Comments on: Review – Zunow WEX-075a Wide Angle Lens Adapter http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/ We are a production blog that focuses on bringing you what it takes to make media that matters. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:09:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nikki Hebert http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-878 Nikki Hebert Fri, 24 Dec 2010 07:55:40 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-878 I shot a church with my stock lens and the Fujinon wide lens and when I grabbed stills from each, I was astonished at the difference in clarity. There was a white sign with black lettering in the foreground and the stock lens reproduced it to the pixel, but the Fujinon wide lens looked like an HDV camera had shot it, plus it had red and blue halos around the lettering on the sign. I've had the lens in to Fujinon for repair/evaluation and they say there's nothing wrong. After that, I found other examples from the Fujinon wide lens and then I realized it's not my lens and camera, it's all the lenses of this model and it's a normal characteristic. That said, as bad is the XS8 lens is compared to stock, that converter lens is apparently much worse on CA artifacts, based on your video demo. I shot a church with my stock lens and the Fujinon wide lens and when I grabbed stills from each, I was astonished at the difference in clarity. There was a white sign with black lettering in the foreground and the stock lens reproduced it to the pixel, but the Fujinon wide lens looked like an HDV camera had shot it, plus it had red and blue halos around the lettering on the sign. I’ve had the lens in to Fujinon for repair/evaluation and they say there’s nothing wrong. After that, I found other examples from the Fujinon wide lens and then I realized it’s not my lens and camera, it’s all the lenses of this model and it’s a normal characteristic. That said, as bad is the XS8 lens is compared to stock, that converter lens is apparently much worse on CA artifacts, based on your video demo.

]]> By: Tweets that mention Product Review - Zunow WEX-075a | Powered Production -- Topsy.com http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Tweets that mention Product Review - Zunow WEX-075a | Powered Production -- Topsy.com Thu, 13 May 2010 11:50:40 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-168 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Zunow. Zunow said: http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/?referralVideo=9f6526c8c6cd444b7b4237909f000b17 [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Zunow. Zunow said: http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/?referralVideo=9f6526c8c6cd444b7b4237909f000b17 [...]

]]> By: Brad_Parler http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Brad_Parler Wed, 12 May 2010 21:22:11 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-167 Hey George - was I meant in the disclaimer is that Powered Production did not conduct the tests - our guest author from Seventh Victory did, we posted this to our site as a favor for our friends at TapeWorks Texas. Also - I received a reply comment from Philip (of Seventh Victory) - I'm not sure why he didn't post it here - so I'll just pull the quote from the email that I received. >>>>>> Quoted from email <<<<<<< I have read the replies from your readers and concur with some of the comments. The CA being mentioned in some areas is maybe being a bit overstated. With any adapter it is a potential which is why I selected the shooting situations used. I cannot attest to any variations between other examples of the Zunow or the Fujinon lens. The Fujinon wide angle does not deliver the same type of results as the standard lens but then again this is not uncommon for the optics being applied. At this point let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Best Regards, Philip >>>>>>>> End Quote <<<<<<<< Hey George – was I meant in the disclaimer is that Powered Production did not conduct the tests – our guest author from Seventh Victory did, we posted this to our site as a favor for our friends at TapeWorks Texas.

Also – I received a reply comment from Philip (of Seventh Victory) – I'm not sure why he didn't post it here – so I'll just pull the quote from the email that I received.

>>>>>> Quoted from email <<<<<<<
I have read the replies from your readers and concur with some of the comments. The CA being mentioned in some areas is maybe being a bit overstated. With any adapter it is a potential which is why I selected the shooting situations used.

I cannot attest to any variations between other examples of the Zunow or the Fujinon lens.

The Fujinon wide angle does not deliver the same type of results as the standard lens but then again this is not uncommon for the optics being applied.

At this point let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Best Regards,
Philip
>>>>>>>> End Quote <<<<<<<<

]]> By: George http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-166 George Wed, 12 May 2010 13:22:55 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-166 A nice review, but the disclaimer reads a little weirdly: "nor did we conduct the tests of the equipment". I hope (expect) you DID conduct the tests you set forth in the article! 't Is what we thank you for ;-) A nice review, but the disclaimer reads a little weirdly: "nor did we conduct the tests of the equipment". I hope (expect) you DID conduct the tests you set forth in the article! 't Is what we thank you for ;-)

]]> By: Mark Weiss, P.E. http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Mark Weiss, P.E. Wed, 12 May 2010 05:32:22 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-165 I shot a church with my stock lens and the Fujinon wide lens and when I grabbed stills from each, I was astonished at the difference in clarity. There was a white sign with black lettering in the foreground and the stock lens reproduced it to the pixel, but the Fujinon wide lens looked like an HDV camera had shot it, plus it had red and blue halos around the lettering on the sign. I've had the lens in to Fujinon for repair/evaluation and they say there's nothing wrong. After that, I found other examples from the Fujinon wide lens and then I realized it's not my lens and camera, it's all the lenses of this model and it's a normal characteristic. That said, as bad is the XS8 lens is compared to stock, that converter lens is apparently much worse on CA artifacts, based on your video demo. I shot a church with my stock lens and the Fujinon wide lens and when I grabbed stills from each, I was astonished at the difference in clarity. There was a white sign with black lettering in the foreground and the stock lens reproduced it to the pixel, but the Fujinon wide lens looked like an HDV camera had shot it, plus it had red and blue halos around the lettering on the sign. I've had the lens in to Fujinon for repair/evaluation and they say there's nothing wrong. After that, I found other examples from the Fujinon wide lens and then I realized it's not my lens and camera, it's all the lenses of this model and it's a normal characteristic.

That said, as bad is the XS8 lens is compared to stock, that converter lens is apparently much worse on CA artifacts, based on your video demo.

]]> By: Mark Weiss, P.E. http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Mark Weiss, P.E. Wed, 12 May 2010 05:31:55 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-164 Brad, I'm seeing color artifacts on most of the shots, but particularly when the zooming stops and the MPEG compression settles down. Any time when the shot is static, it's easy to spot the tell-tale red/blue halos, on the rocks at the left side of frame, in the straw/grass, and also on the right side of some frames. Some architectural shots would reveal a lot. Brad, I'm seeing color artifacts on most of the shots, but particularly when the zooming stops and the MPEG compression settles down. Any time when the shot is static, it's easy to spot the tell-tale red/blue halos, on the rocks at the left side of frame, in the straw/grass, and also on the right side of some frames.
Some architectural shots would reveal a lot.

]]> By: Brad_Parler http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-163 Brad_Parler Wed, 12 May 2010 00:32:08 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-163 I know that the demo video is not the greatest - I'm working on getting the raw files now and will put up frames as soon as I can. What times are you spotting the CA? (Again I didn't do the tests - just the messenger). I know that the demo video is not the greatest – I'm working on getting the raw files now and will put up frames as soon as I can. What times are you spotting the CA?

(Again I didn't do the tests – just the messenger).

]]> By: Mark Weiss, P.E. http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-162 Mark Weiss, P.E. Wed, 12 May 2010 00:05:16 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-162 I just watched the above demo video, on a computer with Flash installed. The video was so small in dimensions and so heavily compressed that it is nearly impossible to judge image quality. However, the chromatic aberration on the Zunow lens was so bad that even at this very low pixel density compressed video, it was easy to spot, whereas the Fujinon was clean at this resolution. So if one is looking for clean wide angle, it's either mortgage the house and buy one of the high end Fujinon lenses, or live with the XS8-4AS-XB8. The alternatives are MUCH worse. I just watched the above demo video, on a computer with Flash installed. The video was so small in dimensions and so heavily compressed that it is nearly impossible to judge image quality. However, the chromatic aberration on the Zunow lens was so bad that even at this very low pixel density compressed video, it was easy to spot, whereas the Fujinon was clean at this resolution. So if one is looking for clean wide angle, it's either mortgage the house and buy one of the high end Fujinon lenses, or live with the XS8-4AS-XB8. The alternatives are MUCH worse.

]]> By: Brad_Parler http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-160 Brad_Parler Tue, 11 May 2010 22:21:10 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-160 Hey Mark, I have the raw mp4 files in route and will for sure put up some frames, as soon as I have them in hand. Thanks for the insights, Brad Hey Mark,
I have the raw mp4 files in route and will for sure put up some frames, as soon as I have them in hand.

Thanks for the insights,
Brad

]]> By: Mark Weiss, P.E. http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Mark Weiss, P.E. Tue, 11 May 2010 21:58:21 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-159 --cont from pt 1-- I ran flangeback adjustments a dozen times on this lens, thinking I had to be doing something wrong. The images looked as if someone had smeared Vaseline over the lens. It had the HDV look, not the sharp look of the EX1. As such, it's not hard for any add on lens to equal the quality of the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8, which is not worth the $4,000 asking price. I woud love to see full 1920x1080 frame grabs of the Zunow lens. It will help me to decide to return the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8. –cont from pt 1–

I ran flangeback adjustments a dozen times on this lens, thinking I had to be doing something wrong. The images looked as if someone had smeared Vaseline over the lens. It had the HDV look, not the sharp look of the EX1.

As such, it's not hard for any add on lens to equal the quality of the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8, which is not worth the $4,000 asking price. I woud love to see full 1920×1080 frame grabs of the Zunow lens. It will help me to decide to return the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8.

]]> By: Mark Weiss, P.E. http://poweredproduction.com/production/review-zunow-wex-075a/comment-page-1/#comment-158 Mark Weiss, P.E. Tue, 11 May 2010 21:57:35 +0000 http://poweredproduction.com/?p=1011#comment-158 As an owner of a PMW-EX3 and two EX1's, I recently chose to buy the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 (and the availability of this exclusive lens played a role in the purchase of the EX3 for me), expecting that with its reduced 8X zoom, Fujinon might be making an effort to maintain the superb image quality of the stock lens with the the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8. My week of using this lens was an utter disappointment, making me realize that I should have bought a conversion lens instead of this dedicated, but inferior, lens. The two areas where the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 fall short of the stock lens are detail/clarity and chromatic aberration. the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 lacks detail to the pixel that the stock lens provides, and it adds red/blue ghost images to anything with an edge that's not dead center in the frame. --cont pt 2-- As an owner of a PMW-EX3 and two EX1's, I recently chose to buy the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 (and the availability of this exclusive lens played a role in the purchase of the EX3 for me), expecting that with its reduced 8X zoom, Fujinon might be making an effort to maintain the superb image quality of the stock lens with the the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8.

My week of using this lens was an utter disappointment, making me realize that I should have bought a conversion lens instead of this dedicated, but inferior, lens. The two areas where the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 fall short of the stock lens are detail/clarity and chromatic aberration. the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 lacks detail to the pixel that the stock lens provides, and it adds red/blue ghost images to anything with an edge that's not dead center in the frame.

–cont pt 2–

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