AG-LA7200G or not
 

Hey Guys,

I bought a panasonic dvx 100b some months back and I'm now ready to shoot my first indie etc. I am still a novice, but learning alot.

Should I purchase the agl-la7200g 16:9 lens or can I crop my footage in post and still achieve the 16:9 aspect?

Second question.
Is there a cheaper 16:9 lens other than the panasonic ag?

Last question.
If I decide to purchase a 16:9 lens for the dvx 100b, how am I able to attach my matte box which requires a 72mm ring.

Thanks

I'd say skip it and just shoot squeeze mode.

The anamorphic can offer higher resolution, but it's not that easy to work with and it introduces significant compromises in the workflow. Whereas squeeze (in 24p/THIN mode) delivers as much resolution as an interlaced 16:9 camera and is so much easier to work with.

If your overriding concern is ultimate resolution, then yes the anamorphic adapter delivers. But squeeze mode is pretty darn good and a lot easier to work with.

I wanted to add that I used the LA7200G on several music videos (or tried to, at least) and the extra stages of glass seemed introduce some frustrating glints and lens flares, so much so that I had to take the darn thing off.

Plus it makes your depth of field pretty infinite, in an obvious wide-angle way.

Question, Barry: Is there a reason to do squeeze rather than in-camera letterboxing (I am using the original DVX100)? Because as far as I understand, they reduce your canvas by the same amount of pixels, right?

Letterboxing is for creating video to display on a 4:3 television.

Squeeze is for creating video to display on a 16:9 television.

I see, thanks.