From what I've read it looks nice.

NXCAM is going to become a different subject of conversations. But what about Z5-R, what is it?

Regarding the WA lens, the Sonys are also bayonet mount, further reducing the likelihood of ever making it fit successfully.

For a cheaper alternative, why not try a Red Eye? The barrel distortion is no worse than a Sony, it comes at 0.7x, it slips under the Sony lens hood without vignetting, and it's half the price. (Based on my V1 experience, not the Z5, I should point out).

For something I don't use a lot, except in tight spots, £200 (and fitting in a pocket) is a lot better than £400 (and needing its own truck to carry it).

hi tom,

actually the sony kit wa i have is a bayonet fitting, the same as that for the z5.

my question is if i use my .8 will it be zoom through as it is on the v1?

thanks

Alex - I only Christened the NXCAM the Z5-R because Sony's upgrade of the EX1 is called the EX1-R and because this NXCAM is effectively the Z5's replacement.

I'm with Mike - Sony's bayonet-on, mild (0.8x) wide-angle zoom-throughs are huge when they have their hoods fitted, and a single element adapter like the Red-Eye is the way I go, meaning I can easily carry it on my person.

Yes Leslie - if it's zoom-thru on a V1 then it'll be zoom-thru on anything else it fronts.

tom.

thanks tom.

seems like the person buying my v1 wouldn't say no to the wa as well.

are the red-eye zoom through, or rather than look that up myself (i'm not that lazy), have you personal experience of them?

i ask cause i've used a few sony handycams with other manufacturers wa's and a couple of them were meant to be zoom through, but in practice weren't. sorry, i don't remember the brands...

leslie

I have indeed had experience of the Red-Eye wide-angle adapters and tested the 58 mm 0.7x and 0.5x for a magazine. That was back in the VX2000 days though, so they may well have improved.

Both are injection moulded plastic single elements, beautifully multi-coated and weighing very little. They claimed to be aspherical elements and indeed appeared to be, but even so, they gave far too much barrel distortion for my liking. They have an excellent protective soft case.

On the VX2k I could partially zoom-through - instead of a 12x zoom I had a 7x zoom. Still very useful.

Raynox do some 'clip-on' single elements in the Red-Eye mould (HA!), and these are very much cheaper and work well. Barrel distort though.

tom.

thanks again tom....

i think i'm going to hang on to my kit wa till i get the z5. that way i'll have a clear, practical overview (thruview?) of the matter.

checked raynox site, and looked at the video's, but there really not much help since they don't show the scene WITHOUT wa. i mean i just don't understand that at all.....

i thought i'd sacrifice something, and too much barrel distortion is certainly a non-starter for my mainline projects, artists works of art.

i suppose the old adage suits - suck it and see.

thanks for your great help / advice