Fastest/Cheapest Lens for GH1

[Jean Dantes]

Hey guys, I don't know much about lenses and was hoping if someone could help me choose a cheap, yet fast, lens for a GH1. At the moment, I have my eye on this lens here:

http://www.cameraquest.com/voigt4014.htm

Would this fit on a GH1?

Would I require any sort of adapter?

And what type of mount does a GH1 use? Leica M mount? Or is it caled "Micro Four-Thirds Mount" ?

Thanks in advance to any replies!! :)

[Martti Ekstrand]

On Voigtlander's German page they themselves recommend a Novoflex Leica M adapter

http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/adapters/fourthirds-bajonett/

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_asan6m4e2e.html

Their 50 mm / F1.1 (!) Nokton looks mighty sweet but it will darn hard pulling focus with that baby.

[Jean Dantes]

On Voigtlander's German page they themselves recommend a Novoflex Leica M adapter

http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/adapters/fourthirds-bajonett/

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_asan6m4e2e.html

Their 50 mm / F1.1 (!) Nokton looks mighty sweet but it will darn hard pulling focus with that baby.

Awesome! Thanks so much for the reply mate!

So, I guess in regards to pulling focus, this lens will be more tailored to static shots, or to shots where an actor will be the same distance from the lens during the entire scene (e.g. following an actor from behind as they walk down a city street)?

[admactanium]

I was looking last night at Canon FD lenses. There are 50 1.4 available for quite cheap. Together with a jinfinance adapter you'll get a pretty fast lens for a fraction of the price of a voigtlaender or leica m lens. If you wanted to go crazy you could invest in a canon 50 .95 although they're hard to find and priced dearly for their rarity.

That Nokton I'm going to look into as well. Thanks for the link.

[Jean Dantes]

I was looking last night at Canon FD lenses. There are 50 1.4 available for quite cheap. Together with a jinfinance adapter you'll get a pretty fast lens for a fraction of the price of a voigtlaender or leica m lens. If you wanted to go crazy you could invest in a canon 50 .95 although they're hard to find and priced dearly for their rarity.

That Nokton I'm going to look into as well. Thanks for the link.

Hey mate, thanks for the reply!

Can you please direct me to a website (either international, or an Australian one) that sells Canon FD lenses?

Also, I found this FD adapter for the G1/GH1 is you're interested:

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/01/canon_fd_adaptor_brings_even_more_classic_lens_com patibility_to_micro_four_thirds_system-2.html

[Martti Ekstrand]

Awesome! Thanks so much for the reply mate!

So, I guess in regards to pulling focus, this lens will be more tailored to static shots, or to shots where an actor will be the same distance from the lens during the entire scene (e.g. following an actor from behind as they walk down a city street)?

Well, if you step down to a more sensible 2.8 instead of 1.1 you'd be able to track focus with some practice, especially if you get a follow focus, but at 1.1 it's gonna take some hard work if the subject moves.

What looks like a good low price option is the Sigma 30mm / f1.4 for which you'd need the Four Thirds to Micro Four Thirds adapter that Panasonic makes.

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3300&navigator=6

Bear in mind I have no first hand experience of any of these lenses (yet).

[Abstract Photog]

Can you please direct me to a website (either international, or an Australian one) that sells Canon FD lenses?
theres plenty FD lenses & adapters to go around on ebay for cheap

[Jean Dantes]

Well, if you step down to a more sensible 2.8 instead of 1.1 you'd be able to track focus with some practice, especially if you get a follow focus, but at 1.1 it's gonna take some hard work if the subject moves.

What looks like a good low price option is the Sigma 30mm / f1.4 for which you'd need the Four Thirds to Micro Four Thirds adapter that Panasonic makes.

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3300&navigator=6

Bear in mind I have no first hand experience of any of these lenses (yet).

I actually had my eye on that exact Sigma lens (I'm pretty sure it was that one) after viewing this video:

http://vimeo.com/4887930

Which is a GH1 with "SIGMA 30mm/F1.4 & 14-140mm" (according to the video's creator).

But the Sigma is out of my price range.

Could I find a cheap Canon FD f2.8 perhaps (if they are more sensible for tracking shots) to go with a cheap Canon FD f1.4?

I'm on a pretty ultra-tight budget here btw :( Selling a lot of old gear just to purchase GH1 as it is.


theres plenty FD lenses & adapters to go around on ebay for cheap

Will def look into it! Thanks!

[admactanium]

I have the Sigma 30mm 1.4 for my Canon body. It's a nice lens and not too hard to shoot wide open. But I've been using it for stills - never tried to shoot any video through it.

Check your localized eBay for "Canon FD Lenses" and you'll see tons of them. Many of the 50 1.4s seems to end up in the $100-$150 US range. The adapter is around $90 from what I gather.

[ydgmdlu]

Check out Minolta or M42 lenses. You can get very good and fast ones for less than comparable Canons and Nikkors.

[timbook2]

what would you suggest for a wide angle solution? Since the regular 35 mm lenses double their mm a 15mm will still give me 30mm on the GH1.

I need REAL wide angle....

[j]

The cheapest solution would be a screw on wide adapter. Check Cavision or ebay.

[Psynema]

Does anyone have experience with the GH1 and telephoto lenses WITHOUT IS?

I tried and saw plenty of Canon Mark ii footage and I'd say past 70 so MM YOU REALLY NOTICE THE SHAKE, EVEN ON TRIPODS. 85mm L footage, as gorgeous as it was, was pretty nauseating.

[simonclivehughes]

I think that really comes down to how good your support system is (tripod, head etc). On larger telephotos, you have a better chance as the lens itself has a tripod mount. With the relatively light GH1 on the lens, it should be quite steady (assuming a stable support system).

I use the Nikon 85mm f1.4 and it's a heavy lens, and a 300mm f4 with 1.4X TC but that one has a Kirk lens mount replacement and it's very steady. At the moment I'm shooting with a ball head (BH3) and waiting for a Libec H22 head. Obviously at this point, I'm not trying to do any panning!

Cheers,

[Ivan Lee]

Checkout the Minolta MD lenses, they are one of the best lenses ever made, and cheaper than Canon or Nikon.