On Sony's Web site, they don't give enough information to make an intelligent selection between the two lens. However, it would appear that the more expensive lens has more lens elements, perhaps better glass (or glass instead of plastic). Based on price alone, one would expect better performance out of the $400 model. Resolution, Modulation Transfer Function, distortion, color, and other factors can contribute to the price and difference between the two lens.

The AT835B and the MKE-300 are different animals in many ways.

1. The AT is a pro microphone with lots of real-world, pro users out there. You can purchase many 3rd party accessories for this microphone including all of the wind-suppression accessories. It is an all-metal body and has a balanced XLR output. Cost with mount will be around $300. You will have to piece together the mount although I'd consider using a 'L' handle on the 2000 and mounting the microphone to that.

2. The MKE-300 is designed for amateur use, it is of plastic construction, has an attached foam windscreen which is useless in anything over a very mild breeze. It also has a miniplug output and an attached shoe mount. It will cost about $180.

At first blush, the MKE would seem to be a good match. Personally I think the unit has some real problems with durability, noise pickup through the shoe mount, and the unbalanced output which really hurts if you try to put the microphone on a boom.

But that's just me.

hi
take a look at www.centuryoptics.com
these lenses have some advantages over Sony's as more rugged mount and sunshade. have prooved to be optically good

Wide Angel Lens for PD150
 

Mike has already answered this question in another thread so I am editing to let poeple know that...

filters for Optex Wide Angle/ with Bayonet?
 

I searched the forums and found one thread that kinda covered the topic of polarizing filters for wide angle lenses, but i am still confused. Am i right that there are no polarizing filters for Wide Angle lenses(Optex)? How about diffusion, uv, or grad? I've looked around but have been unsuccesful thus far.
In the thread that i remarked on previously, it said that there was a solution but it was mucho expensive..which doesn't seem worth it. any suggestions? thanks.

I am wondering why you can't find a filter for this. Is it that you can't find one big enough to screw in or is there some reason it won't work with the wide angle?
I would look over at B&H in the photography section, I bought a circular polarizer filter for my still camera lenses there a few years ago. I think it was about $200 or more but it has 82mm threads which screw into the front of my lenses. You could also look for one that fits in a large square filter to drop into a filter holder/lens hood/mat box. I know Schneider makes one. Check out this link for the listings.

http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/filters/polarizers/index.htm

wide angle adaptor
 

i just bought a century optics 0.65x and a B+W UV filter for my pd150.
i guess this may be a silly question, but after trying i can't help but come to the conclusion that in order to fit on the WA adaptor, i have to first remove the UV filter which is usually screwed on to protect the camera lense. is this true? i didn't want to try too hard to place the WA adaptor on top of the filter, for fear of scratching the filter.

You're right, I wouldn't bother with the UV filter in this case. Just be very careful moving the camera around when the WA adapter is mounted.

May I suggest that you test the WA adapter very carefully before your return priveleges expire.

After shooting scenes in adequate light (finally) with mine, I decided the focus was just too soft to be acceptable.

So I returned the WA adapter to Century for testing. Their report was that the adapter is performing very well and is very sharp. Hmmm. I'll try it again on my system with a waveform monitor to set focus. Maybe my 150 still has a backfocus problem but that has not been apparent in normal use.

digital optics W/A lense
 

I recieved a wide angle lense as a gift. With focus set to infinity, the upper corners are cut off - noticable but not overwhelming. Is this a defective lense?

Poor man's wide angle lens shade
 

I've been using a Sony .7x wide adaptor on my VX-2000 for awhile and have generally been happy, but have wanted some sort of lens shade to use with. Not ready to pony up hundreds of $$$ on a matte box (yet :-), I came across a simple, durable, inexpensive solution that might interest others.

At my local Ace Hardware I bought a rubber pipe reducing coupling. This is a heavy black rubber fitting that uses hose clamps to join two different sized PVC or iron drain pipes. The 3" to 4" adaptor was just about the right diameter for the Sony .7x lens. I cut some excess rubber off the 3" end with a utility knife and made some small slits so it would fit over the lens more easily, then used the supplied hose clamp to attach it to the lens. After mounting on the lens I observed the amount of vignetting, then trimmed the excess rubber from the 4" end.

The result was something that looked much more like a piece of photographic equipment than a sewer pipe connection, and it works perfectly. Total cost was about $5.00 and it took maybe 15 minutes. Take a look in the plumbing section at your local hardware - the model I bought is the 3" to 4" adaptor #PCX 56-43.

Great idea.

PD-150 WA Soft Focus
 

I also have the Sony .7 wide angle lens and I too seem to have focus problems fully zoomed in through the wide angle lens. It does seem to mimic a back focus problem like broadcast cameras.

Pity it doesn't have a back focus adjustment like the broadcast cameras.

For whaterver it's worth, I took my lens and mounted it on someones VX-1000 and it did not have a focus problem like my 150. Wish I had a line into the Sony Engineers....

If you call the Sony pro help line, you can sometimes talk directly with a sony engineer through them.

FWIW, the 800 number pro hotline for we PD-150 owners is very useful.

tests to run on new pd-150
 

thanks mike for the tip on testing focus with adapter. i'll test the back focus as well.
any other tests you think i should try before using the pd for a shoot / warranty expires?

Canon's WA
 

I just got a Canon WD-58H which I use with my pd150 and it's great, I haven't had any of these focusing problems and there is surprisingly little distortion around the edges when at full WA. The best part is that is came with a lens hood which means I don't have to use any more tin can lens hoods for my old WA lens and TRV900.