GH4 fast lens recommendations

Lindquist

Lindquist

Veteran
So I will be getting my gh4 soon and I already have my 14-140mm and the 7.5mm fisheye, I want somthing fast for good low light shots, I was looking at the

Voigtlander Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 $1150

Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 With Speed Booster for nikon. $1200

I used to own a Hpx170 and the lens had good zoom and decently wide id like somthing like that, would i want the 17.5mm voidtlander or the other versions if I got that?
Leica Dicomar 13x Zoom
3.9-51mm f/1.6-3.0
(35mm Equivalence 28-368mm)
72mm Filter Diameter


Thanks for any advice.
 
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I'd go with the sigma boost combo for its versatility. However, it's a monster in terms of size and weight. For ultra low light I use the slr magic 25mm because it is not only very fast, but also very sharp wide open. Also, from an ergonomic standpoint, the slr is great when I'm run n gun in low light since I can focus and adjust iris AT THE SAME TIME! The lens is small with a very smooth aperture dial and focus ring. The Sigma on the other hand is nothing like that. The Speedbooster is declicked, but still nowhere near as smooth as the slr magic.

Will this be on a tripod mostly? If so, go sigma. If you have a normal adapter as well you get about 13-35mm out of it, or 26-70 in full frame terms. That's a classic range. Speed will be about 1.3-1.8. Again, not bad at all!

The sigma is less of a character lens. It is sharp, and for the most part just gets out of the way.

I have not used the Voigt. Only seen footage. It looks great.
 
I use that 17.5mm Nokton and love it. For interviews I turn on the GH4's 2x extender. Makes a nice 70mm equivalent with no moire at 1080p.
 
Ive narrowed it down a little bit more on the mid $ side and High $ side. I got my gh4 the other day and im in love with it. its amazing.

I also wanted to mention that I have the 14-140mm I got with my gh2 years back. is that worth keeping for the gh4 for video ect? since it doesnt have a constant ap. at 2.8, low light for it is impossible to not go over 1600 iso.
if i should sell it what should i get


what would you guys recommend on the under 1000$ lenses?
with best sharpness at almost wide open. Thanks.


under $1000

SLR magic 12mm 1.7 $600

Olympus 45mm 1.8 $400

panasonic 25mm 1.4 $600

over $1000

sigma 18-35 / w sb $1200+

voitlander 17.5mm 0.95 $1000
 
I've got the Pan/Leica 25mm f1.4 and the Olympus 45mm f1.8, quite happy with the performance of both lenses.

Also have the Lumix 20mm f1.7 and Lumix 14mm f2.5 "pancakes" as well as the Olympus 75mm f1.8. Some complain of the 20mm being slow on autofocus but I don't find that a problem. I like the performance of all the "fast" lenses I've listed.
 
My next two lenses I think will be the Sigma 18-35 & the Pana 42.5 f1.2. There is just something special about having an 85mm on full frame with IS even though its pricey as hell. Great for portraits in video and stills. The Sigma is like 3 primes and pretty damn sharp wide open. Amazing lens for the price.
 
I have a good range of Canon FD lenses, just picked up a 135 f2.

there are some great L series lenses for reasonable money if you can find them, my favourite is the 85mm f1.2 but I've got 24mm, 35mm, 50mmm 100mm & now 135mm all f2 or faster. I've got Panasonic & Voightlander & SLRmagic but I keep coming back to Canon FD, I just like the look.
 
Lindquist said:
under $1000

SLR magic 12mm 1.7 $600

Olympus 45mm 1.8 $400

panasonic 25mm 1.4 $600

over $1000

sigma 18-35 / w sb $1200+

voitlander 17.5mm 0.95 $1000
Click to expand...

I have or have used most of those.

SLRM - meh. They're OK lenses, but don't feel incredibly well put together (at least the copy I had) and aren't that optically impressive.
Oly 45/1.8, 25/1.8, 12/2, 17/1.8. 75/1.8 - All the Oly primes are nice, except maybe the old 17/2.8, which is still OK. Can't really say anything bad about them, but don't own one... more a function of what I already had when they debuted.
PanaLeica 25 - Excellent. It's my 'normal prime' for interviews etc. in my 'go case.' Sharp open, sharp throughout, good bokeh and contrast. Like with the Oly lenses, nice to have auto features sometimes. Too bad on the focus-by-wire.

Sigma 18-35 +/-SB - Excellent. Parfocal, non-extending, mechanical repeatable focus, fast, sharp, contrasty... ALMOST perfect... EXCEPT once you try shooting with it on a GH cam handheld, where it transforms into a front-heavy, unbalanced pig. A good-looking pig, but a pig nonetheless. Doable, but not exactly comfortable. Not at all a "travel lens" due to its size.

Voigtlander 17.5 - It's 0.95, doesn't suck at that aperture, and is still a manageable size on the camera. Sharper with better contrast closed down a little (which is the same as comparable focal length lens' 'wide open'). I travel with it, shoot interviews, b-roll, landscapes, even invert it for macro.
 
I love the olympus 45mm 1.8 for talking heads. I thought about the 42.5 1.2 but realized for the price i could just buy a canon 6d and id get lower light and shallower depth of field with a $300 tamron 2.8 zoom. it would also be a lot better for photos too
 
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