z1 wide angle recommendations

[Carlos E. Martinez]

Originally Posted by Richard Iredale

May I suggest the Sony VCL-HG0872? It's the one Sony sells for the camera family, and it's a very sweet zoom-through lens. Magnification is 0.8, which is not quite as wide as the Century but it also shows less barrel distortion. Anyway, keep in mind that the 16:9 format of the Z1/FX1 camera already is surprisingly wide, considerably wider than the VX2000 I sold.

I bought my lens via eBay last March for about $250.

My guess is it should be very good. Is it bayonet mount?

One thing I found to be very good on the Century is it being bayonet mount, which is great for documentary work.

There's one Sony VCL-HG0872 on Ebay now.

[Dave Allen]

Well, I just scored a used but perfect shape Canon .8 72mm wide angle adapter lens for land use.....unless anyone has this lens and can offer an opinion, I guess I will find out how good it is the hard way, lol.

[Stefano Sernagiotto]

The 0872 appears like one of the best choice right?Anyone that uses it?

[Duncan Craig]

Apart from when I'm using a Brevis 35mm, my HG0872 hasn't been off my Z1 since I bought it. (When it first came out).

Great bit of glass with little lens flare, CA or distortion compared to an early Optex WA which was total crap, perhaps they have improved since?


This short reel was all shot through it:

My Short Video Showreel on Vimeo

Some of the adverts on here - CDC, Victoria, Artisan:

http://www.darkhorsegraphics.co.uk/s...howreel_08.mov

Duncan.

[Duncan Craig]

Also to say, it's a heavy bit of glass.

My Vocas Wide mattebox clips straight onto it, it's exactly the right size. So I don't need rails, which is great. Some pics

You've probably worked it out but it threads onto the front of the Z1, some people says it's a sticky thread, but I get no problems if I thread it slowly and carefully.

More clips: Index of /JIB_SHOTS
In fact, lots of the wedding footage on that site is through the WA lens.

[Vito DeFilippo]

Tom Hardwick swears by a Bolex Aspheron that he uses on his Z1. Here's a link to some test photos:

Tom's Photo Album

Here's a discussion between Tom and other's on how to mount it:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-hvr-...ow-attach.html

[Duncan Craig]

Tom lens is great, buying one and getting filter/mattebox etc is the problem though ;-0

Here's another recent video reel just for you guys, all lit/shot/edited/graphics by me on an old Z1 with the Sony WA:

http://www.ytvweddingvideos.co.uk/sh...ith_HG0872.mov


Duncan.

[Marcus Martell]

I know a lot of people who have never taken it off from the z1 once it has been mounted on.When you exactly suggest to use it?I mean when your shooting ouside and you find a nice landscape it's ok to leave it on, but what if you have to shoot an interview with the interviewd guy in front of mountains or a landscape,Should i leave it on?Cause it's what i always do....

[Tom Hardwick]

Originally Posted by John Jay

If I were to believe you as stated then there can only be one...Canon WA75HD with the adapter 85II, plus you will need a 72-85 step up ring.

Well that's fine if you're happy with the fairly mild conversion of the Canon lens. But if you want something wilder and wider, have a look at the Bolex Aspheron. You'll have to get an adapter made to attach it's 85 mm thread to the Z1's 72 mm (though I've made a bayonet fitting) but it sees real wide ().52x, so a 17 mm equiv) and has zero barrel distortion.

tom.

[John Jay]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

Well that's fine if you're happy with the fairly mild conversion of the Canon lens. But if you want something wilder and wider, have a look at the Bolex Aspheron. You'll have to get an adapter made to attach it's 85 mm thread to the Z1's 72 mm (though I've made a bayonet fitting) but it sees real wide ().52x, so a 17 mm equiv) and has zero barrel distortion.

tom.

You woke me up Tom :) for a thread started in 2006! - makes me feel like Rip Van Weitwinkel.

Of course that was then, if I had the $4000 (for that Canon adapter) to spend today, I would probably aim it in the direction of a Nikon 14-24/2.8 UWA seated snugly on the about to be announced 1080p/24 Nikon D400.

[Kurth Bousman]

well the d400 will still be aps so the 14mm will be 21mm - might think about the new tokina 11-16mm f2.8-cheers

[Marcus Martell]

Hi,i ve just seen on the bay a wide sonyhg0872.AE,is this AE the right one for my camcorder z1?
thx

[Tom Hardwick]

Yes, just right for your Z1.

[Marcus Martell]

thx tom................

[Chris Coulson]

I'm very interested in a bolex aspheron, but I can't find anyone who sells it.

Can anyone suggest somewhere I can get one, and what sort of money I would be likely to pay? I don't mind doing a spot of engineering on the mounting :-)