EX3 and 35 mm still telephoto lenses
 

hi,

I m about to buy an EX3 and use it with 35 mm still telephoto lenses for wildlife work. but I think I need to choose old style lenses with manuel iris ring ? does sony make a 35 mm still adaptor for EX3 ? for example can't we use new nikon or canon telephoto lens with electronic iris ?

thanks,

alkım.

Best way to do it is just to get a simple metal adapter made up (Les Bosher - Camera Engineer or mtfservices.com). You can have one made for Nikon, Canon FD, Leica, PL, whatever. It'll be manual focus and iris, but that's as you'd want it anyway.
Can't use EOS lenses or some newer Nikons 'cos they don't have iris rings.
Sigma make some nice lenses in Nikon mount, 70-200 f2.8, 120-300 f2.8, 100-300 f4, or you could go with primes like Nikon 300 f2.8, 400 f3.5 etc. Look for internal focus lenses as they have light touch focussing rather than having to put too much pressure on the lens causing shake.
Steve

I am planning to do exactly the same and I already got few awesome Nikon manual lenses from KEH.com

Look for the Nikon ED manual focus lenses - you can't go wrong.

will be there any multiplier factor using 35mm lens?

It'll be the equivalent of about x5 or so.
Steve

Thanks Steve;
what about when using 1/2" and 2/3" lens stock?
I assume there is no multiplier for 1/2" lens but what about 2/3"

Focal length of lenses never changes, it's all down to sensor size. So any lens made for a larger sensor will have more magnification when used on a smaller sensor. If you take 35mm frame size as being x1, then 2/3" is x3, 1/2" is x5 and 1/3" is x7 (roughly). So you can work them all out from that - so a 2/3" lens on 1/3" camera will have double the magnification that it would on a 2/3" camera etc.
Steve

I saw steve's recommendation of Les Bosher's lens adapters - I've emailed him asking about an adapter for 2/3" lenses that I have that could possibly be mated to my JVC 5000 & 500 1/2" mounts.

thanks guys,

I wish I could find nikon and use nikon 200-400 f4 lens with EX3 but unfortunately there is no manuel iris on this lens :(

ofer,

which manuel nikons have you already used ? can we see any video samples on vimeo or etc. ?

alkım.

Hi Alkim,

Here is a clip I got using Nikon 400 f3.5, ED AIS on a Sony HVR Z7.
Sony HVR Z7 wildlife clip on Vimeo

I have used 50-300 f4.5 ED AIS, 300 f2.8 ED AIS, 400 f3.5 ED AIS, 500 f4 ED P, 600 f5.6 ED - all SUPERB lenses !!

Alkim, if you were desperate to use the Nikon 200-400 then a lens engineer could I'm sure fabricate an aperture ring for it, but would probably be very expensive.
How about a long 2/3" lens for you guys? Maybe a Canon HJ22x7.6 (goes upto 350mm or so). The Canon HJ18x28 is probably the lens of the choice at the moment for wildlife (certainly my favourite), but it is very expensive (about £25,000). Optically it's great, relatviely light (2.5kg) and upto 1000mm.
Steve

Hi Steve

I'm based in Pembrokeshire. Have you tried the EX3 plus Nikon lenses? If so, how would this setup compare with a Varicam.

Thanks

Andy Davies

Haven't used the EX3 yet, but may do soon. Was put off it after I tried EX1 on flying bird and hated it (see my post on it, long story!)
You can get an adapter no problem, and I'm sure they'll look great. I'd go for a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 probably. If I do get to play with one I'll try and get my Canon 150-600 on it.
The images from the EX1 in still frame looked amazing, and the whole system worked pretty well. Viewfinder was crap though, much better in EX3 I gather.
Steve

logical way is to go with sigmas zooms at these conditions.

steve I ve used some 2/3" lenses. they are superb and much more easy to use but as you mentioned too expensive...

alkım.

It will be interesting if the nanoflash makes this a serious professional wildlife camera.

Is Sony going to release an Alpha adaptor? To allow their Zeiss stills lenses on the EX3 directly?

only if EX3 gives 720 60p over HDSDI ?

alkim.

I wonder how a flying bird will look with 50Mbs/100Mbs ?
But those data rates are not supposed to cure wobble.
I expect to see some wobble when using very long lens (600mm) on less than perfect conditions, and while tightly tracking an animal/bird (not a constant speed pan).
Sassi

Hi Sassi,

Please email me through my website so I can get back to you - yesh li diboor eitcha...(-:

Thanks,

Ofer
Ofer Levy Nature Photographer

Sassi, are you refering to wobble from compression artifacts or physical wobble from tripod panning?

Sorry for not being clear. I am referring to one of the rolling shutter effects.
I think that even with higher data rates that the XDR will introduce,
Some of the pans will show CMOS wobble.
Sassi

So, it would appear this rolling shutter problem is a deal breaker for the EX3 as far as fast moving wildlife is concerned?

Well I thought there was some sort of issue when I tried an EX1, but many other people have said that it's nonsense. To repeat what I saw, when filming flying birds the background had a horrible judder to it. I then tried some slow pans as a test and saw the same sort of juddery motion, even in interlaced. And this wouldn't be a codec issue as you could see it in the viewfinder, ie before compression. But after a lot of debate I did start to wonder if I was mad!
Steve

I hope this is not the case.
What I would like to see is a direct comparison of object tracking footage between
100Mbs CMOS (EX3) against 100Mbs CCD (xlh1), when the XDR/NANO will be available.
Steve
Read this CMOS Rolling Shutter

Thanks Sassi, yes I read that ages ago, and I tended to think that was the reason I had motion problem when I tested the EX1, but other definitely have different ideas! I really don't know. One thing I still believe is that there is a reason why the EX cameras are so incredibly cheap compared to their spec, and the RED too. There has to be a reason why you're getting a full raster 1920x1080 camera with 720 built in, and a lens for £6000, while you're paying £25,000 for a Sony 790 that's 1440x1080, only 25P/50i, and no lens.
Steve

Hi Steve

What is your preferred camera for wildlife. I think you've worked on Iolo's series?

Thanks

Andy

Well it WAS Super 16, but that seems to be a thing of the past now!
Varicam is the standard really, more recently HDX900 and the HPX2100 and now I suppose the new 2700. Thing is, for wildlife you have to have slomo really, you just miss it so much if you're after a high quality look.
At the moment I've got a Sony F355 just for personal use really, and maybe getting a PDW700 as it has good chips plus will soon have 720/50P so ticks a lot of boxes, plus I do like the disc system.
Steve

Out of curiosity, when you are talking about wobble, do you find that occurs more pronounced at higher shutter speeds ?

My observation from use of a 35mm adapter (with the lowly HV20) is that the "jello" wobble effect seems to increase with shutter speeds. The vibrating adapter I used was introducing the effect at 1/48, and would increase as I took it to 1/60 and to 1/120 and higher.