For the GH5 body, does Fujifilm make 4/3 lenses with servo?

Also there is no servo zoom on the Fujis.

AsafBlasberg:

Also there is no servo zoom on the Fujis.

Some or even many cinema style lens - will not have a servo - howvever most ENG lenses do -  sony seemed to combine servo on some their lenses like 18 -110 - 

Terry Snyder:

LDV20:

I actaully have always stayed with SONY

Then reconsider the FS7 (body only) and instead of the "kit lens" check out these new lenses from Fujinon:

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/press/news/display_news?newsID=881136

 

I will most likely go with the FS7 MKII - but I would like to see what that panasonic is all about - I am completley sony now with some E mount Primes - some cannon primes and zooms with metabone adapter -  and the cheap run and gun 18 -105 zoom - which btw way for low budget run and gun is fine as long as you enough light - only a F4 - it is not parafocal so foucs can be tricky but I manage

Yes the FS7MKII is what I will go for - just waiting to see if there will be another price drop

LDV20:

AsafBlasberg:

Also there is no servo zoom on the Fujis.

 

Some or even many cinema style lens - will not have a servo - howvever most ENG lenses do -  sony seemed to combine servo on some their lenses like 18 -110 - 

 

 

These lenses have gearing, so you can probably add a knob onto a Zacuto rig. FWIW, the FS7 out of the box is not great for hand holding, but add a Zacuto or other rig and it's quite nice.  Not an ENG camera, but definately able to hand hold.

Terry Snyder:

These lenses have gearing, so you can probably add a knob onto a Zacuto rig. FWIW, the FS7 out of the box is not great for hand holding, but add a Zacuto or other rig and it's quite nice.  Not an ENG camera, but definately able to hand hold.

Right most definately - they have gears for follow focus and powered zooms attachements for srvo operation-  I have handheld the follow focus (with a light weight rig) works like a charm with a geared lens - power zooms with an additional rig can get heavy but can be done

Wow that's awesome guys. THANKS!!! OK, help! Which Zacuto product allows you to create a power zoom for these lenses with gears?

AsafBlasberg:

Wow that's awesome guys. THANKS!!! OK, help! Which Zacuto product allows you to create a power zoom for these lenses with gears?

There are tons of these items - with plenty of reviews - go to zacutos web site - or jsut google the item you are looking for - realize that cinema style zoom lenses can be costly - the new fuji have had good reviews - there are also inexpensive prime lense from Rokinon - it all depends on nature of your work - as an example I rented a set of primes from Zeiss on a recent job -  on other jobs I might use my Rokinon or cannons - you can always rent whatever you need -

It all depneds on the style/budget of your particluar job

LDV20:

it all depends on nature of your work

Absolutely.  Get the camera first and rent a couple of lens options to find the right one for the type of shooting you do.   For example, I shoot mostly commercials and have the time to set up and light each shot, so I love the quality and depth of field of large aperature cine lenses.   When I ocassionaly need to run-and-gun, the kit lens does the job for me...not fantastic, but good enough.  For a dedicated documentary or news shooter, cine lenses might not be the best choice.  That's the great advantage of investing in a camera with interchangable lenses...get the right lens for the job. 

Asaf - bear in mind with any super35mm the camera you are going to be limited in lens range with quality glass (unlesss you buy a Cabrio - expect to take out a mortgage). The 18-200 you mentioned earlier is not parfocal as you discovered and it also isn't constant aperture so not ideal for ENG work where you are doing live zooms. I doubt the Fujinons tick your boxes either - they are parfocal and perfectly suited to e-mount cameras but they are limited in zoom range to 18-55 and 50-135. The 50 - 135 might work if it's wide enough at the 50mm end - probably for most venues but you still won't get that close to the stage unless you use clear zoom - which you can't do in 4K. Of course you can re-frame in post with 4K if your delivery is 1080P but I question whether the extra work over just buying a decent HD camera is worth it.

As for resolution itself I urge you to check out Steve Yedlin's take on resolutions above 2K. Personally I wouldn't rush to 4K unless the camera meets your requirements.

I have a near broadcast zoom attached to my Fujinon 18-55 and it works well but they can also be very expensive and and to the cost of already expensive glass, albeit cinema grade. You could easily get to the cost of your ideal 2/3" broadcast camera.

I would suggest the closest at the moment for what you require is the PXW-X70 (BSI back Illuminated 1" sensor) but it isn't a constant aperture lens and the zoom is far from broadcast - its OK. You could also look at the Sony RX10MkII which is basically the same as the PXW-X70 in a DSLR body, but with a constant F2.8 lens. It is 24 -200mm lens. The RX series has a 30 minute recording limitation but that can be hacked on the MkII and above. Or if you don't mind going to F4 then the MkIII has a 24-600mm optical zoom. Both the RX series and PXW will shoot 4K, but the X70 requires a paid upgrade. Those three cameras are all focus by wire - you can buy a zoom controller but once again - not broadcast (but it helps). The RX series record in XAVC-S so not ideal for Avid.

I got my power zoom from a company called Camera Turret. They mainly made remote systems for jib arms but the quality of their broadcast zoom is great. The remote focus on the other hand is good but too noisy for most applications. Unfortunately the owner passed away in late 2014.

There are these rigs on a well known auction site, but the quality probably isn't great.

There's this one and this one but no rocker control - once again can't talk about quality.

and this one from Varizoom - seems like excellent quality but at a price.

Mondo:

Asaf - bear in mind with any super35mm the camera you are going to be limited in lens range with quality glass

Also consider the crop factor when using full-frame lenses with a Super 35mm sensor.   This is a disadvantage at wide angles but gives approximately 1.5X greater zoom.   I've invested in a set of full-frame lenses for my FS7.   They are more expensive, but generally better glass.   And when full-frame cinema cameras become the norm in a few years, the lenses won't be obsolete.

Hi Mondo,

Thank you for your post on the X70. Unfortunately, my work requires 4k 60p, and all the Sony bodies max out at 30p internal, with teh exception of the FS7. Yes you can go out to external recorder with FS5, but i'd like to avoid having an external recorder if possible. More bulk, more stuff to bring.

AsafBlasberg:

Hi Mondo,

Thank you for your post on the X70. Unfortunately, my work requires 4k 60p, and all the Sony bodies max out at 30p internal, with teh exception of the FS7. Yes you can go out to external recorder with FS5, but i'd like to avoid having an external recorder if possible. More bulk, more stuff to bring.

I urge you to click the link I provided in my previous post on resolution. I think you'll be surprised. Steve Yedlin is not only an award winning DOP he is also a technical guru on how to post for film. If you are sure about the FS7 the only powered zoom I could recommend is this one.  But it is only 110 at the long end and constant F4 so not particularly light sensitive and it's expensive.

One other thing - Odyssey, shogun etc are excellent montiors in their own right and usually the monitors included with a lot of cameras are inadequate for 4K focus. Otherwise the GH5 might be an option - its M43 so not as light sensitive as say an A7S or the FS7 but long zoom lenses are easier. Panasonic make a 35mm equivalent 45 - 175mm powered zoom (not constant f stop). It does do 4K60 internal but only at 4:2:0 8 bit.

You will struggle to tick the 18x servo lens requirement on any super 35 body. You just can't get anything decent to cover that range. And as you've discovered even 11x (18-200MM) are not constant aperture or parfocal. Even on M43 thats a near impossible assignment. 

Hi Mondo,

Thank you for your post. You are right about the limitation of the servo zooms on these huge sensors.  It's a trade-off. Tell me, does the FS5 *and* FS7 *and* FS7 II - all three cameras - do they all suppport clear-image zoom?

Reason I ask is because on the 18-110mm, I believe the 1.5x CIZ applies in 4K. That would make the 18-110 a 18-165mm lens, which would be a 9x zoom lens (still half of the 18x i  currently have), but getting there lol.... is this true?