I Repeat.....IF you have an issue with the 3x wide angle adapter holding focus when you zoom in or out you can send it to Canon to be "recalibrated". This should work....however some claim that there 3x still has backfocus issues after being serviced. The most important thing to consider is if you will be rolling tape while you zoom in out. Most professional dramatic pieces do not do zooms during shots. It is used most often to frame shots. So if that is the case, (As it is with me), this backfocus issue will not be major. If you plan on zooming in and out all the time while filming you will need to tweak the focus manually as you do so. OR your 3x may work flawlessly. And to be fair to the Century Adapters they are not soft overall but get a little soft at the outer edges. This is called falloff and occurs because all lenses are spherical by nature and are more curved at the outer part. This bends light to focus it on the CCD and therefore some distortion occurs. Only very expensive adapters are able to overcome this. If you shoot in 16x9 and use the Century adapter the problem will be only on the left and right and not the top and bottom as the 16x9 section of the CCD is only sampling the best part of the lens......which is alway closest to the middle.