Buying the AF100 soon....but I'm a bit green about what else I need.

[FilmBoy77]

I've been shooting on the HVX/HPX for the past few years using the stock lens for the most part and doing a lot of run and gun type of work. I've never worked with adaptors or lenses, although I have a general knowledge about different lenses and the speeds, etc. I'm now about to step up to the AF100, but I'm not quite sure what bare essentials I will need once I buy it such as rails, follow focus, etc. and I want to get everything at once. So apologies in advanced for any questions that might seem obvious, but I'm hesitant to just take the sales guy's word for everything at the local video store...even though he's cool as a fan...he's still a salesman.

What I think I need (and please fill in the gaps if I'm missing anything):
1) Rails - is this a must have? or is that mostly if I'm going to be using a mattebox and anything else that may add extra weight to the camera while on the tripod?

2) Follow Focus - I'm seeing in a lot of threads this will be a must. I won't be having an AC it will be mostly me shooting so is there a certain type I need to make sure I get?

3) Lenses (of course) - The advice I've been given was your footage will only be as good as the glass you shoot through, with that in mind I'm willing to budget about $3,500 to $4k on lenses and someone mentioned I could get a good set of Zeiss lenses with that. True or false? I've seen a few short films using these lenses and it looked awesome.

Here's what I already have that will be applicable to using the AF100 and let me know if any of this won't fly when using it with the AF100 for short films, music videos and commercials:

A) Manfrotto Tripod with 516 head fluid head
B) External Field Monitor
C) Spider Brace
D) Adobe CS5 with Premier...and I already have FCP, but still using version 6.

Thanks in advanced, looking forward to getting this gear and practicing.

 

[Oliver Rush]

Get good fast glass. You can put together a nice fast set of nikkors for ~$2K if you look around and buy them piece by piece, there are great deals to be found used. (also, check out the bower 85mm f/1.4 prime, it produces a beautiful bokeh, is sharp, and only costs $350 new. I LOVE the look of that glass for portraits. It is awesome. Get it in a nikon mount.) A set of fast primes really turns the AF100 into a whole different beast, and nikon primes are best bang for the buck IMHO as they cover FF35 and you can get a nikon mount for anything, so pretty much future proof, and the mechanics of the old manual nikkors is top notch. I would def start there.

Also, don't skimp out on the mount. I bought the Kipon adapter, and all it did was show me why I want to spend more on a better one. Maybe if I had one nikkor lens or was just playing around with old glass I would not mind dealing with it, but when you shoot with them all day, spend the money on a good adapter.

I would honnestly buy lights before the rail setup and FF... That is where you will start getting the best return next. Drop the serious cash on the FF and MB once you get some lighting. You will get more out of your picture from good fast glass and lighting than with a $2k FF/MB combo and nothing else.

And then save some money and shoot for a while and see what you are crying out that you wish you had... and use that money you saved to buy it then...

Lastly, here are a few other things I find to be indespensible must-haves:
Pelican SD card case (Dont know what I would do without it)
Lens hoods for all my lenses (cheaper than a MB, I leave them on the lenses so I dont waste time putting them on)
Panasonic Gold SDHC cards
$30 batteries from ebay

On edit:
Oh yea, almost forgot. A monopod is great for run and gun work with this camera. Really, almost a must have. Get a reasonably priced sturdy one, slap a 501 head on it, and you have a great run and gun support set-up.

 

[Barry_Green]

A follow focus is not necessarily necessary (heh) or even desirable, for a one-man gig. It's probably the most overbought accessory. It's useful for when you have a first AC, you're doing dolly moves, and you don't want someone jostling the camera. But if it's a one-man show, it won't make much of a difference other than to put a dent in your wallet. I might be killed for saying so, but that's the way I see it. I've had several and currently have a Durus and I use it infrequently unless it's a bigger gig.

Rails -- if you're going to have a follow focus, you're going to need rails to mount it to. And it seems like everyone always wants to dress up their camera. And I've got at least four rails systems. Wait, I have two redrock bases, so that makes five. And I'd say that for a bigger camera they're essential, but on a small camera they're almost counterproductive. What do I mean by that? I mean that the AF100 is a small, lightweight, easily-movable camera -- and once you start bolting on rails and a mattebox and a follow focus and an external monitor, yeah you may have a "rig" that looks fancier, but -- is it truly more useful? Again, for a slow-paced crewed cine-style shoot, go right ahead. But if you're a one-man-band, it's potentially more trouble than it's worth. My favorite configurations for the AF100 are with the camera and a Lumix auto lens, or with the Ciecio7 PL mount supported by the tripod plate and something like a SuperSpeed or Compact Prime on the front. No rails, no mattebox, no follow focus, no five extra pounds hanging off the camera, just a nice lightweight workable system.

With that said -- are there reasons to have rails and a follow focus and a mattebox? Of course there are. Absolutely. They all exist for very good reasons, and I have all that stuff and occasionally use it all. I guess what I'm saying is -- you don't have to go dropping $3,000 on accessories because you think you must need them because other people think they need them. In your question about the follow focus it sounds like you're not even really sure what it's for. It's just a different way to turn the focus ring. And cheap ones are nigh unto useless, the ones with RC aircraft tires that work by pressure, etc... and then on electronic lenses they're worse than useless. And on SLR lenses they can help a little, or be partly useless. Really one of those things that -- you have to know what you're doing, and then get the right stuff, to really get the benefit from it. I use a Durus with my cinevized ZF's and my Compact Primes, and it's a heavenly combination. But only when appropriate. And there are many times when it just isn't appropriate. Handheld, it's rarely the right idea to go building out some $4,000 rig with all sorts of stuff, it kind of defeats the purpose of having the small handholdable lightweight camera.

A mattebox is quite useful when appropriately suited to what you're shooting, but frankly these are also frequently overbought. Decades ago the coatings on lenses were horrible and any sort of flare on a lens would result in a terribly milky image with washed-out flat contrast, so flares were to be avoided at all costs. Matteboxes help you do that. Nowadays, modern lenses with their excellent multicoatings reduce the absolute NEED for a mattebox. You will still benefit from one, but I don't think that it's quite as mandatory as it once was. You still will always want to shade your lens from light striking it, it's just that the consequences with modern glass are a lot milder than it used to be. And matteboxes let you use filters -- which is great, but it sure does seem like filter use has really fallen way out of favor as compared to the older days. I'm from the generation that focused on getting the look right "in-camera", but with the advent of the Digital Intermediate it seems like more and more folks are trying to get the look in post, and are foregoing any filtration. I still think there's a case to be made for external ND filters, graduated ND's, and the occasional mild diffusion/black pro-mist. So I like having a mattebox in any cine-style shoot. Even with modern coatings it's still best to keep the flare off. But, I will say, it seems like matteboxes aren't quite as ubiquitous as they once were.

So -- the question before shopping is -- what are you shooting? How do you shoot it? How important is portability, vs. ultimate quality, vs. budget? All those things will weigh into the advice we could give about a) whether you need any of these things, and b) which ones would be most appropriate. For example, if you're using Lumix lenses, I say forget the manual follow focus, it's a disaster with Lumix lenses -- use a FoXi or VariZoom or Manfrotto electronic controller instead. But if you're using manual lenses, none of those will work at all -- unless you're going with a Birger mount and Canon lenses, in which case, once again, the electronic follow focus would be the best option. For a mattebox, do you need a big one? A small one? A clip-on, or a rails-mounted one? Tell us what your budget is and we'll try to assist to say what will be most appropriate.

 

[Barry_Green]

I would honestly buy lights before the rail setup and FF... That is where you will start getting the best return next. Drop the serious cash on the FF and MB once you get some lighting. You will get more out of your picture from good fast glass and lighting than with a $2k FF/MB combo and nothing else.

Excellently worded. That was what I was trying to say but it took me five paragraphs to say what you did in three sentences...

 

[Gabrobot]

But if it's a one-man show, it won't make much of a difference other than to put a dent in your wallet. I might be killed for saying so, but that's the way I see it.

I completely agree. Whenever I've shot with a DSLR I've just pulled focus by myself on the lens with no follow focus. I felt really vindicated when I read that the Black Swan cinematographer did the same thing for the subway shots using DSLRs.

 

[dustylense]

Spend $2.50 on one of these and put the rest into lighting first.
http://vimeo.com/20301862

 

[Oliver Rush]

Spend $2.50 on one of these and put the rest into lighting first.

And for $.01 more, add a little strip of white gaff tape around the barrel of the lens to make marks for pulling focus.

 

[dustylense]

And for $.01 more, add a little strip of white gaff tape around the barrel of the lens to make marks for pulling focus.

Heck, $.20 more, and get a smooth surface tape, a dry erase pen, and be able to make marks over and over....

Nikkor AIS primes work really well too. FOr about $1000 one can get a 24/2, 35/2 or faster, 50 1.4, and 85/2 or faster. They all over the place!

 

[FilmBoy77]

wow thanks for all the great info everybody....and Barry for the great in depth response as usual. I'm bookmarking this thread and have read it a couple times so far. I'm already seeing where some of things you guys are suggesting are conflicting with the sales guy I spoke with that was estimating everything i needed...but that's what I expected and the reason I posted here.

Get good fast glass. You can put together a nice fast set of nikkors for ~$2K if you look around and buy them piece by piece, there are great deals to be found used. (also, check out the bower 85mm f/1.4 prime, it produces a beautiful bokeh, is sharp, and only costs $350 new. I LOVE the look of that glass for portraits. It is awesome. Get it in a nikon mount.) A set of fast primes really turns the AF100 into a whole different beast, and nikon primes are best bang for the buck IMHO as they cover FF35 and you can get a nikon mount for anything, so pretty much future proof, and the mechanics of the old manual nikkors is top notch. I would def start there.

I would honnestly buy lights before the rail setup and FF...

And then save some money and shoot for a while and see what you are crying out that you wish you had... and use that money you saved to buy it then...

On edit:
Oh yea, almost forgot. A monopod is great for run and gun work with this camera. Really, almost a must have. Get a reasonably priced sturdy one, slap a 501 head on it, and you have a great run and gun support set-up.

Thanks Oliver, couple of questions for you, what is FF35? Also are you saying the nikkor mount will allow me to put any major brand lens on my camera? Right now I'm looking at the Zeiss lenses, but I'm not married to them. I've seen some really nice stuff with Nikkon lenses but didn't know what the specs were. Do you have any great examples/links you're impressed with using the nikkon lenses?

I already have a lighting setup and actually in the process of adding more to it.

I'll have to check that monopod out for sure.

A follow focus is not necessarily necessary (heh) or even desirable, for a one-man gig. It's probably the most overbought accessory. It's useful for when you have a first AC, you're doing dolly moves, and you don't want someone jostling the camera. But if it's a one-man show, it won't make much of a difference other than to put a dent in your wallet. I might be killed for saying so, but that's the way I see it. I've had several and currently have a Durus and I use it infrequently unless it's a bigger gig.

Thanks, I basically asked the sales guy the same thing in terms of if this was necessary for a one man show and got a different answer but what you've touched on was my gut feeling, but needed to hear it from someone who actually uses it to get the real deal.

Rails -- if you're going to have a follow focus, you're going to need rails to mount it to. And it seems like everyone always wants to dress up their camera. And I've got at least four rails systems. Wait, I have two redrock bases, so that makes five. And I'd say that for a bigger camera they're essential, but on a small camera they're almost counterproductive. What do I mean by that? I mean that the AF100 is a small, lightweight, easily-movable camera -- and once you start bolting on rails and a mattebox and a follow focus and an external monitor, yeah you may have a "rig" that looks fancier, but -- is it truly more useful? Again, for a slow-paced crewed cine-style shoot, go right ahead. But if you're a one-man-band, it's potentially more trouble than it's worth. My favorite configurations for the AF100 are with the camera and a Lumix auto lens, or with the Ciecio7 PL mount supported by the tripod plate and something like a SuperSpeed or Compact Prime on the front. No rails, no mattebox, no follow focus, no five extra pounds hanging off the camera, just a nice lightweight workable system.

Handheld, it's rarely the right idea to go building out some $4,000 rig with all sorts of stuff, it kind of defeats the purpose of having the small handholdable lightweight camera.

Yea, you hit the nail on the head with this.

So -- the question before shopping is -- what are you shooting? How do you shoot it? How important is portability, vs. ultimate quality, vs. budget? All those things will weigh into the advice we could give about a) whether you need any of these things, and b) which ones would be most appropriate. For example, if you're using Lumix lenses, I say forget the manual follow focus, it's a disaster with Lumix lenses -- use a FoXi or VariZoom or Manfrotto electronic controller instead. But if you're using manual lenses, none of those will work at all -- unless you're going with a Birger mount and Canon lenses, in which case, once again, the electronic follow focus would be the best option. For a mattebox, do you need a big one? A small one? A clip-on, or a rails-mounted one? Tell us what your budget is and we'll try to assist to say what will be most appropriate.

I'm going to be doing mostly short films I can do with a small crew. Small as in a few people. Typically if I have a scene that is something out of the scope for what I have (music video, commercial, whatever) then I just hire someone else for that day if necessary, but for my personal needs I will need something I can move around without the slow cine-shooting-style as you mentioned above. I love doing a lot of handheld stuff as well too, so portability is important to me, but not enough to sacrifice quality if that makes sense. Right now I don't have a set budget. I have enough money for the camera, some good set of lenses and any additional accessory I need immediately I'm going to have to pull the money out my $#@....but based on these responses I don't see the need for a FF and mattebox right now so you all just saved me probably about $2k or more right off the bat.

Just out of curiosity can you explain what you mean about the manual FF being a disaster with Lumix lenses? Is it just the way of the design that causes it to not work well together?

Spend $2.50 on one of these and put the rest into lighting first.
http://vimeo.com/20301862

damn, that's pretty handy thanks for the link I'll be trying that out first.

 

[TwinCitiesShooter]

I agree about the follow-focus (even though I have one), but disagree about the rails - but this largely depends on if you're getting an external recorder. I have the Ki Pro Mini and need the rails on the back-end to support it. I have a matte box and follow-focus to put on the front if needed, but could get by without them. Remember, most still lenses will come with an adequate lens shade. If you're not buying a recorder and can do without a matte box, you don't need rails.

I recommend Canon EF lenses and the upcoming Birger adapter. Why? The main advantage over other great lenses is the Birger will allow the lens OIS (stabilizer) to operate. This, to me, is huge. If you shoot a lot of handheld, as I do, image stabilization on the lens makes a very visible difference. Canon L-series zooms 16-35, 24-105 (f4), and maybe (not mandatory) a 70-200 will give you great range. Add a cheap, fast non-L 50mm or 85mm and you're good to go. Also, Birger will be releasing a wireless follow-focus that has some amazing features. Not necessary for you, but nice to know about. This is not to knock other lenses, and I'm really not sure if there are other lens stabilizers that are supported as much as Canon's will be once the Birger comes out. Zeiss is awesome, but you're really paying for the mechanical benefits like easier focus pulling, less breathing, etc. However, I've been pulling focus by hand on a 5D with Canon lenses for over a year, and can say that you get used to it. For my varied work, I'd much rather have a wide range of zooms than a set of primes. If you're doing all studio work, then it's probably the other way around.

 

[wbrock001]

I always have the zacuto universal rail plate on mine since it's then easier to mount my camera light, which I use the zacuto arms with. This is for all events run and gun. I do have the full zacuto grips etc and I have only used it a couple times in the past few years...no follow focus, no matte box.

The ff is bad with panny glass because they're focus by wire so repeatability of focus is not easy since the focus wheel will spin forever where real cine lenses have hard stops and more spin range for the focus range.

So I would say just get a zacuto or other brand rail base, then some arms and adapters to mount lights, screens and other accessories you need and get good glass in the focal range you need. Less than a thousand should cover all of the rails and arms...don't bother for now on matte or ff. Or just rent em for the few times you'd actually need them. The rail base will also be good to support longer lenses. I have an old Minolta 80-200 2.8 that I can use supported by the rails. And that's all I've needed so far.

 

[Oliver Rush]

wow thanks for all the great info everybody....and Barry for the great in depth response as usual. I'm bookmarking this thread and have read it a couple times so far. I'm already seeing where some of things you guys are suggesting are conflicting with the sales guy I spoke with that was estimating everything i needed...but that's what I expected and the reason I posted here.



Thanks Oliver, couple of questions for you, what is FF35? Also are you saying the nikkor mount will allow me to put any major brand lens on my camera? Right now I'm looking at the Zeiss lenses, but I'm not married to them. I've seen some really nice stuff with Nikkon lenses but didn't know what the specs were. Do you have any great examples/links you're impressed with using the nikkon lenses?

FF35 is a frame size that is used 35mm photography and is most commonly found on the 5dmkII. It is larger than a 35mm motion picture film frame, and larger than the s35 sensor and the m4/3 sensor of the AF100... Basically the point being is that Nikkor primes, being ff35mm, will cover larger formats than m4/3, which will be important later on if you want to use them on cameras such as a RED, F3, or (ugh...) a 5DmkII.

As for the Zeiss lenses, if they are ZF (which is nikon mount) then they will work with the Nikon adapter. The Nikon Mount is used by other manufactures making lenses for use on cameras with the Nikon F mount, so yea, the nikon adapter will work on any lens regardless of manufacture as long as it has a nikon F mount. The Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 and Bower 85mm f/1.4 are two lenses in my nikon set that are not acutally made by nikon (the rest of my set are all nikkors though).

The Zeiss ZF glass is nice, but a little over priced IMHO, but are nice for still glass. I have liked them when I have used them, but never felt compelled to spend the extra money over the Nikkors, which give an excellent image and can be found inexpensively. For example, I got my 50mm f/1.4 is good condition with excellent optics, for $125. Even brand new it is $350 vs. the Zeiss 50mm f1.4 at $750. I would frankly go for a complete set of Nikkors over a couple Zeiss lenses for the same money if given a choice... if you have the cash, get the Zeiss by all means, though I frankly would still get the Nikkors and put the money to having them properly cine-modded, to future cine-glass, or other needed gear. The Nikkors really are some of the best bang for the buck glass wise IMHO, Nikon has been around for years, they make great glass, and you can get a nikon mount or practically anything. You really cant go wrong with them, especially the older manual focus ones.

As for which lenses to get, I love my set, and would recommend it as a good bang for buck nikon set that is easily assembled, and the f/1.4 primes really are worth it when the light gets low (see link below).
I have the following:
- Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 (GREAT ultra-wide, constant aperture)
- Nikkor 24mm f2.8 (wish it was a bit faster sometimes, but is a great sharp lens. If I had the money I would replace it with the constant aperture Nikkor 17-35 f2.8)
- Nikkor 35mm f1.4 (great normal lens, great for low light)
- Nikkor 50mm f1.4 (great for low light, dirt cheap on the used market)
- Bower 85mm f1.4 (awesome bokeh, $350 new, great in low light, it is my FAVORITE portrait lens, and the half stop aperture increments are nice)
- Nikkor 135mm f2.8 (you can find it for like $40-$80 used, I use it mostly as a tele lens, I use my 85 more for portraits.)

I shot this with my 50mm f1.4 in verry low light:
PASSWORD: Rush - http://vimeo.com/22185230

I used my whole set shooting this:
PASSWORD: Rush - http://vimeo.com/22351586

These are some from the Bower 85mm F/1.4:
PASSWORD: Rush - http://vimeo.com/22181558

 

[FilmBoy77]

well oliver nikkon should give you a job because you've now swayed me with your examples and post

i think i will start off with something more along the lines that you used in your videos, i really like the way they look too. on the first one you posted, you said it was low light, but i wonder how low was it? it looked pretty well-lit to me, but that was probably because the lens and the cam did so well i'm assuming.

is there a specific model for the mount i should be looking for? i'm seeing all different types of mounts on bhphoto, but not sure if it's what i should be looking at.

also, what did you mean by this:

put the money to having them properly cine-modded, to future cine-glass

is this an expensive process and why does this need to be done?

when buying used lenses i think i saw a post on this website somewhere about Ebay and online places being a real crap shoot, so where would i go to physically check out used lenses? i'd like to buy new, but if they are as "dirt cheap" as you say in the used market then i'd be stupid not to at least shop around first.

 

[Oliver Rush]

well oliver nikkon should give you a job because you've now swayed me with your examples and post

i think i will start off with something more along the lines that you used in your videos, i really like the way they look too. on the first one you posted, you said it was low light, but i wonder how low was it? it looked pretty well-lit to me, but that was probably because the lens and the cam did so well i'm assuming.

It was low. The f/1.4 primes make the diffrence.

is there a specific model for the mount i should be looking for? i'm seeing all different types of mounts on bhphoto, but not sure if it's what i should be looking at.

Get a good one, Adaptimax, Novoflex, and Voigtlander. I have the kipon, and it is a POS, and I really wish I got a better one, but it was all I could get at the time due to availability. Planning on getting the Adaptimax very soon. Get one with aperture control if you are getting a lens w/o a aperture ring like the Tokina.

also, what did you mean by this:
put the money to having them properly cine-modded, to future cine-glass
is this an expensive process and why does this need to be done?

By future cine glass, I was just listing something I would save my money for, as in to buy cine-glass in the future. Anyway, No, it is not necessary, it just gears the lenses, de-clicks and dampens the iris, and usually ads standard size rings to it. I did not have it done to mine. It is nice, not necessary by any means. I believe Dulcos does it for around $250 a lens depending on what is needed.

when buying used lenses i think i saw a post on this website somewhere about Ebay and online places being a real crap shoot, so where would i go to physically check out used lenses? i'd like to buy new, but if they are as "dirt cheap" as you say in the used market then i'd be stupid not to at least shop around first.

I went with Craigs List for most of mine... that way you can check them out in person. KEH is also a great used place, but not the cheapest by any means. But quality is top notch, as is their customer service. I sent back a 35mm f/1.4 they sent that I did not like with out a problem, and the next one they sent me was in excellent condition, despite being a 'bargin' grade lens. Also, try to get the older metal AI or non-AI nikon lenses (though non-AI lenses may not work with modern nikon DSLRs, they work just fine with the AF100 and nikon adapters, and are often much cheaper). The later and current manual AI-s are good too, but has a slightly shorter focus throw. The newer AF lenses are not quite as nice to use for cine stuff though still produce great images.

ON EDIT: Also, avoid the newer 'G' and 'DX' series nikkors with out an aperture ring unless you cant find an equivalent non-G lens. I got the Tokina despite it being a DX lens w/o an aperture ring as it is a rockstar of a lens and is so good that I overlook that shortcoming... I would not consider the new Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 'G' lens for that reason though.

Also, for cine-use, don't focus only on optical quality. Check out the mechanical quality. That is the reason I sent back my first 35mm to KEH. It was an optically excellent lens in great shape but the mechanics were a bit worn and and the was some minuscule play in the focusing that you would NEVER notice it if you were shooting stills, but it showed up sometimes as a slight image shift in rack focuses shooting video. The next one they sent me was great though.

 

[brunerww]

You've already gotten great advice on lenses, light control, FF and support, but not a lot on batteries. Oliver touched on it when he recommended the $30 eBay batts -- but I would spend $36 and get the Maximal Power Intelligent Li-Ion from Amazon. They're $100 less than the Panasonic VW-VBG6PP-K, and the camera won't know the difference. I'm a renter, not an owner, so a battery that costs less than renting the OEM battery for a weekend shoot is a big deal for me.

 

[FilmBoy77]

Thanks brunerww that's a big help. Does the AF100 come with 1 or 2 batteries?

Guess I should've tried to keep the 6 batteries I had from my hvx/hpx since it looks the same....but the people I sold it to thought it was a better bargain if i threw them in with he cams.

 

[brunerww]

Thanks brunerww that's a big help. Does the AF100 come with 1 or 2 batteries?

Camera comes with one battery and one charger.

Guess I should've tried to keep the 6 batteries I had from my hvx/hpx since it looks the same....but the people I sold it to thought it was a better bargain if i threw them in with he cams.

Not to worry, your HVX/HPX used the Panasonic CGA-D54, which looks similar to the AF100 battery, but is not compatible.

 

[digivid]

Thanks for the really substantial informations in this thread.

i just bought the AG-AF100 and use it with the Lumix 14-140 glass which I already bought together with my GH2. Since this glass is not fast, I am looking for a decent fast lenses which has a zoom in the (for my needs) most useful range between 14 and 60 or so. I read much in this forum but feel a bit confused now .

Used Nikkors should definitely offer a very good value for the bucks (Oliver Rush, thanks for explanations). On the other side, I don't want to change prime lenses again and again just because I need another focus. It seems, that the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f/2 SWD does the job for me. Do you think I'm right? Or is there anything which could be a dealbreaker?

Thanks for your appreciated responses.

 

[FilmBoy77]

Yea, I don't know how much money I've saved in the past just by doing research on this site and talking to people like the one's who posted in this thread. Glad I posted this thread, because if it were up to just listening to the sales guy I'd have about $8k worth of additional stuff that wouldn't have gotten used. The internet is the %$#@

 

[Oliver Rush]

Thanks for the really substantial informations in this thread.

i just bought the AG-AF100 and use it with the Lumix 14-140 glass which I already bought together with my GH2. Since this glass is not fast, I am looking for a decent fast lenses which has a zoom in the (for my needs) most useful range between 14 and 60 or so. I read much in this forum but feel a bit confused now .

Used Nikkors should definitely offer a very good value for the bucks (Oliver Rush, thanks for explanations). On the other side, I don't want to change prime lenses again and again just because I need another focus. It seems, that the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f/2 SWD does the job for me. Do you think I'm right? Or is there anything which could be a dealbreaker?

Thanks for your appreciated responses.

I would consider the nikon 17-35 f/2.8... it is a stop slower than the oly, but I have read people have had some issues with the oly zoom lenses on the AF100. I forget the specifics, and I have honestly never tried it or read much about it specifically, but they are not a perfect lens for the af100, and for the price, I would go with the nikon 17-35 f/2.8, which is a great lens, is constant aperture (and parafocal too if I remember right), and being a nikon you will most likely be able to get a mount for it on any other camera you ever use. I would also pick up a 35mm f/1.4 nikkor prime (I really like the AI version over all others of this lens) for those really low light situations where you need something faster.