Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

This may be an old lens, I got this from the Panavision rental catalogue, so it may be well Panavised over the years.

I recall a Canon zoom lens with the same range that Optex in the UK used to modify when they they were in business. They converted the whole range of Canon telephoto lenses with the Universal mount system, so that you could switch to which ever camera mount you needed - there were a lot more mounts on film cameras in the past not just PL or PV.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

After dragging all my old cameras out, I thought I'd have a bit of a comparison with all the lenses. I've come to the conclusion that every one is well matched to the lens supplied with it, but less good on each others. The 750, for example has the same mount as the 200 and 100 series but the sense from the 750 is less sharp on the 100+200 series, which have lower maximum definition. Their lenses are softer on the 750. I repeated this with the older cameras in SD. The 5100 I have performs worse on the lens on the older 500, yet it's lens is less good then the 5100's. I've never noticed this before and assume that the kit lenses are designed to bring out the best in each one.

Ryan's post has caused me to spend some money and buy an adaptor for the JVC ⅓" mount so I can attach the B4 lenses I still have from older broadcast cameras to it. They'll be soft, of course, not being HD glass, but the magnification from the smaller sensor, plus the 2X adaptor should give me some very long lenses. The adaptor is purely a limo of alloy - so I'm going to lose definition due to the glass but also because of the small sensor. I wonder how bad it will be? A colleague with one says it is not good, BUT, he also refused to sell his adaptor to me as he uses it all the time - so it's worth a punt!

Your fault, Ryan - you owe me £125!

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Ah. Its all coming together now. Ryan is some sort of freelance marketing shill. Well done, various corporations.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Indeed, long ago there was a Canon 150-600 in FD mount:

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/nfd258.html

Looks like it's been a previous topic of discussion here on DVi:

https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/under-w...go-manual.html

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Yeah I only moved the camera to adjust to the animals. However, I figured I would use the good parts of the video where it doesn't jerk so much. I have a fluid head pan and tilt tripod, and I've been able to move the lens successfully with planned actors so far, but when the animals are unpredictable, it's been hard to move with them in parts. But so far I've just been using the sections where it doesn't jerk so much.

As for the aperture, I've been keeping it more closed to get a deeper DOF, so the animals have more room to move around in focus, if that's okay. At 300mm you need quite a closed aperture, since the DOF is so shallow, if you don't, of course.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

You probably need a head that will cost a sizeable amount of money for long lens work. Just touching the pan handle moves the image quite a bit with even a very delicate touch.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Don't know if your camera has stabilization but I have gotten good results with my GH5 using 75-300 (600mm effective) with e-stabilization "on" mounted on a $300 tripod and tracking subject with continuous auto-focus on.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh ok. I dont think the camera has stabilization but tthe lens does.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Does stabilisation work for video? I thought it was only for stills?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

On Ryan's lens, IS should be switched *off* when shooting from a tripod.

Otherwise it'll fight the pan. Okay to have it on when handheld, though.

Mark's in-body stab. is designed to work with a tripod. That's the difference.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh ok. How does the lens fight the pan? Is that why in the footage if i pan right, it jerks left sometimes, And vice versa?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Yes, what you describe is exactly what I mean by "fighting the pan."

Your particular lens was designed only as a still-photo lens. It was never intended for video. When you have the lens on a tripod with the IS switched on, it doesn't know that your panning movement is intentional. So it fights that motion, resulting in the little "hiccups" you're getting at the end of a pan.

Therefore you need to turn IS *off* when shooting video with that lens from a tripod.

Newer, better lenses will accommodate tripod shooting with a special mode designed to work with intentional panning movements. Some lenses have multiple IS modes. Yours does not, however.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

I won't lie, I honestly that was also the deal with camcorders where the IS is built in. I had always heard the rule as "tripod = no IS" (at least if you're gonna be panning). Maybe that's older cams or I'm dumb or something.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh okay, thanks, I thought it was just IS cameras that did that, I didn't know the lens could fight off the movement! Thank you very much for pointing that out.

What if for when I am using a gimbal with a wider lens for wide shots? Should I have IS switched on or off for that?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Josh, I thought that also until I tried the GH5 e-stabilization on a tripod at extreme telephoto. It took out the jiggles of using an inferior tripod to track subjects making the footage usable. All of this was shot on a tripod with e-stabilization on. Not my normal subject matter which is usually locked down with minimal or no camera movement.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Is e-stabilization and IS the same thing?

It seems to me that every time I find out about something electronic in the lens, it's a disavantage. I find out that the lens is fly-by-wire focus, and now I find out that IS has been fighting my panning.

Are there any DSLR lenses out therefore, that are telephoto, have no electronic components and are all manual mechanical? Would that be better and less complications?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Is the stabilization in the lens or body in that case?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Now that's a good question. My guess is to have it on, but you should experiment with it both ways, find out what's best, and report back here to let us know.

Nah, that was indeed the rule back in the day, but newer camcorders and some newer lenses have multiple IS modes, often incorporating a specific special IS mode to use when panning from a tripod. Modern times... go figure.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

welp that explains it...I don't shoot much and when I do it's almost always with a C100 with the typical still lenses or an EX1.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Mark's GH5 has e-stab. in the camera body (I think).

OIS (optical) is a lens mechanism. It's found in lenses and on camera bodies that have an integrated lens built in.

EIS (electronic) is a function of the image sensor in a camera body. Not as effective as OIS in a lens.

There's also IBIS, in-body image stabilization, on some newer camera bodies. I understand it's very good. Usually when you have IBIS, there's most often an included mode specifically for using with a tripod.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh okay, interesting. Back when I got the lens, I was advised to keep IS on all the time for video. Didn't know for a tripod that the lens would try to fight it, which explains some of the jerks in the pans and tilts, but I thought that was just me maybe.

If I turn with a gimbal in the future though, will lens IS try to fight the turns?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Yep probably. Ryan, stop taking people's advice as gospel. If a product has a switch, for goodness sake experiment. I'm truly amazed you keep discovering things. A lens you've had for ages you suddenly find a spot, and suddenly find problems with the stabiliser and suddenly discover a switch you have never used, and worst of all, you discover t image is soft at maximum focal length. All this things come as a surprise. This is like discovering your car doesn't turn right, because everyone told you to always turn left, and when you first ignore the advice you discover a problem. Do you never experiment, play, fiddle, explore, examine, evaluate, compensate or modify? It's like you have a big arsenal of produce you have bought, but never use. The black spot for instance. Surely you shot at some point the sky? Or something evenly toned? I can't believe huge problem now was never noticed before? You post here and on other forums but always seem to have problems and not once have I ever seen you help other people with advice? Considering you are about to spend money on your feature, surely by now you must have picked up some skills you could assist others with. If we counted the time you have said "I have been told" it would be hundred. Do you never follow up the advice with "why"? So much of the advice you've been given you take as Gospel. Never questioning it till its proven as wrong, weird or plain crazy advice. We're urging you to get familiar and confident with what gear you have, but I get the impression that you pick up an item go through your mental check lis and then use it, and then spot the subject has gone, the sound doesn't work, the subject is jumping up and down, or the batteries are flat. How did you never spot the lens problem? It's so frustrating to solve one problem for you then you report yet another, and another.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

I'm not saying this is the case with Ryan, but on another forum the person asking endless questions without seeming to learn anything turned out to be a troll.

Many of the basic questions being asked can be answered by a quick google search and in more detail than is possible in a brief forum message,

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

I spent the better part of an afternoon awhile back (when I should have been doing other things) researching his prolific posting history on a wide variety of other forum sites, and eventually came to the conclusion that he doesn't seem to be purposefully trolling us.

I can't describe exactly how I made that determination, but I've been at this sort of thing since 1998 when I helped manage the Canopus forum.

If anyone here ever gets worn out by a particular member then I strongly suggest going to https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/profile.php?do=ignorelist (that's at the top left corner of any page, under Controls > Edit Ignore List) for a relatively simple and painless solution.

Hope this helps,

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh boy. Feel free to delete this if its too far but I am pretty sure he’s not a troll (he’s posted work for one thing whuxh would be a lot of trouble to go to for lulz), but is instead a youngish fella with aspergers or something like it that deeply affects the way he thinks including decision-making and potentially even reasoning out the idea of testing etc. or researching the answers, let alone being able to parse good advice from BS.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

I assumed that Chris would've put a stop to Ryan's membership if he was trolling, since there was the name change in the recent past, so he'd been working in the background. Also, as mentioned, he had posted some work.

There are a wide range of people who come onto forums and they learn in differing ways.This can involve rolling with how they work things out.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh sorry, if I came off that way, I didn't mean to come off as trolling, I certainly do not intend to be.

The lens is fairly new to me, only had it for a few months, and in the last few months I've been busy working on other people's projects in my time outside of work, so I haven't played around with it as much, since I got it.

I didn't notice the lens trying to fight me on movement until this project cause the animals were moving unpredictably, where as before when I practiced with it, I shot some friends and the movement was all planned, so I didn't notice anyone possibly problems then. The black spot in the lens only showed up last weekend, so I didn't notice it before then either, and it's not in any prior footage.

But on my previous projects, I always got someone else to do the shooting, so I didn't concentrate as much on the camera and lens technology and more so, directing. I can concentrate on it more.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Some compact cameras with lenses that telescope in and out can suck in dust etc, although it tends land on the sensor, rather than inside the lens.

If you're planing to shoot wildlife a really good tripod is essential for the telephoto lens work. I don't expect you to go this extreme, but the high end wildlife camera people can be seen using Ronford 150mm bowl tripods when they're filming. Medium Duty - Ronford Baker

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

This.
I’ve said this before to keep my sanity I try not to get deeply involved in his problems or offer him advice. The other thing as I understand it he has no income and no budget. I get the feeling his parents must occasionally buy equipment. This isn’t a criticism but it’s a waste of time recommending equipment he can’t afford. I think it’s a bit like going into a Ferrari dealership and taking up countless hours of salesman time all the while not having any means to actually purchase such a car.

But I agree in the past I thought he was a troll because the behavior is similar but I’d agree he isn’t but the end result is similar.

I have to restrain my natural instincts to help someone because it seems he rarely takes any advice he is given and the endless difficult situations he presents with no easy solution is exhausting to think about.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Oh i have an income what makes anyone think i don't? I just wanted to save on equipment while budgeting for other things as well in projects.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

I can’t remember you ever discussing a paying gig. Paid professionals will simply buy/rent the equipment that is needed for a job. So simply buy what you need.

It’s not that I care to know your finances but the starting point for any equipment decision is what’s your budget.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Regarding this spot, I assume you've checked it's not there with your other lens?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

He verified it’s in the lens. It’s a used bad kit lens that’s worth practically nothing and when you throw in it has an internal dust spot it’s virtually worthless. No body would want to buy it and it’s not worth repairing.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

The rental stores are often booked up in advance though and if shoot dates change i feel i need the equipment ready to go hence why i wanted a telephoto lens for future projects cause the DPs i know, don't have them.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

So I notice going back again to the first post.

Given the nature of the offending lens, it sounds like you'll have to work out your budget and decide which lenses fall within that and make a decision on buying one. However, I don't think we want to go through discussions on auto focus v manual focus and varifocal v parfocal again.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Well it depends. Someone said I should buy a video camera with a permanently built on lens because since I could use a new camera soon anyway, it would save money to buy a camera with a telephoto lens build onto a compared to buy OnePlus a separate telephoto lens. Are there any disadvantages to a video camera with just one telephoto lens built on though?

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

First one that comes to mind is a video camera like that probably wont have the shallow depth of field look all the filmmakers love.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

I think what someone was suggesting you could buy a decent eng semi-pro camera for less than a professional superzoom lens. Prosumer camcorders typically have a 24-600mm built in lens and would work well for wildlife shooting in bright conditions where you don’t want a super shallow dof either. For versatility you can’t beat a camcorder: run gun, interviews, event work, etc. The quickly becoming standard is 1” sensor, isn’t going give you that cinema style shallow dof, but no camera can do everything.

I am by no means knocking the pro super telephoto lenses but no one in their right mind is buying them and offering their services for free. It also wouldn’t make sense using such a lens on a out dated consumer dslr.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

Yeah that was another thing I didn't like about camcorders either, but it seems that lately some videocameras have the built in zoom lens, but have larger sensors now for a shallow DOF. Is there any with a APS-C size sensor for example with a zoom lens that can go up to at least 400mm? Cause APS-C has quite a bit of shallow DOF, if the lens can open wide for it.

Re: My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?
 

You'll find that some camcorders with built in zooms can produce broadcast standard video, which only very few DSLRS can do. With long focal length lenses you get a shallow DOF anyway.

Once you're into large sensor cameras, you won't find long focal length lenses coming as built in zooms, the laws of physics will be working against you. The f 4 25mm to 250mm cine 35mm lens is a large lens, your DSLR would be much smaller than its matte box.

With builtin zooms. you have the issue of not being able to put focus marks on the focus ring. See your thread on the subject.

Note that "24-600mm" is the equivalent focal length, not the actual one on the camcorders.

Before we end up going around in circles, are you planing to buy a new lens for this wildlife film or going to find ways to hide your spot in the clutter of the undergrowth or fix it in post when you notice it?

If you're going to buy one, is it the plan to use it on your drama films?

If you are, I would check out your thread on fly by wire focusing again, to avoid going over old ground again.