GH3 Disadvantages of using old glass with an adapter

[Stab]

Hey,

I have a few questions regarding the disadvantages of using old lenses on the GH3 with a simple mechanic adapter. I know that I will loose the autofocus function. But, what else is there to it?

With old Canon FD lenses for instance. Does the adapter need any 'glass part' like you need with the EOS mount? Problems with infinity focus? Losing sharpness / colours? Which functions are not accesible?

With old FD lenses being very cheap and viewed as very good / sharp, it is a tempting way to go for the GH3 route. But what are all the downsides that come with it?

 

[Gary Huff]

With old Canon FD lenses for instance. Does the adapter need any 'glass part' like you need with the EOS mount? Problems with infinity focus? Losing sharpness / colours? Which functions are not accesible?

You don't get any autofocus with anything other than 4/3 or m4/3. Otherwise it works just fine.

 

[morgan_moore]

There are of course multiple advantages
price
future cameras
proper focus
proper aperture

once you are using old manual glass you will get hooked and dislike modern trash (IMO)

 

[Bern Caughey]

Disadvantages include no OIS, looser mount, & bulk.

 

[Stab]

So there is no decrease in sharpness or contrast? Why is not everyone shooting with cheap manual old lenses? Are they worse?

 

[morgan_moore]

Berns comments are correct, you can get wobbly mounts - I boost with tape!

Why not everyone - not many wides or (appropriate) zooms, (as old glass is FFrame) and drinking modern adverstising/bloggage rubbish?

I have buckets of glass, (working at a photo agency) so even though I have access to a bunch of moderns I nearly always end up picking a 1990 lens..

Spend $100 and see where you stand..

S

 

[Fresno Bob]

So there is no decrease in sharpness or contrast? Why is not everyone shooting with cheap manual old lenses? Are they worse?

Everyone does that I follow. I rarely put any new glass on my camera.
I have the SLR Magic 12mm, and I honestly don't know what people see in it. The results are like a CCTV lens. It will be sold soon!

 

[Stab]

I keep reading on forums that old FD lenses might be soft... I dont care about autofocus, but I do want a sharp image. Thats why I make the change to the GH3.

I've read that putting an FD lens to a Canon EOS camera is worse because there is an optical part in the adapter, making them softer and decreasing contrast. But how is it on a Panny GH2 / GH3? Any comparisons with modern glass?

 

[J.F.R.]

I keep reading on forums that old FD lenses might be soft... I dont care about autofocus, but I do want a sharp image. Thats why I make the change to the GH3.

I've read that putting an FD lens to a Canon EOS camera is worse because there is an optical part in the adapter, making them softer and decreasing contrast. But how is it on a Panny GH2 / GH3? Any comparisons with modern glass?

Old lenses give you old look..... Personally I am shooting all Rokinon lenses now. Imo it's a perfect balance between sharp modern glass, but still slight organic look. Shooting with Panasonic Glass though is Razor sharp, which can be good or not.

Personally opinion is get the Rokinon 24mm or Panasonic 25mm, these are excellent lenses. Couple that with a Rokinon 85mm and you can shoot almost anything. For wides I use the Panasonic 14mm pancake lens, that little lens is sharper than anything but it's a b@tch to focus as it's so tiny. Rent lenses too. But yeah personally I do not like vintage lenses unless I'm doing a movie or something that requires it. Those old glasses are soft, flare easily and are low contrast. Personally I like modern glass to take advantage of the great quality of the GH3.

 

[Stab]

Thanks JFR.

Yea I'm more leaping towards buying a 20mm 1.7 Pancake and the Olympus 45mm 1.8 now. And add an old Canon FD 85 mm maybe... Or save up and buy a Rokinon or other modern version.

I want sharpness After shooting with Canon DSLR's for 2 years, I'm bored of shots turning out soft on my 2560x1440 monitor all the time

 

[MR Fanny]

20mm is great but balls to focus, only good for locked focus imo. the 45mm is a bloody gem, it rarely hunts during auto focus. downside is its difficult to pull focus as its by wire. I use my old zeiss only for shoots that i have complete control over. if its run and gun or time concious shoot then its a modern lens like the 12-35mm or 14-140mm.

 

[Stab]

Is the difference between the modern Panny lenses and the old FD 85 mm too large to intercut them?

 

[maranfilms]

I keep reading on forums that old FD lenses might be soft... I dont care about autofocus, but I do want a sharp image. Thats why I make the change to the GH3.

I've read that putting an FD lens to a Canon EOS camera is worse because there is an optical part in the adapter, making them softer and decreasing contrast. But how is it on a Panny GH2 / GH3? Any comparisons with modern glass?

My old Kiron 24mm and 28mm, both 2.0 are tack sharp, Two of the sharpest fd lenses out there, heck my canon 28mm f2.8 is super sharp at 4.0, Due to the gh2 being very sharp for a cam, old glass is a perfect combo to my eyes, Not to mention, The focus by wire, and the build quality of most panisonic glass is garbage compared to the old glass, It's shocking the difference in smoothness when focusing, I just think they built really nice heliocoils (sp) back then, with better materials. Today the glass is sharp, but if you want sharp glass in a nice casing, you will pay for it.

 

[Hectorxd]

From my experience with FD lenses I get an image that is softer. Also if something in the background is out of focus and brighter than foreground it provides this big fuzzy bright spot there that looks unnatural to me.

 

[Adamsenoj]

Old lenses give you old look.

Not necessarily true. Ultimately, your cinematography gives the look to your images, not just the lens. I have seen footage shot on older lenses look very contemporary. It also depends on what you mean by old. 1930's lenses or 70's, 80's and 90's?

 

[tired]

So there is no decrease in sharpness or contrast? Why is not everyone shooting with cheap manual old lenses? Are they worse?

because they're lazy, they rely on auto everything

I love my FD lenses, the mount is loose if you buy a crap adapter - buy a good one and you're fine.

 

[Hectorxd]

because they're lazy, they rely on auto everything

Or we like using something where you can control the iris and don't have to tape the lens to the adapter to keep it from wobbling. Or maybe because some of us need to have content that looks sharp compared to the softness of the older lenses. Or could it be that when we want to take pictures we want auto focus.. no those aren't good reasons.. its because we are lazy..

I went back and looked at my lenses and there are several canon types that operate differently. One of my 50mm I am able to Flick that lever on the back once the adapter is on and it allows the iris to be used. My other 50mm wont do it. My 35 has to have the adapter taped "open" to be able to control the iris. My 28mm wont work either. The 85 I can flick the lever as well. So out of 5 lenses 2 of them I can control the iris without adding tape to a third.

 

[ATL Media Group]

Or we like using something where you can control the iris and don't have to tape the lens to the adapter to keep it from wobbling. Or maybe because some of us need to have content that looks sharp compared to the softness of the older lenses. Or could it be that when we want to take pictures we want auto focus.. no those aren't good reasons.. its because we are lazy..

I don't think you are lazy if you use m4/3 glass with auto features. But, I have many Canon FD lenses I've used for years on my GH cameras and never have I needed to tape an adapter to keep it from being wobbly... they are all tight, and all my FD glass has manual Iris so they have iris control. Most are tack sharp when stopped down just a tad... which still makes them faster than Panny lenses... So f1.4 is stopped down to f2.0. A nice FD 85mm f1.2 L glass is extremely sharp.... My only issue is AF during photos, and the FD lenses seem to have less contrast. The 14-140 makes colors pop.

 

[Hectorxd]

what adapter are you using? My iris is stuck wide open when I put it on the adapter.

 

[ATL Media Group]

what adapter are you using? My iris is stuck wide open when I put it on the adapter.

I have several and none of them do what you say... wait... I think you are putting them on wrong. If I recall, if you put them on wrong they will lock your Iris open!