Best starter lens for AF-100

bgundu said:
but until it's officially announced the Zuiko 14-35 is the only other game in town.
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Why is the Olympus 12-60 not another game in town? It's the same basic range as the rumored lens, it's only about 1/2-stop slower, and it's available today... and it's a lot less expensive (1/3 the price), quite a bit wider wider, and much longer than the 14-35. (I've never used the 12-60, but I'm just wondering why it wouldn't be considered a viable alternative?)
 
The Olympus lenses are frequently faster, and more expensive, and some of them (specifically the 14-35 and 35-100) are serious heavy-duty pro optics. But they cost a lot more, and they don't have any form of optical image stabilization.

The Lumix lenses are typically cheaper, and have a lot more features (such as OIS, and chromatic aberration compensation, and barrel distortion compensation) and they have OIS on all the longer focal lengths. But they're typically slower (f/4 vs. the Olympus's f/2),

Many of the Olympus lenses are Four Thirds mount, which means you need a 4/3->m4/3 adapter to be able to use them on the AF100. And none of the Olympus lenses support fulltime autofocus, they only support push autofocus. Some of the Lumix lenses support fulltime auto, although some are push-only.
 
Barry_Green said:
That's why I keep asking -- WHY do people think this lens is coming? What evidence is there? Is there any evidence at all? I'd love to think that such a product is coming, but I just haven't seen one stitch of evidence anywhere.
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Barry, i think people, (myself included) keep saying it, because it's desperately needed. The only lenses with OIS that work with the AF are the panny lenses. Unfortunately all the panasonic lenses are not usebale as zooms. They are only useable as variable primes because the aperture fluctuates when zooming, even when locked at a mid range aperture. So i am desperately hoping for a "video lens" from panasonic that will fill the gap for those of us that need range, in shot zooms, and OIS. I know it's a lot to ask, I know there's no real evidence, but i'm keeping up hope that someone, panny or otherwise, will see this need and fill it.
 
We're looking at the Lumix 14-42 and the new Olympus Micro 4/3 mount that 14-42 lens. We're looking for a good beginning zom lens to go with the camera. The sales guy at the store was talking about the olympus lens as having too many working parts. But I'm looking for the best lens and brand zoom to start out at a reasonable price to start; The Lumix is $200 and Olympus is $260.
 
What is the difference and which brand is better if you are using the same mm say 14-45mm lens...Olympus or Lumix to start off with. The Olympus lens I'm looking at has the Micro 4/3 mount.
 
tacotim said:
Barry, i think people, (myself included) keep saying it, because it's desperately needed. The only lenses with OIS that work with the AF are the panny lenses. Unfortunately all the panasonic lenses are not usebale as zooms. They are only useable as variable primes because the aperture fluctuates when zooming, even when locked at a mid range aperture. So i am desperately hoping for a "video lens" from panasonic that will fill the gap for those of us that need range, in shot zooms, and OIS. I know it's a lot to ask, I know there's no real evidence, but i'm keeping up hope that someone, panny or otherwise, will see this need and fill it.
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Well, yeah, but -- that's not evidence that there is such a thing. See what I mean? People keep saying "wait for the Lumix 12-50 f/2.5-3.3", and I'm asking -- says who? I'm not saying we don't want it, but that doesn't make it spring into existence. People clamored for an XL2 for six years before Canon finally produced it, so -- just because people want a thing, doesn't make it a reality, and what I'm really curious about is -- where did they get these supposed specs? I mean, it's a long way from a slide saying "y'know, we're thinking me might consider making a bright zoom" to "hey everybody, Panasonic's gonna make a 12-50 f/2.5-3.3 lens". I just don't know how we got from point A to point B. If there's evidence, I'd love to see it.
 
I dont see how any zoom lens without a constant f-stop or aperture control ...can be even considered as a good choice.

I would suggest some used manual nikkors primes (and adapter) and wait to see what fronts up in the future.
 
Barry_Green said:
Why is the Olympus 12-60 not another game in town? It's the same basic range as the rumored lens, it's only about 1/2-stop slower, and it's available today... and it's a lot less expensive (1/3 the price), quite a bit wider wider, and much longer than the 14-35. (I've never used the 12-60, but I'm just wondering why it wouldn't be considered a viable alternative?)
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I shooting the Oly 12-60 and can't say enough good things about it. The range is perfect and it's extremely sharp - I'm using it with the Pany adaptor thanks to a tip from Kylekmd. Granted, it doesn't auto focus but I wouldn't use it if I had it. Recently I put my Century .7 wide adaptor on it, which opens it up to an amazing 8.4mm @ f/2.8 while using a Cinevate lens support bracket on Chrosziel rods.
 
Shooter said:
I dont see how any zoom lens without a constant f-stop or aperture control ...can be even considered as a good choice.
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It all depends on the price tag. Not everyone is going to want to sink $2300 into the Olympus 14-35 or 35-100, so ... variable stops is the norm in all video cameras, and there are plenty of folks who will have no choice but to get a variable-stop lens...
 
snp said:
I shooting the Oly 12-60 and can't say enough good things about it. The range is perfect and it's extremely sharp - I'm using it with the Pany adaptor thanks to a tip from Kylekmd. Granted, it doesn't auto focus but I wouldn't use it if I had it. Recently I put my Century .7 wide adaptor on it, which opens it up to an amazing 8.4mm @ f/2.8 while using a Cinevate lens support bracket on Chrosziel rods.
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Hey, glad to have a user report! Are you using it on an AF100, or on a GH2? You said you're using the Panasonic adapter, so I presume that means AF100, right? You say it doesn't AF... but does it autofocus when you hold down the "push auto" button?

I don't really understand how this lens has flown under everyone's radar, it really seems to be the perfect combination for a "standard" lens... it's wide, it's reasonably fast, it has a decent bit of tele, and it's relatively affordable. Seems like it should be getting more attention than it does, doesn't it? For those who have decided against this lens -- why?
 
Barry_Green said:
Hey, glad to have a user report! Are you using it on an AF100, or on a GH2? You said you're using the Panasonic adapter, so I presume that means AF100, right? You say it doesn't AF... but does it autofocus when you hold down the "push auto" button?
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I'm using it on the AF100 with the DMW-MA1 adaptor. 'Push Auto' does not work but I've been checking for lens software updates from Oly - nothing yet. I've yet to see another lens with the full range that the 12-60 offers.
 
Barry_Green said:
Hey, glad to have a user report! Are you using it on an AF100, or on a GH2? You said you're using the Panasonic adapter, so I presume that means AF100, right? You say it doesn't AF... but does it autofocus when you hold down the "push auto" button?

I don't really understand how this lens has flown under everyone's radar, it really seems to be the perfect combination for a "standard" lens... it's wide, it's reasonably fast, it has a decent bit of tele, and it's relatively affordable. Seems like it should be getting more attention than it does, doesn't it? For those who have decided against this lens -- why?
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I had high hopes for that lens, but according to one user on this board, it exhibits the same fluctuating exposure during zooms as the panasonic lenses. Thats why I decided against it. And I agree with your earlier post about the lack of real evidence. To steal a line feom werner herzog, its not that I hate the rumors, I love them...i love them against my better judgement ;)
 
Does the Oly 12-60 absolutely "need" support? I know it's slightly over the 1 lb limit at 1.3 lbs. But with care would it be an issue?
 
Now I'm interested in this 12-60. Doesn't bother me about the exposure change, since I don't like zooms. I do have questions though.

Is the manual iris adjustment relatively smooth, or is it clunky and noisy (as has been reported about the more expensive 14-35)?

I understand it doesn't auto-focus, that's okay, but how's the manual focus? Has anyone used it with a Foxy or other external controller?
 
I asked my friend Roger at LensRentals.com about this lens a few weeks back, and here's what he had to say about it…

"It does not auto-focus. It does auto-iris, although it makes an audible clicking sound when doing so - although there is a new firmware upgrade we haven't done on our copies yet that might make that better. Manual Iris works fine, but with the same clicking. I wouldn't think that would be an issue unless someone was using an on camera mic for audio, and probably not even then."
 
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