cheap new lens recommendations?

G

gutterball321

Well-known member
I have the gh2 with the 14-42mm lens and I need a new lens. I want to spend around 300$ and dont know much about lenses. I want something that will zoom in more than my other lens and can get a shallow depth of field. This will mainly be for filmmaking but I also use my gh2 as a back up camera for weddings and bands.
 
You should get a Nikon to M/43 adapter, and some Nikon primes, I already had Nikon lenses before I got my GH1 so it was easy for me.. you can find 50mm f/1.8 for about $60-70 on craigslist or ebay.. I just bought a 35mm F/2.5 for $65 off craigslist.
 
I'm also purchasing a GH2 14-42mm kit. I looking at the Panasnonic-Leica 25mm f 1.4 to go along with it. Would you say the Nikon lenses are better, worse or about equal as far as image quality?
 
300 $ ?
Shallow depth of field ?
Panasonic pancake, maybe ?
(it's a bit more expensive I think, but not that much, maybe 50 $...and maybe you could find some used one too to lower the price.)
(now that I think about it, maybe I'll sell mine since I got a Voightlander wich is kinda the same type but better -and more expensive too, double the price here-, so if you're interested...I didn't came here to sell in the first place, i'm just saying.)
 
maybe look at canon fd lenses - could get a 50mm 1.4, 28mm 2.8 & 35-105mm 3.5 with macro for about that much - youve already got the wide covered with kit lens
 
I would definitely recommend getting a fast 50mm, but is autofocus important to you or not?
If not, there are loads of cheap 50s on eBay. Nikon, Canon FD, Konica, Cosina, Yashica, Helios, Pentacon, Olympus, Pentax, etc etc.
The f/2 f/1.8 f/1.7 types are the cheapest by far, and some are sharper wide open than the f/1.4 or f/1.2 types. Good to start with.
Obviously get the right adapter to go with it as well.
 
ade4all said:
maybe look at canon fd lenses - could get a 50mm 1.4, 28mm 2.8 & 35-105mm 3.5 with macro for about that much - youve already got the wide covered with kit lens
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While I agree in general with your advice, I think it needs to be pointed out that it is sometimes difficult to match the "contrasty" nature of the 14-42 lens with some of the vintage stuff. Not knocking the kit lens (I'm constantly refuting the naysayers who say it sucks) but the issue should be kept in mind.
 
First, I would recommend getting the 14-140 kit lens instead, this will give you a zoom to cover most of the necessary focal lengths.
Then on top of this, get some Nikon primes (nikon mount is the most universal as you can even mount it on a canon camera.)
Check Ebay for some manual prime nikon lens. real cheap, fast and good quality.
 
I've heard a lot of people talk wonders for the 14-140mm and 20mm combo.

I personally wish I could have afforded the 14-140 but it is $699 as much as I paid for my GH2 with 14-42.
 
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