GH4 Fast telephoto lens?

Jaime Valles

Jaime Valles

Veteran
Hi there!

Just wanted to check in with you about lenses for my upcoming GH4. I already have the following prime lenses:

SLR Magic 12mm f/1.6
SLR Magic 25mm f/0.95
Navitar 50mm f/0.95

As you can see, I'm a speed junkie when it comes to lens apertures. This set works great for me, but I sometimes find myself needing something with a longer reach. I know there are some fast 85mm lenses out there, but is there anything in the 100mm to 300mm range that's faster than an f/4? It can be native m4/3 mount, or Nikon or Canon mount or any of the usual suspects with adapters for m4/3. I just want to be able to get longer reach without raising the ISO.

Is this a pipe dream?

Thanks in advance!
 
Jaime Valles said:
I know there are some fast 85mm lenses out there, but is there anything in the 100mm to 300mm range that's faster than an f/4?
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Nikon manual focus glass has you covered nicely: 105mm/f1.8, 135mm/f2.0 and f2.8, 180mm/f2.8 not to mention zooms such as the 80-200/f2.8

I also have Tokina ATX-Pro 28-80/f2.6 (angenieux design) and 80-200/f2.8 zooms in Nikon mount
 
Obviously you're a prime user, but for whatever it's worth I use a Sigma 50-150/2.8 (pre-OS version), often on a SpeedBooster. About as close to a "cinema zoom" as a stills lens can get. Also have a few OM lenses (100/2, 135/2.8). Shrigg's recommendation of the Nikkors, especially the 180/2.8, is a very good one.
 
There are some dirt cheap Canon FD f2.8 primes out there. I believe I saw a 200mm once. They are huge and heavy however.
 
Canon FD 300mm 2.8 Very Sharp lens and when mounted on the GH4 you will have peaking and will be at 600mm. If that is to long or too much, the Canon FD 200 2.8 is around 100 bucks
 
Vivitar made some nice long zoom lenses in nikon mount, 2.8 constant. And they're cheap. I have one that is 80-200. Also the Tokina 80-200 2.8.
 
Now we're cookin' with fire! This is exactly what I needed. I didn't know there were FD lenses at 300mm f/2.8, and those 80-200mm f/2.8 zooms look great as well. That Nikon 105mm f/1.8 seems like a good one, too, and at around $500 it 's not a bad price, either.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
 
I use the Canon FD 135mm f2.5, to me the only drawback is the minimal focus distance at 1.5mt, now imagine that with the Speedbooster.. still waiting, arghhh:cry:
 
Jaime Valles said:
Now we're cookin' with fire! This is exactly what I needed. I didn't know there were FD lenses at 300mm f/2.8, and those 80-200mm f/2.8 zooms look great as well. That Nikon 105mm f/1.8 seems like a good one, too, and at around $500 it 's not a bad price, either.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
Click to expand...

Great lenses, but a 300 or 400/f2.8 are a far cry from any of these lenses financially. Thousands vs hundreds of dollars.
 
The nice thing about the FD lenses is that you can take the savings and buy yourself an FD to M4/3 Speedbooster ($399) and then you have two crop factors to play with give you two different lenses for the price of one. If you are using a regular adapter , you will get a 2x crop factor and with the Speedbooster you would get 1.4x crop factor and one more stop. So a FD 200mm f/2.8 becomes either a 400mm f/2.8 with regular adapter or a 28omm f/2.0 with a speedbooster....not bad.
 
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