First Lens?

This is what Ken Rockwell says about the 80-200 AIS F4...

"This is the best manual focus telephoto zoom for Nikon. Of course if you can find one of the huge (95 mm filter) manual focus 80 - 200mm f/2.8s don't let me stop you, but for my bag I'd get one of these if I wanted a manual focus tele zoom."

I think I may have had one of these back in the day. Nikon has made very few dogs, most of their AI and AIS glass was EXCELLENT.

My only hesitation would be that an F4 lens might be pretty difficult to focus past about 110mm without a split prism screen. With video, it is always nice to have the option of fast glass, but the 80-200 2.8 is much larger, heavier and more expensive than this lens. I prefer primes personally. I have read that the 5D MKII freaks out if you zoom while recording anyway so I prefer primes. Fast zooms are great but usually pretty expensive and primes are, for the most part, faster and higher quality, smaller, lighter and much less money.

Different strokes.

Dan
 
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I bought the 50mm 1.4 Zeiss F mount lens and have no regrets. I love it.

Of course I bought it knowing that I will soon after buy a 24mm or 28mm.

I also agree with Pure on the zoom idea. I don't plan on doing many zooms. I prefer primes.
 
OK.. Nobody had any descent options for a canon lens locally, But I did find a Sigma 28-90 AF new for $15. At least I can start playing until I find a Nikon adapter and lenses.
 
And definitely go with a Kawa adapter from Ebay.

I originally went with a Novoflex but they sent me the wrong one so I immediately ordered a Kawa figuring I had nothing to lose since it was only 8 bucks. Well I put it on and it was totally worth it.
 
OK, so Nikon glass gives you control over the aperture, but you still have no control over the shutter speed and ISO, right?

I realize this isn't a run-n-gun camera, but are you able to manipulate the 5DM2 fairly easily & quickly in order to get the shutter speed & ISO you want?

Basically, I've got a summer camp video gig starting up in the middle of June. I'll be traveling all over the States shooting camp footage - mostly b-roll, with a few interviews here and there. I'd love to use the 5DM2, but I'm afraid I'll miss key shots if I'm having to dork around too much with the shutter speed and ISO.

I'm still on the fence - 5DM2 or GH1? But at least my Nikkor 50mm F1.4 AIS is in the mail! I'll use it no matter which camera I buy.

BTW, I already own the Canon 40D w/ 24-105mm, 100mm macro, remote timer, etc. And the Zoom H4n.

(If I didn't already own Canon gear then it would probably be a no-brainer - I'd buy the GH-1).
 
You do have some control over the shutter speed and aperture but you have to fool the camera into the settings you want to use. Yes, a drag but that is the way it is. At least us Nikon users can control DOF. I am going to be running some experiments using gray scale cards on my iPod Touch to hold up to the lens. I have read and spoken with some who are doing this and they can control the shutter speed and aperture within a certain amount of presets.

GH1 is not available yet. It is so hot, you may not be able to get your hands on one until July easily, possibly August. My 5D MKII is arriving this morning and I will pick up the GH1 in a few months.

Dan
 
At the moment I'm investigating Leica R glass (S/H of course!), or possibly Contax. Prices are a bit steep-ish.
I don't have teh MkII yet, but I do have a MkI to put them on. Problem is I have several boring things I have to spend money on, you know Mortgage, food, untilities, insurance, and on and on... :violin:
 
puredrifting said:
I am going to be running some experiments using gray scale cards on my iPod Touch to hold up to the lens. I have read and spoken with some who are doing this and they can control the shutter speed and aperture within a certain amount of presets.
Click to expand...

Woah. Interesting solution. I don't own an iPod Touch, so I may have to wait for the supposed firmware update (if I buy the 5DM2).

Are you thinking this will be the quickest way to adjust the shutter speed? Is that what you've read?

I'll be curious to hear your results.
 
You don't even need an application, just create your gray cards in Photoshop, take measurements, check calibration and label them. You really only need two or three repeatable settings for most situations as far as shutter speeds and ISO care considered.

Dan
 
puredrifting said:
You really only need two or three repeatable settings for most situations as far as shutter speeds and ISO care considered.

Dan
Click to expand...

Two or three settings? You're talking about settings that can be programed into the 5DM2??? Is that what you mean?

I thought all of your settings - aperture, shutter speed, ISO - were flushed down the toilet after each video recording?
 
No, no, you aren't understanding the concept. By covering the lens of the 5D MKII with a screen from an iPhone or iPod Touch that is exhibiting a specific level of gray card on it's screen, the process of guiding the camera toward the same ISO and shutter speed becomes, in theory, repeatable. Yes, you would still have to do it for each take, but if it becomes repeatable, that could save a lot of time and effort and could make repeated takes look the same.

Dan
 
I know, a gray card, once it is read and accurately tabulated, should be the same for everyone. Heck, I see a little niche market here for iPhone "virtual' gray cards. Especially if they were all measured out and labeled so that you could easily find one.

It would be pretty cool if you could hold up a gray card labeled (f2.8, ISO 200, shutter speed 1/60) and cover the lens and if it worked to set all of the parameters correctly. I have read a few threads over on the Cinema 5D site of a few people who are doing this.

Dan
 
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